Hello,

In recent weeks, sometimes when I start the computer I get a message:
"Filesystem is FAT32"
"One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency"

Then I have to wait more than 2 hours for the check to complete checking the
38 GB disk..
I have not watched when it finishes, so I don't know if there are any
summaries that show the results of the checking.

The system is always shut down properly, and aside from the checking, it
appears to work correctly.
It is behind a hardware firewall (Router) and has up-todate virus and
Internet security software, so it is unlikely the problems are related to
malware of any kind.

I have heard that this behavior sometimes precedes a disk failure, so I am
keeping my fingers crossed.
I need better performance, reliability, as well as more storage space, so I
have ordered a new computer and is considering leaving this one running
until the new one arrives in about 2 weeks.
I have tons of development software installed, Office, including three
versions of MS Access, Visual Studio, Alpha5, Acrobat etc., plus gobs of
data files, so I hesitate to try to fix the problem until I have backed up
at least the most important files.
I am planning to use LapLink's PCMover to transfer apps and data files to
the new machine.

Once that is done I will upgrade the old machine to Windows XP Pro and
convert the file system to NTFS

Has anyone had any experience with this kind of behavior?
Any comment or suggestions would be appreciated.

Ragnar

Ragnar Midtskogen wrote:

> Hello,
>
> In recent weeks, sometimes when I start the computer I get a message:
> "Filesystem is FAT32"
> "One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency"
>
> Then I have to wait more than 2 hours for the check to complete checking the
> 38 GB disk..
> I have not watched when it finishes, so I don't know if there are any
> summaries that show the results of the checking.
>
> The system is always shut down properly, and aside from the checking, it
> appears to work correctly.
> It is behind a hardware firewall (Router) and has up-todate virus and
> Internet security software, so it is unlikely the problems are related to
> malware of any kind.
>
> I have heard that this behavior sometimes precedes a disk failure, so I am
> keeping my fingers crossed.
> I need better performance, reliability, as well as more storage space, so I
> have ordered a new computer and is considering leaving this one running
> until the new one arrives in about 2 weeks.
> I have tons of development software installed, Office, including three
> versions of MS Access, Visual Studio, Alpha5, Acrobat etc., plus gobs of
> data files, so I hesitate to try to fix the problem until I have backed up
> at least the most important files.
> I am planning to use LapLink's PCMover to transfer apps and data files to
> the new machine.
>
> Once that is done I will upgrade the old machine to Windows XP Pro and
> convert the file system to NTFS
>
> Has anyone had any experience with this kind of behavior?
> Any comment or suggestions would be appreciated.
>

How many disks do you have? Are you referring to Windows chkdsk program.
If so it should not take anything like 2 hours to check a 38GB disk.
Convert the FAT32 disk to NTFS, which is better system anyway. See if
you get the same problem. Win2k is as reliable as XP without all of the
latter's bells and whistles, and uses a much smaller proportion of the
PC's overheads. Why should you need 3 versions of Access etc. Not necessary.

Are you sure that Laplink will transfer Apps between two different o/s?

Why aren't you using NTFS anyway?
Thought of visiting your hd manu site and downloading their checking
utility?
It appears you have no data backup?
There's absolutely no advantage in upgrading an o/s on a system that appears
to have a problem, without first fixing or diagnosing the problem.

