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Possible file system and/or MFT Corruption?


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#1
nv87654

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We have Vista x64 Home Premium Dell desktop that we have struggled for days and days after a SMART HDD Rogue Fake HDD infection. After many, many AV scans, etc. we finally thought we had the system clean because scans were atarting to continuously show clean and the system was booting again. So, after thinking we had recovered the system, we uninstalled McAfee and installed Kaspersky Pure 2.0 as out new AV tool. We scanned again with the new Kaspersky and everything was looking good. Then about 2 days later, after basically letting the system sit idle, we began having problems installing and uninstalling programs, some programs could not start up, Kaspersky database update would fail, getting errors popping up having to do with corrupt file system, corrupt $MFT, etc.:


- Windows Media Player constantly running very high on memory consumption, even though we are not even running Windows Media Player

- Early on, after virus cleaning, we say a error pop up (only twice) saying the $MFT was corrupt and unusable

- Tried uninstalling various applications and it fails

- Kaspersky updates won't commit. Says it cannot create a directory .

- Other apps starting up automatically in Windows (i.e. Logitech, Dell Dock) give file system corruption type errors.


So, I have been on the assumption that the MFT and/or the file system is corrupt and have tried the following tasks:



From the Vista Installation DVD RE command prompt, I have run both of these commands several times with the same result:


sfc /scannow

It runs there for about 20 seconds and then returned with output/error of: "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service"



Next, I attempted to run chkdsk from within the same Vista DVD Installation RE command prompt:

Here is the following command I ran:

X:\Sources>chkdsk c: /x /f /r

Output was as follows:

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is OS.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 5)...
791104 file records processed.
File verification completed.
5387 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
50 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)...

14 percent complete. (838035 of 929100 index entries processed)
X:\Sources>

All the chkdsk stops and exits at this same index number 838035 every time I run it.


I have run disk diags and it all says the disks are OK.

But I am suspicious that the MFT might be corrupt or out of sync with the file system.

I have went through these steps more than once and it is the same behavior every time.

Any help or advice on this would be much appreciated.
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#2
Ztruker

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One possibility occurs to me. Download a fully legal Windows 7 Home Premium iso from here: Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links). Create a bootable DVD from the iso. Boot it then go to Command Prompt and try running chkdsk from there. May not make any difference but might be worth a try.

Otherwise, why not take the easy way out and use the Dell Recovery Partition accessible (usually) via F11 at boot to restore the computer to it's factory new state. Apply SP1 and SP2 and all updates. Install your anti-virus then reload your data, install software. If that doesn't work then order the Recovery DVD from Dell and format the drive during the install from the DVD.

Here is a good way to save your data: Use Puppy Linux Live CD to Recover Your Data:
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#3
nv87654

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Thanks for the reply, Ztruker. I have run chkdsk already from the Vista Install DVD from command prompt with the same results where it always bails out after 14% in stage 2. And it does this every time. Restoring from factory state or re-install is not a feasible option for us. What I am trying to get an answer about is:

1. Why does the chkdsk bail out every time at the same index number spot before the chkdsk finishes?

2. Do you think it is a file system or $MFT corruption that can be re-synced and fixed?

3. Is chkdsk the right option to try to fix this apparent "corruption"?

Thanks again.
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#4
Ztruker

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Sorry, there is no way for me to know why it hangs at that point.
My first guess would be a hard drive problem so I would suggest running the hard drive manufactures diagnostic utility, see if tell you anything.

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
Bootable Hard Drive Diagnostics


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#5
nv87654

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Thanks for the help, Ztruker. After the third chkdsk attempt and powering off the machine overnight. When we rebooted the next morning there have since been no signs of corruption. But then again it took a couple of days to show up the first time.

My plan at this point is to exercise the system, run another Kaspersky scan, install and uninstall some programs and keep an eye on the system. Maybe we got lucky after the last chkdsk we ran. (???)

Thanks again.
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#6
happyrock

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My plan at this point is to exercise the system

nope
first...backup anything you cant live without because I agree with Ztruker...if you can't get chkdsk /r to complete the hard drive is on its last legs...
there is another way to run chkdsk /r...
remove the drive and slave it to another working system and run chkdsk /r on the drive
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