CHKDSK won't end...

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Ran into a problem with a friend's computer, and now I don't know how to get out of it.

Removed some unwanted software, did some additional cleanup, then scheduled a CHKDSK (Win XP-SP2). Rebooted and CHKDSK started. Phase 1... phase 2... phase 3 (security descriptors)... and here it stuck. No percentage counter, it just sits there.

After 10 minutes or so I pressed Power Off, and restarted. Same!

Tried again, hoping to bypass the CHKDSK, but it doesn't ask, it just starts. Tried pressing keyboard buttons during startup, but nothing changes. I cannot even boot into Safe Mode; it is as if the keyboard is not recognized during startup.

Any good suggestions...?

[AlanHo]

Do you have an Acronis, Norton or other emergency bootable CD or floppy you could try?

[andsome]

System Restore???

[AlanHo]

System Restore???

No can do - You need Windows running before you can do a restore - and his computer is refusing to boot up.

[andsome]

Safe mode??

[rong]

Ran into a problem with a friend's computer, and now I don't know how to get out of it.

Removed some unwanted software, did some additional cleanup, then scheduled a CHKDSK (Win XP-SP2). Rebooted and CHKDSK started. Phase 1... phase 2... phase 3 (security descriptors)... and here it stuck. No percentage counter, it just sits there.

After 10 minutes or so I pressed Power Off, and restarted. Same!

Tried again, hoping to bypass the CHKDSK, but it doesn't ask, it just starts. Tried pressing keyboard buttons during startup, but nothing changes. I cannot even boot into Safe Mode; it is as if the keyboard is not recognized during startup.

Any good suggestions...?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Thank you so much for everyone's response!

I just came back from an excellent dinner at Les Choux (the best oysters in town!), and I was anxiously waiting tor the call from my friend. Which I just got: the system is up and running; no problem at all! (I left the computer on that CHKDSK phase 3 - it must eventually have decided to finish by itself).

Thanks again - I will open another bottle of wine now...

Cheers - santée - kampai!

[APK]

Humor me, & try this (as it has worked for folks with this problem, & I discovered it on the job QUITE by "accident" during a service call, where one of my colleagues was "stumped" by it, & I took over + noted it was failing on a "bad index" (thing looked like a "normal" GUID/SID, but, it had a trailing NULL character @ the end in an asterisk/*)):

Stop the indexing service on that drive, first... that's done by rightclicking on the drive letter involved in "MyComputer" (explorer.exe does the job just as well, since it is really the same program, just a diff. view of it), & choosing the PROPERTIES menu that appears as an item on the popup menu.

Then, once in the drive's properties, do an unchecking of the "Allow the Indexing Service to index this drive for fast file searching" checkbox.

(IF NOT DISABLING THE INDEX SERVICE TOTALLY, using services.msc & setting that service disabled).

Then, bootup from your XP Operating Install CD, & use the RECOVERY CONSOLE (for its version of chkdsk, which has "less in the way" locking files, since you are NOT technically, in "Windows" anymore).

Run its version of chkdsk, using the /p /r switches.

:)

* I hope it works for you, as it had for folks here:

http://www.hftonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18615

(It should, hopefully!)

APK

P.S.=> For your references, I am including THIS link "straight-from-the-horses'-mouth" @ MS, as regards RECOVERY CONSOLE'S model of chkdsk:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

CHKDSK

chkdsk drive /p /r

The chkdsk command checks the specified drive and repairs or recovers the drive if the drive requires it.The command also marks any bad sectors and it recovers readable information.

You can use the following options:

/p : Does an exhaustive check of the drive and corrects any errors.

/r : Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

Note If you specify the /r option, the /p option is implied. When you specify the chkdsk command without arguments, the command checks the current drive with no options in effect.

When you run the chkdsk command, you are required to use the Autochk.exe file. CHKDSK automatically locates this file in the startup folder. If the Command Console was preinstalled, the startup folder is typically the Cmdcons folder. If CHKDSK cannot find Autochk.exe in the startup folder, CHKDSK tries to locate the Windows CD-ROM installation media. If it cannot find the installation media, CHKDSK prompts you for the location of the Autochk.exe file... apk

[Dencandy]

Er, excuse me APK, would you mind saying that again more slowly.

[APK]

Er, excuse me APK, would you mind saying that again more slowly.

Yea, ok: In short? What's above works, like NO tomorrow...

Proof? See that URL above, & these also I supposel ->

http://www.hftonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18615

&

http://forums.techguy.org/all-other-softwa...-drive-not.html

:)

APK

P.S.=> It'll most likely work for this one too, just another "chkdsk runs @ every bootup" &/or "chkdsk has errors @ bootup", etc. ... apk

[Dencandy]

Er, excuse me APK, would you mind saying that again more slowly.

Actually, APK, I was joking. I get the general idea that Check Disk can be run from Recovery Console even if it fails to run in full Windows. Very useful information to have, thanx again. By the way, are you saying that Indexing Service always has to be disabled to run ChkDsk in this way, or was it just in this particular case? (Doesn't apply in my case anyway as I have I don't have it enabled).

[APK]

By the way, are you saying that Indexing Service always has to be disabled to run ChkDsk in this way, or was it just in this particular case? (Doesn't apply in my case anyway as I have I don't have it enabled).

No, not ALWAYS, I suppose... only where it's necessary really...

