[kota132]

Hello all, this is my first post here. I'm a college student; majoring in computer systems engineering technology. Classes don't start for spring until the end of the week, so I can't have my professors help me, so I'm using fourms to fix my problem. Here it is:

I'm currently working on a Dell Inspirion 1501, AMD 64x Dual Core, 1GB RAM, 100 GB HDD, Windows XP Media Center Edition, SP2.

The original problem was a registry error message that was coming up at startup, and Internet Explorer 7 would not load the Internet even though everything with the Local Area Connection was fine.

These problems were fixed by: Uninstalling Internet Explorer 7, and running TuneUp2008, which has a registry cleaner, which fixed several problems. Everything seemed to work fine after this; up until I attempted to use Spyware Blaster and Ad-Aware. The computer was not allowing them to access the internet.
Checked the Windows Firewall, and added the programs to the exceptions list, still nothing.

Then I realized that they had Norton Internet Security 2006 installed, so figuring that it was the Norton firewall blocking those programs I attempted to open Norton. The program would not open, and would freeze. After several unsuccessful attempts to uninstall Norton, (I was recieving some error message aboue being logged into Norton as an Admin user, but since Norton would not open, I could not do this) I found the solution on the internet, a file from Symtematec, I ran it, and it said that it would be completely uninstalled after the next restart, so I restarted.

Since I restarted from uninstalling Norton, Chkdsk runs at every startup. First it runs a 3-stage check, finds no problems, then reboots. At the next reboot, chkdsk will run again, this time with a 5-stage check. After hours and hours of chkdsk just repeatedly running on a loop, I attempted to boot in safe mode, which was unsuccessful. I'm also not able to boot into Last Known Good Config, it just starts the chkdsk again. The only thing I AM able to do, is run the WinXP CD at bootup and run the recovery console, but I'm not sure what I need to be fixing or doing within the Recovery Console.

From researching so far, I've learned that chkdsk has a registry entry that tells it to run on startup, but since I can't get into WinXP, how can I edit this entry in the registry? I just don't get what's causing chkdsk to run repeatedly on this loop, and why WinXP won't start; it just reboots after chkdsk completes, then chkdsk will run yet once again.

If anyone could help me with this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks soooo much!!!

[Advertisements]

Then I realized that they had Norton Internet Security 2006 installed,

Hello, are fixing some one elses computer?
What you want to do in recovery console is run fix\MBR.
Please go here to learn how to use recovery console.
Thank you.

[hfcg]

Then I realized that they had Norton Internet Security 2006 installed,

Hello, are fixing some one elses computer?
What you want to do in recovery console is run fix\MBR.
Please go here to learn how to use recovery console.
Thank you.

[kota132]

Yes, I am fixing a friend's computer. I'm familiar with the commands and features available within the RC but thanks for the link. Someone on another forum told me to fun the fixmbr as well, but I'm faced with this message when I put in the command:

**CAUTION**
This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record.
FIXMBR may damage your partition tables if you proceed.
This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible.
If you are not having problems accessing your drive, do not continue.
Are you sure you want to write a new MBR?




I'm very hesitant to say 'Yes' until I recieve more replies with more opinions.

[hfcg]

Hello,
I am glad that you have a healthy dose of caution.

f you are not having problems accessing your drive, do not continue.

You are having problems accessing your drive. So at this point it may be worth the risk.
This is your choice, so look around the Internet and see if any one else has come across this issue, and how the problem was resolved.
Thank you.

[kota132]

UPDATE

So, i ran the 'fixmbr' command, it says that it was successful, i exit and reboot...
... only to be faced with chkdsk yet once again! Grrrrr!! I let chkdsk do it's thing and restart, but upon restart, sure enough, there's chkdsk again to greet me!

I've also can the RC command, 'fixboot', as well as 'bootcfg /rebuild'.. they too said they were successful, but upson restart, I was faced with the loop of chkdsk again.

[hfcg]

Hello,
At this point it is probably time to replace the hard drive and reinstall your software.
If, after running all of the variables in RC, you get a chkdsk loop your hard drive is not usable.
Thank you.

[wannabe1]

When you start the machine, try tapping the spacebar...this will sometimes terminate the chkdsk operation. If no joy there, try the following:

Boot to Recovery Console. At the prompt, type chkdsk c: /f /x and press "Enter". Type exit and press "Enter" to quit Recovery Console.

See if the computer will start normally. If it does...

• 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 chkdsk still runs on bootup.

I suspect that hfcg is correct and your HDD is failing or has failed.

[kota132]

Boot to Recovery Console. At the prompt, type chkdsk c: /f /x and press "Enter".

After I pressed enter, I was faced with this error message:
"The parameter is not valid"

[wannabe1]

Try the chkntfs /x c: command from Recovery Console, then exit RC and see if it will bypass the chkdsk at boot.

This may prove to be invalid, as well.

[kota132]

It says:

The parameter is not valid. Try /? for help.

So, I tired /? and it told me the only parameters available are /p and /r; for checking volumes not marked dirty, and repairing and recovering and bad sectors, respectively.

So, I ran chkdsk with these parameters; it's currently at 65% completed. I'll report back when it's done.

[kota132]

Okay, so it said that it found and repaired one or more errors. But upon 'exit' and restarting, I was faced with chkdsk once again.

[wannabe1]

Sometimes you have to run the chkdsk /r multiple times to recover all the bad blocks. It sounds like either the hard drive has failed or has the dirty bit set on one or more blocks.

You might also consider trying to run this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's...if not available, try the following...

Doing the repair may rewrite enough startup information to get you into windows...it may not. The dirty bit is hard to clear without getting into windows so you can use a command session. If you do get into windows using either method, follow the instructions for clearing the dirty bit as described earlier.