[lifeson]

Hello,
Any help with this will be greatly appreciated! My computer will not defrag. Everytime I try it says "Chkdsk is scheduled to run on the volume: (c:) Please run chkdsk /F". Now...when I try to run chkdsk /f, it says it cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. I have gone into the registry mechanic and changed the bootexecute data to autocheck autochk*. I was told this would solve the problem but it did nothing. I have turned of my firewall, even uninstalled it and still nothing. When I restart my computer chkdsk does not run. I have looked in my scheduled tasks...nothing. Please! I feel like I have exhausted all of my options. Help! Anyone!
Lifeson
I am running Windows XP :-)

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Go to Start, Run, and type in cmd

Then type in
chkntfs /x c:

This will stop Autochk from scanning drive c. If your main drive is the D:\ then type
chkntfs /x d:

Close out of the command window when the next prompt appears

To undo this setting at a later point:

Go to Start, Run, and type in cmd

Then type in
chkntfs /d

[Retired Tech]

Go to Start, Run, and type in cmd

Then type in
chkntfs /x c:

This will stop Autochk from scanning drive c. If your main drive is the D:\ then type
chkntfs /x d:

Close out of the command window when the next prompt appears

To undo this setting at a later point:

Go to Start, Run, and type in cmd

Then type in
chkntfs /d

[lifeson]

Hello Keith,
Did as you said. It said "the type of the file system is ntfs. Didn't know wether or not this was supposed to fix the problem but defrag still not working.
Paul

[Retired Tech]

Try with this

http://www.vcsoftwares.com/SF.exe

As you install it, click yes for desktop icon then click yes to run it, tick the box for the drive, then click start

SpeeDefrag reboots the PC then loads it to the point where only the defragmenter is running, this should rule out any other programmes which may be getting in the way

You will see a report, then when it has completed it will shut the PC off, so as soon as it starts to reboot, you can just leave it

Run it whenever you are turning the PC off for a while

If it runs very briefly then this is the next bit

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, click more options then clean up restore points, click confirm, click OK. Then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you will need the XP CD

System File Check will display an onscreen blue progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot.

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

When it gets to the desktop, the system files and the hard drive will be as they should and you can check for any improvement

This section is optional

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

If that has not improved things, the next bit is

You can use these to repair XP

Possibly, you will need to boot the PC and keep tapping the delete key until the PC enters set up. Change the boot order to CD ROM Drive then hard drive, press F10 then press enter, type Y then press enter and as it reboots, look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

XP Repair Install

Or here if you are unable to run XP Repair Install

Alternative XP Repair Install Method

Use Windows Installation CD to repair the current installation, from the list, which uses a slightly different method

Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system

After running XP Repair you will need to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[lifeson]

Thanks Keith,
Will try it later. Getting late and gotta go to work. Will keep in touch and let ya know how it went. Thanks again for your help!
Lifeson

[lifeson]

Hello,
Tried what you have said. Speedefrag ran for about half a second and shut down the computer. Ran disk clean up and cleaned up restore points. When I got to sfc / scannow, I type it in and a window flases on screen for about a half second and then nothing happens, with or without the XP disc in the drive. Therefore I cannot get to your next step. Suggestions?
Thanks
Paul

[wannabe1]

Hi lifeson...

Sounds to me like the system has flagged the drive as "dirty". This flag is called a "Dirty Bit". We need to unset the dirty bit.

Please note the spaces in the following commands.
First click Start, then Run, bring up a command prompt by typing cmd in the Open box, and click "Ok". At the prompt in the Command window, type fsutil dirty query c: and press "Enter". This queries the drive, and more than likely it will tell you that it is dirty. Next, type chkntfs /x c: and press "Enter". The X tells Windows to NOT check that particular drive on the next reboot. At this time, manually reboot your computer, it should not do a chkdsk and take you directly to Windows.

This step is important as this is where the dirty bit gets unset.
Then click Start, then Run, bring up a command prompt by typing cmd in the Open box, and click "Ok". At the command prompt, type chkdsk /f /r c: and press "Enter" to manually run a full chkdsk operation. (you may have to accept having this run on boot by typeing "Y" and pressing "Enter") This should take you through 5 stages of the scan and will unset that dirty bit. (This is a very thorough check and will take quite a while...be patient.)

Finally, 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.

Let us know how this goes...

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 26 February 2006 - 02:45 AM.

[lifeson]

Hello wannabe1
Did as you said but when the computer reboots and should be ok to run chkdsk /f /r c: it says: Checking file system on C. Type file system is NTFS. Cannot lock current drive. Suggestions?
Thank You,
Paul

[wannabe1]

Type Y and press "Enter" at this prompt to let it run on bootup. This step needs to run completely to unset the dirty bit.

