chkdsk /f or /r Versus Right click..properties..tools..check now


How do the 2 compare?

I had a floppy disk where the "check now" gave an error " Windows was
unable to complete the disk check. "

Whereas when I did chkdsk /f or /r or maybe both.. it fixed it (I
know /R implies /F)
And I was able to do the "check now".

With windows 98 I had disks which if I ran scandisk on even if it
reported no errors, it'd fix it. I think you had to select something
like - automatically correct errors.

But with win xp, there seem to be 2 competitors. chkdsk and "check
now".
which is better?
do they serve different purposes?

> How do the 2 compare?

Error checking is just a GUI version of Chkdsk /r and /f.

* Automatically fix file system errors
Runs Chkdsk by using the /f parameter.

* Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
Runs Chkdsk by using the /r parameter.

Error Checking (chkdsk.exe) in XP.
1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the drive you want to
check and then click Properties.
2. On the Tools tab, click Check Now.
3. Check both boxes:

* Automatically fix file system errors
Runs Chkdsk by using the /f parameter.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking. All files must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is
currently in use, a message asks if you want to reschedule
the disk checking for the next time you restart your computer. Your drive is
not available to run other tasks while the disk is being checked.]]

* Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
Runs Chkdsk by using the /r parameter.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking, locates bad sectors, and recovers readable information. All files
must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is currently in use, a
message asks if you want to reschedule the disk checking for the next time
you restart your computer. Your drive is not available to run other tasks
while the disk is being checked. If you select this option, you do not need
to select Automatically fix file system errors. Windows fixes any errors on
the disk.]]

A message will popup.

[[The disk check could not be performed because the disk check utility needs
exclusive access to some Windows files on the disk. These files can be
accessed only by restarting Windows. Do you want to schedule this disk check
to occur the next time you restart the computer?]]

Click YES.

Then reboot.

For a look at the chkdsk log.

Open the Event Viewer...
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | Click OK |
Look in Application | Listed as Information |
Event ID: 1001
Source: Winlogon
[[Description: This includes file system type; drive letter or GUID, and
volume name or serial number to help determine what volume Chkdsk ran
against. Also included is whether Chkdsk ran because a user scheduled it or
because the dirty bit was set.]]

[[When Autochk runs against a volume at boot time it records its output to a
file called Bootex.log in the root of the volume being checked. The Winlogon
service then moves the contents of each Bootex.log file to the Application
Event log.]]

[[This file states whether Chkdsk encountered any errors and, if so,
whether they were fixed.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:(E-Mail Removed),
(E-Mail Removed) <(E-Mail Removed)> hunted and pecked:
> chkdsk /f or /r Versus Right click..properties..tools..check now
>
>
> How do the 2 compare?
>
> I had a floppy disk where the "check now" gave an error " Windows was
> unable to complete the disk check. "
>
> Whereas when I did chkdsk /f or /r or maybe both.. it fixed it (I
> know /R implies /F)
> And I was able to do the "check now".
>
> With windows 98 I had disks which if I ran scandisk on even if it
> reported no errors, it'd fix it. I think you had to select something
> like - automatically correct errors.
>
> But with win xp, there seem to be 2 competitors. chkdsk and "check
> now".
> which is better?
> do they serve different purposes?