[Al Desilets]

I cannot start disk defrag, nor can I restore system

[Advertisements]

Al Desilets welcome to the Forum.
Please add some additional information, when did this problem occur?
Had you just changed a setting, encounted a general problem ?
Do you use XP Home or Professional?
How's your Computer behaving in general?

thanks

[Topaz]

Al Desilets welcome to the Forum.
Please add some additional information, when did this problem occur?
Had you just changed a setting, encounted a general problem ?
Do you use XP Home or Professional?
How's your Computer behaving in general?

thanks

[Al Desilets]

I do not know. Several people have been using the computer.
I noticed that it was a little slow, so I attempted to Defrag.
Selected the C drive, cliked on Defrag. Error message "Disk defregmentor could not start. Then tried restoring and it would not start.

[Topaz]

* Click Start >> Run... then type in CMD and click on OK.
* At the Command Prompt C:\ > type the following:
* CD C:\ and hit the Enter/Return key.
* Now type in DEFRAG C: -F
* A Analysis report will be displayed and then Windows will start the Defragmention run automatically.
* This may take some time, when completed the Command Prompt C:\ > will appear.
* Now type in CHKDSK C: /R and hit the Enter/Return key.
* When prompted with:
CHKDSK cannot run because the volume is in use by another process
Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked next time the system
restarts (Y/N)
* Hit the Y key then at the Command Prompt C:\ >
* Type in EXIT and and hit the Enter/Return key.
* Now Reboot(Restart) your computer.


Note: Upon Reboot(Restart) the CHKDSK(check-disk) will start and carry out the repairs required.

We love it if you respond and let us know how your going with your problem. Everyone learns .

[rshaffer61]

I do not know. Several people have been using the computer.
I noticed that it was a little slow, so I attempted to Defrag.
Selected the C drive, cliked on Defrag. Error message "Disk defregmentor could not start. Then tried restoring and it would not start.

Is this a Home or Business system?
What is the system used for mainly?
Was there any recent updates done to the system either hardware or software?
Any programs installed prior to the issue?
Anything downloaded form the internet prior to the issue?
Does the system run correctly except for the issue stated?

[Al Desilets]

After typing DEFRAG C:-f, I got "volume identifyer is not valid"
Now what!

[rshaffer61]

Try this:

Download Auslogics Defrag from the link in my signature below. Auslogics Defrag in my opinion is better because:

It does a more comprehensive job at Defragging
It will actually show you what it is doing
At the end of working it will show you how much speed you picked up
You can view a online log of the files that Auslogics defragged

[Topaz]

After typing DEFRAG C:-f, I got "volume identifyer is not valid"

You left out the space Al Desilets .
DEFRAG(space)C:(space)-F

Maybe best to at this point answer rshaffer61, if you can, or,

Run the Disk Check and Fix, rather than Defrag:

* Click Start >> Run... then type in CMD and click on OK.
* At the Command Prompt C:\ > type the following:
* CD C:\ and hit the Enter/Return key.
* Now type in:
CHKDSK C: /R
CHKDSK(space)C:(space)/R and hit the Enter/Return key.
* When prompted with:
CHKDSK cannot run because the volume is in use by another process
Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked next time the system
restarts (Y/N)
* Hit the Y key then at the Command Prompt C:\ >
* Type in EXIT and and hit the Enter/Return key.
* Now Reboot(Restart) your computer.


Note: Upon Reboot(Restart) the CHKDSK(check-disk) will start and carry out the repairs required.

[rshaffer61]

No need to type in the drive letter for chkdsk to run. It defaults to the C drive.
If you want to check the drive as Topaz suggest do the following.

Go to
Start and then to Run
Type in Chkdsk /r Note the space between k and /
Click Enter ...It will probably ask if you want to do this on the next reboot...click Y

If the window doesn't shutdown on its own then reboot the system manually. On reboot the system will start the chkdsk operation
This one will take longer then chkdsk /f

Note... there are 5 stages...
It may appear to hang at a certain percent for a hour or more or even back up and go over the same area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN WHILE CHKDSK IS RUNNING OR YOU CAN HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS
This can take several hours to complete.
When completed it will boot the system back into windows.

If this will not run in windows then do the next steps:

How To Run Chkdsk /r from Recovery Console:


How to run checkdisk from recovery console (Windows xp). (Courtesy dsenette)

• Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
  Note:Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
• When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
  Note:If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
• When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
• At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following then press Enter:
  

  chkdsk /r

• Allow this to run UNDISTURBED until completed (45 min or so)
• Report any errors

[Al Desilets]

Thanks for the advice. However at my age (80) and so far nothing works. Dell didn't provide a Windos XP program disk three years ago, I will contact a "local Geek" and pay him to straighten things out. Onc again THANKS, Al Desilets

[Topaz]

You're Welcome Al Desilets

Don't be a stranger if you need

See if your local Technician can give you a Win XP SP2 Disk, or give Microsoft a call.

You've probably got a Recovery Disk which can access a hidden partition where Win XP Install is hidden, the Tech should know, sorry we can't help you further .