[lifeson]

Hello,
Did as you have said. When it runs on boot up it says cheking file system on c.
type file system is NTFS. Cannot open file for direct acces. Windows has finished checking the disk.
Dont know why it just will not run chkdsk.
Paul

[wannabe1]

If you have SpyWare Doctor installed on this machine, uninstall it.

If you have ZoneAlarm installed, open it, go to the "Overview" tab, then "Preferences", and UNcheck the "PROTECT ZA CLIENT" check box.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd, and click "Ok". At the command prompt, type the following commands pressing "Enter" after each one:

chkntfs /d ....... (this will reset autocheck options to default)
chkntfs /c C: .... (this will allow checking drive c:)

Then try the instructions I posted for removing the dirty bit again.

Edited by wannabe1, 26 February 2006 - 12:36 PM.

[lifeson]

Hello!
Success! Thank you for everything. Defrag works fine now. I really appreciate it!
Again, Thank You!
Paul

[wannabe1]

My pleasure, Paul!

wannabe1

[forkboy]

i'm having the same problem chkdsk /f will not run. cannot de frag

don't have zonealarm or spyware doc installed

start - run 'cmd' - the box flashes up then dissappears

am i retatrded? or is it my machine?

[weAponX]

Try with this

http://www.vcsoftwares.com/SF.exe

As you install it, click yes for desktop icon then click yes to run it, tick the box for the drive, then click start

(etc, etc lot of words)

Well, unfortunately, there are a couple of problems with that fix. First off, it requires 3rd party software. This problem ought to be fix-able with the things that come with Windows XP, Service pack 1, right "Out of the Box"

I read the original post, and I tried the original "fix" and I agree with the person who posted the question, in his confusion. Chkntfs /x c: will not MAKE Defrag run, it just attempts to force a CHKDSK Start from a windows Environment, and, that pretty much will NOT work.

Also, I have in my hands here, a PC with XP Pro, SP 1, and it is formatted FAT32. Eh? Whoops!

So, the command would be NOT "chkntfs /x c:" but rather "chkdsk /x c:" and SHOULD have been written as that in the first place, rather than assuming, like everyone else does, that XP absolutely has to reside on an NTFS partition. For certain purposes, people run XP on Fat32.

So: Let's get to the second "Fix" that was posted, the one I am quoting part of. Well, first off, it is 3rd party drek. THIS problem WE are having is NOT with 3rd party crap, it is with XP and IN XP is the solution.

So, that's a start, eh? I am sorry for any appearance of harsh-ity (what would the word I want to use be, oh well, oh well!) - BUT, well you have started this assistance on the compleat wrong foot, confusing just about everyone, and not giving a valid solution.

So, I am going to SHOW you my own problem. Here is my problem: I just removed 30,000 Virus bodies, Parasite-Programs, Hijackers, and other crud and drek from this PC I am sitting here now and typing on: Yesterday, this PC would boot up to the blue screen of DETH, but today, I am USING the OS that was installed, cos I did an IN PLACE XP INSTALL... Well, looks like you got that covered HERE:

http://www.geekstogo...p?showtopic=138

So, the In Place Install worked and then I had to reconstruct the TCP/IP stack.. Good, Good, I did that, and I ran McAfee and Ad Aware to death, finding new objects each time, and this only took about 3 hours.

So, here is my very last problem, before I can give the computer BACK to the owner (See, I do not believe in deleting the hard drive: That is the was all the computer stores do it: The WIPE yer hard drive, then they SELL you a copy of XP HOME edition (When you had PRO before)

So, I do not do that. And I do not install 3rd party "Helper" programs, unless they are something REALLY GOOD. Do you know of any helper apps that are any good? I know of only one: Mindsoft Utilities. And I used it to clean up the drive after the chaos I chewed through.

So, OK, you really wanna know my dilemma? It is this:



(I apologise, there is no HTML code so I cannot shrink that image)

Ok? And I tried re-registering the SNAP-IN (The MMC Snap In that controls Defrag), I was allowed to register all the components of defrag except for dfrgres.dll:

The command: REGSVR32 DFRGRES.DLL

Brings up this error:



(that is a little better, sorry for the big one)

Ok, so? I think that the actual defrag.exe is refusing to run. So, the only reason I am in here, and other places today, is that I have NEVER seen this kind of error before. I will not give the computer back to the client until it can be defragged.

So does anyone have a valid fix for this? Oh for sure I will try this gigantic thing that Kieth told us to do, but it looks like "Wannabe" had a real solution for the original guy in here. So, Wannabe- I'll let you know if his problem was my problem as well.

I'll be back in a bit, eh? Have a nice day

(edit- I'm in the middle of getting Kieth's 3rd party apps, cos the other fixes didn't work. Bleh)

Edited by weAponX, 15 March 2006 - 04:17 PM.