Vista-Dell issues "Disk c: has errors"

Are you able to run Del ldiagnostic? By pressing F12 at the POST process, check the diagnostics, and see if you find a problem with the drive or any other part of the computer

"In reviewing the issue on the internet, several others are having the same exact problem, but only on Dell computers - potentially related to diagnostic software installations? "

 

This is not only related to Dell Computers, sorry to pop your bubble. Do the F12 Diagnostics as stated above.

 

What backup utility are you using?

 

pcgeek11

I've seen several posts with the same errors on Dell computers but yet to see any others with the same symptoms that weren't Dell.

 

I did run the diagnstics with no errors.

 

I am trying to use Vista's packaged backup utility - nothing fancy, just what came with the computer.

 

I also tried Dell's support and was told that I would have to "pay a nominal fee" for extended support as this is not covered on my brand new (less than a month old) computer's 4 year warranty.

Have you tried a PCRestore, maybe that will help you on this problem.

 

I am able to run the F12 diagnostics - everything passed all the way through the extended tests

I'm trying to hold PCRestore to a last ditch effort as I don't really want to reinstall all my software/settings (assuming PC Restore overwrites all files to original condition - this might fix my corrupted file issue).  However, my concern is not so much that there is corruption as it is that I cannot run the check/repair feature (scan disk/chkdsk).

 

This same problem is being worked on another forum (although one guy who has the issue does not have the dirty bit set, the other does) here: http://help.wugnet.com/vista/Scan-Disk-run-startup-ftopict50981.html 

 

I guess my next step is to try booting to the Vista installation disk...?

Vista OS disk doesn't help either - passed all the diagnostics there.

 

Also, on PCRestore, I don't see where this chkdsk feature ever worked, so other that "going for the gusto" and taking it back to day-1, I don't know what point I'd restore to.

 

The only other clues I have are Outlook data file errors (Outlook did not close properly - checking data files...or something like that).  From what I can tell, this latter problem is a common one and probably unrelated.

Did you try running chkdsk from the Windows Recovery Console (under Vista, known as the Recovery Environment)? 

 

If so, what was the result?

Not sure I can run Recovery Console from the Dell OS disk (i.e. Dell does not provide the Windows Installation disk, but rather a partioned hard drive and a "Reinstallation DVD".  This provided DVD has some diagnostics (very limited compared to the tests run on boot-F12) and then an installation feature.  I followed the installation as far as I dared at this point (to getting updated drivers on the internet) and I don't see a repair facility (like I have on my other PC which has the genuine Microsoft disks).

 

Is there a way to run Recovery from either the partition or the "Operating System Already Installed On Your Computer" disk?

 

If not, I'm completely in a jam between Dell telling me it's a software problem (i.e. not theirs) and not having any provided software except to restore to original status (which means I could very well be doing this all over again!).   Can anyone else with a recent Dell laptop (e.g. E1405/640M) and Dell-installed Vista get check disk to run?

 

That stinks on a 30 day old computer!  I really am not looking forward to spending the next 30 days returning all the settings to useable states and getting XP network devices running again (at least I kept notes)!

 

You can run the Recovery Enviroment from F8 menu at the beggining, select the option Repair Your Computer. Click on next, and then select your username, if you have a password type it. You will have now some recovery options, like Startup Repair, System Restore, etc... click on the Command Prompt, and try to run from there chkdsk

 

Something weird, you didn't received your Vista DVD, call them, email them, chat them and request that CD is really important for you.

Thanks GioAguilar, that helped a lot!  Using the F8 menu, I was able to run the dos prompt from the recovery environment and chkdsk ran and repaired all my errors - and it cleared the dirty bit.

 

So, where I am at is a cleared dirty bit and the Vista backup program now will run (it's running as I type this).

 

However, if I right-click c:, select properties, tools, error checking, check now (and then get the check on next restart? and answer yes), or if I run the DOS prompt and type either chkdsk /r or /f and select yes to next restart, check disk does not appear to run -- there is no sign of anything other than a normal reboot going on.  So I still have a bug, but there's a labor intensive manual workaround.

 

I'll try to prove this later by setting the dirty bit to "dirty" and verifying that it does not get cleared (and then it'll take me another hour in the recovery environment to clear this dirty bit) but I need to do some work with this computer before I have time to run this exercise.

 

BTW - I think I have the normal Dell-supplied disks.  The Vista OS disk is black and white with Dell logos and says, in addition to "Operating System Already installed on your computer", "Reinstallation DVD Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit" -- and it will reinstall Vista (I'm confident of that based on where it was taking me when I ran it).  It just doesn't give the recovery environment like a Microsoft disk would.  In talking with other Dell-Vista users, this is what they got as well. 

 

I also got another Dell disk with all the Vista drivers and utilities, but it wants to reinstall all the drivers before giving me control (and since I've already updated many of my drivers I haven't explored this further to see if it would take me eventually to recovery environment choices).  Funny - I also got the original Microsoft Office disks unopened so apparently that is flashed on at the factory but doesn't get put on the Dell disk.  Why not do the same for Vista?

Also you can run the Recovery Enviroment from the Vista DVD you said you have, just pressing F12 and then select the to boot from the CD/DVD... What I don't like is that it takes more time to load than F8 option.

Booting from the DVD you will have the same options, (the only one missing it'll be Dell Factory Image Restore, the last option).

 

Just to document this for others who may be searching on the same problem - it turned out to be a bad hard drive.   I can't explain it and neither could the experts.

 

Dell replaced "overnight" it under warranty (once I went to Dell's unresolved problems system, I got excellent knowledgeable help and service) and now I've reinstalled all my systems and software - it's all working fine now (and either the HDD or the reinstall fixed other bugs I was having with Outlook hanging indefinitely, and "Windows is Shutting Down" hangs on restarts.)  It's been working for a week without issues!  That would be my first Vista week :smileyvery-happy: