Xp Help - Check Disk

[MO!]

Bleh!

This has been happening for a few days now.
Turned the pc off and when it restarted it started up checkdisk, saying it need to check one of my drives. So, I let it continue and all seemed to be ok. But, upon completion it just didn't do anything.

I had to turn the power off and start it again. Now every time I start up, it goes to run the check again, and again fails to progress after completion.

If I use the option to skip the test it loads up fine (though a little slow) and runs fine. But then continues to try and run checkdisk the next time I start up again.

I've tried skipping and then running it manually but this too seems to complete but then fails to progress.

Ideas?

 

[Tenson]

It sounds a bit odd. If it just didn't boot, I would try an 'fdisk /mbr' in DOS (real DOS, use a boot disk). It will re-write the boot sector of the disk, it might have become corrupt. However, since it boots when you skip the test I just don't know. It might be worth a try anyway though.

Otherwise there are many other disk scanning utilities. I have a good disc called Hiren's Boot CD which has all you could want on it (some pretty advanced recovery tools). I believe this can be downloaded.

 

[alby]

Hi

I had a similar problem last week , it was apparently caused by a windows XP update that did not work properly , fortunately my pc has a "go back to the last set up that worked properly" routine , which i used and then went and reinstalled the XP update and the PC now works fine.

If this fails try whale sperm it seems to fix everything else

Regards

Alby

 

[MO!]

If this fails try whale sperm it seems to fix everything else

I've recently installed quite a few things (SP2 and other updates, as well as various other bits of software), so was hoping for a specific fixs rather than having to go back to previous date.

SiMOn, I forgot to mention that it seems to be the F Disk which is being checked, rather than C, which has the OS on it. Think it also says something about checking the file system.

 

[Tenson]

I installed some updates last week that stopped my computer booting. It was hard to even get it into safe-mode. I eventually did and managed a system restore thing.

 

[indolent]

Mo - It could be some corruption on the F drive as well as the above problems.

You could move all the data off the F drive, reformat it and copy the data back and see if that fixes it.

 

[la toilette]

Might be some registry errors, could try downloading a free reg cleaner/fixer (reg seeker worked for me) - worthwhile regardless IMO as cleaning out accumulated crap in your registry can definitely improve startup speed.

 

[auric]

May well be a warning that one of your hard disks is about to die, cleaning of the registry and the removing of all but the last system restore point shoud make the boot process move along a bit faster but first backup data and other things onto cds or dvds and then find something that will check the physical health of your disks.

 

[lAmBoY]

I would download the test software from the drive makers site. This should tell you for sure about the health of the disc.

 

[MO!]

Thanks for the replies.

The message says checking the file system on drive F.
blah blah file system is NTFS blah blah

Drive may be corrupt, now checking for errors.....

The drive is a Samsung 160GB Sata drive (SP1614c) running through an adaptor card thingy (technical )

This seems to be the page for it on the samsung site.
http://www.samsung.com/support/prod...code=1203&model=SP1614C&filetype=SW&language=
Can't see any test software.

I wouldn't have thought the drive owuld by dying already. It's had relatively little use and only 6 of the 160GB are currently used.
Also seems strange others have had problems since updates.

 

[robert_cyrus]

try this "drive fitness test" software to check for drive errors
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
that'll work for any drive, not just hitachi ones

 

[auric]

Mo, any further news about your disk problems?

 

[MO!]

Mo, any further news about your disk problems?

Not really

I've run the drive fitness test that Rob linked to. Didn't seem to show any problems.

I've also run a few registry programs, but to be honest they make no sense to me.

 

[auric]

MO,
All I can think of is that as you have noted that things started playing up after a batch of windows updates then backing out and applying them one by one coud be a way to go. Whilst on the subject of windows updates have you seen any problems being cause by the Windows Genuine Advantage pile of code?

Windows Genuine Advantage and more WGA problems.

I'm out of ideas now, best of luck with you F: drive

 

[MO!]

I installed the WGA thing before and it placed an icon in my system tray.

I've since reinstalled windows and made sure not to install it this time.

I think between the problem not being there, and then happening I installed various updates inc SP2, installed bluetooth software for MOuse and board, and also various other app's like open office and capture one...

I'll try and roll back to a previous config and see how that goes.

bleh!