E.G./I.E. -> For the cases where it complains SPECIFICALLY about "bad indexes" chkdsk cannot remove, OR, where chkdsk cannot fix or stops on certain indexes (like ones I saw that used a GUID/SID with a trailing NULL on the end, ala -> /*)... Basically, when you see errs/abends on chkdsk that deal in bad indexes & especially those chkdsk (normal Windows one in DOS prompt), then yes:

Stop the INDEXING SERVICE via services.msc & right click on the diskdrive letter concerned & stop indexing its documents - then, if needed, boot to RECOVERY CONSOLE, & run its version of chkdsk (with the /r or /pr /r switches on its commandline, as it is probably one of, if not THE most "strict" test + fix it has available to itself then).

(Personally? I cut THE INDEXING SERVICE ITSELF (via services.msc) & also I cut off the INDEXING SERVICE TASKS (via rightclick on disk, properties popup menu) off every drive here anyhow, as I feel I get more back by NOT running that service, in CPU cycles, memory, + other forms of I/O too - this may not be the case for everyone though, however for myself, it is).

APK

P.S.=> Sometimes, it also depends on HOW you use your system (some folks may like the indexing service, but, I have seen it on the job & also in forums as those URL's above note & prove that sometimes, it screws up apparently, & needs to have its service turned off, the driveletter where it caused the problem to be removed from indexing services' lists, & then check disk (chkdsk) via RECOVERY CONSOLE run to correct damage it causes)... apk

[APK]

http://forums.techguy.org/all-other-softwa...-drive-not.html

That's another one where using RECOVERY CONSOLE's version of chkdsk did the job, ontop of the other 2 examples I had a couple posts earlier I had noted it above (where I was involved suggesting it & it worked to help fix stuff for folks - there is others online I am certain though, not just ones I was part of as a fix suggesting it)...

:)

* I guess, what I am trying to say here is - the MAIN POINT's not so much about INDEXING SERVICE (only in 1 case above, where there was a problem noted with bad indexes happening), but more about "RC" (recovery console & its model of chkdsk)...

(Thing is here, in THIS post though, is that the person has not responded back w/ "success/failure" here on this forums, & I'd wager he found an answer elsewhere (he posted in Oct. last yr. here, & it's now 7 months later))

APK

P.S.=> Anyhow/anyways - Using RC & its version of chkdsk (inclusive of the /p /r switches on its commandline) is the ticket, quite often, to fixing things that "ordinary" chkdsk (checkdisk in DOS prompts etc. while in Windows (or, other tools like it, such as rightclicks on a drive & using PROPERTIES from the popup menu, Tools Tab, Error Checking (gui front to charactermode/DOS tty mode chkdsk really))), won't, which makes SOME real sense - mainly in that it has far less "locking files" etc. & thus, can do more, whereas while you use chkdsk in normal usermode/ring 3/rpl 3 level where you operate (under Windows explorer.exe shell), where a lot more things are "locked vs. access" since the desktop & Graphical User Interface (GUI) apps you use are running too... apk

[Dencandy]

Thanks for the extra information APK. I also uninstalled Indexing Service as I've been advised by a number of tech people that it's only needed if you have vast amounts of data you need to regularly access. Otherwise it just slows things down with no benefit.

Also, can ChkDsk be run in safe mode? I don't know, I've never tried it, and if so would it be able to check those files on sectors that become inaccessable when Windows and all other start-up programmes are fully booted?

Finally, can you explain to me the difference between ChkDsk and Scannow? They're similar, I think, but not the same. I've been advised to only run Scannow as an absolute last resort to repair damaged files as it will ruthlessly overwrite any non-Windows data or programmes in its task of trying to preserve Windows integrity.

[andsome]

Thanks for the extra information APK. I also uninstalled Indexing Service as I've been advised by a number of tech people that it's only needed if you have vast amounts of data you need to regularly access. Otherwise it just slows things down with no benefit.

Also, can ChkDsk be run in safe mode? I don't know, I've never tried it, and if so would it be able to check those files on sectors that become inaccessable when Windows and all other start-up programmes are fully booted?

Finally, can you explain to me the difference between ChkDsk and Scannow? They're similar, I think, but not the same. I've been advised to only run Scannow as an absolute last resort to repair damaged files as it will ruthlessly overwrite any non-Windows data or programmes in its task of trying to preserve Windows integrity.

It has never had any such affect on my computer. I ran it only a couple of days ago, with NO dire results at all. There is no way that you would know that it had been run. :D

[Dencandy]

I've been advised to only run Scannow as an absolute last resort to repair damaged files as it will ruthlessly overwrite any non-Windows data or programmes in its task of trying to preserve Windows integrity.

It has never had any such affect on my computer. I ran it only a couple of days ago, with NO dire results at all. There is no way that you would know that it had been run. :D

It seems you're right andsome. According to MS this problem only occurs with Windows 2000 (here). Others say there can still be a problem with some hotfixes being over-written. So just to make sure I now check hotfixes using Belarc. The first time I used Belarc it told me about 2 corrupted hotfixes that I needed to re-install, but I've no way of knowing if the problems had been caused by running scannow. So now, after running scannow, I always check Windows hotfixes and updates by running the Belarc Advisor, just to make sure.

[Guest Day There]

Now that its solved its good but if it was me, i would have simply repaired the OS with the installation cd so the PC also boots up fine next time and get some important files rewritten for good.