[Yeoman]

Please bear with me - this is my first posting. I am running Windows XP Home Edition.

I cannot defragment because of a popup which reads, "Disk Defragmenter has detected that Chkdsk is scheduled to run on the volume (C:). Please run Chkdsk /f. If I try to run Chkdsk it comes up and says, "Cannot check this volume (NTFS) because it is use by another process.

I have been reading a previous post by another of your members (Lifeson) who had an identical problem around Feb 26 2006 at 0318PM. I have started to follow the expert's instructions, but when the computer appears to be checking the disk, I get no information as to where it is at. I.e., there is no text anywhere on the screen either during the check or after it to tell me what is, or has taken place, in fact I dont even know when it has finished. The only clue I get is the computing activity light flashing which may or may not mean that the processor is addressing my DOS commands.

Before I continue to try to follow the previous member's fixing instructions (and so far I have established that I have a "Dirty Disc" on C Drive) I really need to know what is happening after I make a CMD in the DOS box.

Am I missing something, or should I just plough on with the fixing instructions and hope that what I am inputting is happening?

I would be very grateful if someone could assist me in this.

Regrds

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try looking up chkntfs in Help and Support. or start > run > cmd, at the command prompt, type "chkntfs /?" it's going to list all the options for your bootup disk check[checks your disk/s for "dirty" drives and cleans them if found] you can disable checking on one or more of your drives, so chkdsk won't kick up when you boot.

[neverborn]

try looking up chkntfs in Help and Support. or start > run > cmd, at the command prompt, type "chkntfs /?" it's going to list all the options for your bootup disk check[checks your disk/s for "dirty" drives and cleans them if found] you can disable checking on one or more of your drives, so chkdsk won't kick up when you boot.

[wannabe1]

Hello Yeoman...

Hmmmmm...I think I know what you are talking about here...the dirty bit...

Chkdsk, particularly with the /r switch is a very lengthy check. The larger the hard drive, the longer it takes. How long have you let it run and has it ever completed? Let me post the complete instructions for you here so we can refer to them if need be.

• 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.

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 defragmenter will run.

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 13 March 2006 - 07:38 PM.

[Yeoman]

Thanks for the replies Neverborn and Wannabe1. The main trouble as I mentioned, is that I never know whether the disk is actually being checked or not, because there is nothing to tell me. However I will update you with what action I have taken.

Im not sure if I am replying correctly, the navigation is all new to me. Anyway ...


I have established by CMD Fsutil that the C Disk is "Dirty"

I then typed in CHKNTFS /X C: and entered

I then Manually re-booted

I then entered chkdsk /f /r c: and got the following reply, "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 nest time the system restarts?

Thanks Wannabe1. Re your last I will go through the whole thing again, and follow your prompts exactly. Then I will leave the computer alone for say one and a half hours. Do you thing that will be enough. My disk is only one third full. Also, how exactly will I know that the scan is complete. Will the HDD light stop all movement?

So I type Y

I then re-boot manually again

Nothing appears to happen, and I go round in circles.

(If the disk is being checked, there is nothing to indicate that it is, therefore I have no way of knowing what the result is)

Sorry, but I cant see what else to do at this stage. The Fragmenter still comes up the same popup saying that the fragmenter has detected that Chkddsk is scheduled to run on the volume (C:) Please run Chkdsk /f.

Any suggestions?

P.S. I had uninstalled Webrood Spysweeper

Just read your instructions in full Wannabe1, and I think I have followed them from your previous advice to Lifeson in February. Unfortunately the fly in the ointment seems to be the fact that the five stages of the scan (if in fact it is scanning) are not displayed in any way, and neither is its completion, so I have no idea what is happening, if anything. Sorry to be so dumb.

Edited by Yeoman, 13 March 2006 - 08:00 PM.

[wannabe1]

Ok...I don't think you've let the final check complete. As I said, this is a very long check and it runs on boot so the only indication is the HDD light. This check can take more than an hour and should boot to Windows when it completes.

Start over and follow the instructions in my previous post. Give the second part (where the bit is unset) lots of time to complete.

wannabe1

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

Just a quick question, but did you try checking the boxes in the "Checkdisk" option and then rebooting to let checkdisk run prior to anything else starting up??

Murray

[Yeoman]

Sorry Murray S., not quite with you - where is the Checkdisk option?

[Murray S.]

Double click on "My Computer".. Now, right click on the c: drive icon and select "properties".. When the new window opens, click on the "Tools" tab at the top..

Checkdisk is the first program to run in the "Tools" menu (it is called Error-Checking).. Click on that and then put a check in both boxes..

Close out, reboot and walk away for an hour or so.. When Windows is up and showing, the scan is finished!!

Murray

[Yeoman]

Hello Wannabe1. Just had a thought. I have been trying to fix this for so long now, that I might have three or four scans lined up in the background one after another. Is this how it works, or will it only conduct one on re-boot?

[Yeoman]

Thanks for that MurrayS.

[wannabe1]

No, they won't be lining up...and in any case, the first part of the procedure will tell it not to run so that you can manually request the full check that needs to be done.

Just the one scan will run, but it is lonnnnnnnnnnnnng. And it will clear the dirty bit that has flagged the drive.

[Yeoman]

Thanks Wannabe1. I will walk away for two hours.

Logging out now

Edited by Yeoman, 13 March 2006 - 08:24 PM.

[Yeoman]

Hi Wannabe1

I must be doing something wrong here as I have posted two replies but they are not appearing on the board.

Third time lucky

I followed your instructions to the letter, but nothing happened at all. I dont think the scans are taking place.

I left the computer for 21/2 hrs, during which time the HDD light blinked regularly every second, not intermittently as though it was working.

On re-boot at the end of the process, I got the englarged font on the plain blue background that said, "Cannot open the volume for direct access - Windows has finished checking the disk."

The fsutil dirty query returned disk still dirty, and the defrag box still shows the original prompt to run a scheduled dskchk.

I am totally in the dark here. Any further ideas?

Regards

P.S. I share my computer at home with two other members of the family, although I am the administrator. When I use the RUN box and OK CMD I get the following:

C:\Documents and Settings\Michael Beasley> after which I enter the necessary commands. Does this look right to you?

[wannabe1]

Do you see both of the following?

C:\Documents and Settings\Michael Beasley>chkdsk /f /r c:
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)

Let's try dropping the /f switch. At command prompt, type chkdsk /r c:, and press "Enter". Type Y and press "Enter".

Let me know if this gets it running...

Edited by wannabe1, 14 March 2006 - 12:14 AM.

[Yeoman]

Should I start right from the beginning again? I.e. chkntfs /d etc?