Disk Check

I would go into windows, open my computer, right click the C: drive, click properties, click TOOLS submenu and click CHECK disk or SCAN DISK, and simply re-schedule it to run, restart your pc and let it run and finish...

if you dont let it run and finish, it will always try to.

Hi AitrusSkyy,
First, thanks for the prompt response. I followed your instructions and ran the disk check, but it seems to be stuck on Phase 2. The progress bar is blank and nothing has happened for about 2-3 minutes. Am I not waiting long enough or do you think something is wrong?

Update: Well it finished running the disk check, and a window popped up saying "Windows was unable to complete the disk check."

Now what?

Edited by Elite[sS], 11 August 2006 - 08:32 AM.

Which windows you running? Wait xp... hmmm

Edited by AitrusSkyy, 11 August 2006 - 08:53 AM.

Click start then run, type cmd then press enter

At the command prompt type fsutil dirty query c: (or the relevant drive letter). This queries the drive, and more than likely it will tell you that it is dirty.

Next type CHKNTFS /X C: The X tells Windows not to check that particular drive on the next reboot.

Reboot, it should load to the desktop

Once Windows has loaded bring up another CMD prompt and type Chkdsk /f /r c:

This should take you through the 5 stages of the scan and will unset the dirty bit.

At a command prompt, type fsutil dirty query c and Windows will confirm that the dirty bit is not set on that drive.

thats what I was lookin for on the goog, couldnt remember the el commando

After I rebooted it got rid of the disk check screen, but I had a few problems on the second part. Where you said

Once Windows has loaded bring up another CMD prompt and type Chkdsk /f /r c:

It said

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.
Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)

So I typed Y and hit enter. Then I rebooted the computer and it said disk check cancled but right under it, it said Disk check complete, so when I logged on my name I opened a command prompt and typed in fsutil dirty query c: and it still said the C drive was dirty.

This is called a "Dirty Bit". In a nutshell, there is a cluster on the drive with an invalid memory address and Windows doesn't like it. We need to unset that Dirty Bit so windows can recover the cluster.

• If you have Spyware Doctor installed, uninstall it.
• If you have ZoneAlarm installed, open it, click the "Overview" tab, then select "Preferences", and UNcheck the "Protect ZA Client" check box.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd in the Open box and click "Ok". At the prompt in the Command window, type the following commands, pressing "Enter" after each one: (Please note the spaces in the following commands.)

• chkntfs /d ..... (This will reset autocheck options to default)
• chkntfs /c C: ..... (This will allow checking drive C:)
• fsutil dirty query c: ..... (This queries the drive and will most likely tell you that it is dirty)
• chkntfs /x c: ..... (The x switch tells Windows to NOT check the specified drive on the next boot)

At this point, restart your computer, it will not do a chkdsk and will boot directly to Windows.

This next step is important as this is where the Dirty Bit will be unset.
Click Start, then Run, type cmd in the Open box and click "Ok". At the command prompt, type the following, pressing "Enter" after each one: (Again, note the spaces.)

• chkdsk /f /r c: ..... (To manually run a full chkdsk operation)
• Y ..... (To accept having it run on the next boot)

This should take you through 5 stages of the scan and will unset that Dirty Bit. Be patient...this is a very thorough check and will take quite a while...it may even appear to start over during the final two stages...60 to 90 minutes would not be unreasonable for this to complete in some cases.

Finally, when the chkdsk operation has completed, type fsutil dirty query c:, press "Enter", and Windows will confirm that the Dirty Bit is not set on that drive.

Now reboot again and see if chkdsk still runs on bootup.

wannabe1

Ok, everything seems to be working now! Thanks a lot for the help guys!

I have a problem similar to the one in this thread. I have an Acomdata portable USB hard drive.
I tried to run Disk Check in Windows XP using the Tools->Check Now window.
It's been stuck on Phase 4 for two hours.
I tried running fsutil dirty query h: but it says "Error: Access is denied"

I have a green light flashing on my portable USB hard drive.
The Green light means it's trying to access data. It's a blue light when it's idle.
Obviously both Windows and the USB disk think something is happening. After two hours I'm pretty sure it's frozen.

The buttons to start or cancel the disk check are disabled.

Am I safe to just log out of windows and try again? I don't want to damage anything on the
portable USB drive.

Erm dudes.. i too got a problem here!!!

when i typed

chkntfs /c C:..........

it says:

skipping drive C: because it is not an NTFS, FAT, or FAT32 volume

???!!!!

What should i do???(please reply)

If you want help, you'd be better off starting your own topic. You've replied to a topic that is over a year old, and there are enough replies to it that people aren't going to know it's a new question that's being asked. A new topic will get more notice.