"Ragnar Midtskogen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uqYLl%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello,
>
> In recent weeks, sometimes when I start the computer I get a message:
> "Filesystem is FAT32"
> "One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency"
>
> Then I have to wait more than 2 hours for the check to complete checking
the
> 38 GB disk..
> I have not watched when it finishes, so I don't know if there are any
> summaries that show the results of the checking.
>
> The system is always shut down properly, and aside from the checking, it
> appears to work correctly.
> It is behind a hardware firewall (Router) and has up-todate virus and
> Internet security software, so it is unlikely the problems are related to
> malware of any kind.
>
> I have heard that this behavior sometimes precedes a disk failure, so I am
> keeping my fingers crossed.
> I need better performance, reliability, as well as more storage space, so
I
> have ordered a new computer and is considering leaving this one running
> until the new one arrives in about 2 weeks.
> I have tons of development software installed, Office, including three
> versions of MS Access, Visual Studio, Alpha5, Acrobat etc., plus gobs of
> data files, so I hesitate to try to fix the problem until I have backed up
> at least the most important files.
> I am planning to use LapLink's PCMover to transfer apps and data files to
> the new machine.
>
> Once that is done I will upgrade the old machine to Windows XP Pro and
> convert the file system to NTFS
>
> Has anyone had any experience with this kind of behavior?
> Any comment or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Ragnar
>
>

il giorno Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:13:58 -0400 "Ragnar Midtskogen"
<(E-Mail Removed)> disse:

>In recent weeks, sometimes when I start the computer I get a message:
>"Filesystem is FAT32"
>"One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency"

I got this message at times on multiboot PCs where I have more
partitions and/or more disks (let's say two) and one is NTFS, the
other FAT32. When the PC is not shutdown properly in Win98/FAT32 and
reboot in W2000/NTFS, it sometimes require the check of FAT32
drive/partition: usually it does not require much time on a 40 GB hard
drive.

If you only have one drive/partion and you say the PC is shut down
properly, it could mean there is some corruption problem within file
system, not necessarily due to hardware failure....

>I have heard that this behavior sometimes precedes a disk failure, so I am
>keeping my fingers crossed.

....although we cannot 100% exclude this

>I need better performance, reliability, as well as more storage space, so I
>have ordered a new computer and is considering leaving this one running
>until the new one arrives in about 2 weeks.
>I have tons of development software installed, Office, including three
>versions of MS Access,

Well, it sounds messy but I know one could need them for
compatibility issues on particularly rare legacy or customized Access
applications - I remember fighting with some old Access 2.0 code

__

Marco Pesce * marcopesce(tin.it

"Frank Booth Snr" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

Thank you Frank, I appreciate your comments.

> How many disks do you have?
One.

>Are you referring to Windows chkdsk program.
I have no idea, I just see the special, DOS like display, no indication of
which checking program is running. The whole process is started by Windows
when the system tries to boot.

> If so it should not take anything like 2 hours to check a 38GB disk.
Since it is taking so long I am assuming it is doing a detailed hardware
check, not just the filesystem check.

> Convert the FAT32 disk to NTFS, which is better system anyway. See if you
> get the same problem.
I don't dare to rock the boat right now, I am worried that something could
hiccup during the conversion.
I am thinking of getting a USB drive and backing up some files


>Win2k is as reliable as XP without all of the latter's bells and whistles,
>and uses a much smaller proportion of the PC's overheads.
I agree with you about XP, I would like to stay with 2000 but I am afraid MS
will stop supporting it for workstations before too much longer.

>Why should you need 3 versions of Access etc. Not necessary.
I wish it were so, but I have found otherwise.
I service some Access applications that require Access 97, as well as some
that uses Access 2000 and 2003. I think 97 and 2002 uses the same file
format, not sure about 2003.
2000 does not recognize 2003 files, 2003 supposedly will leave a 2000 file
in it's original format, but I have had problems with that.

Ragnar

"DL" <address@invalid> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...

Thank you DL,

> Are you sure that Laplink will transfer Apps between two different o/s?

No, but their ads claim so and I can't get hold of anybody on the phone that
can answer my questions. They have a chat room but I can't get it to work. I
disabled my popup blocker but it stiil does not work.
>
> Why aren't you using NTFS anyway?

The machine came with FAT32 and by the time I realized that I had installed
a lot of software so I left it alone.

> Thought of visiting your hd manu site and downloading their checking
> utility?
No, but that is a good idea, I will try that.

> It appears you have no data backup?
That is partially correct, I generally keep copies of important files on my
laptop as well.
Besides, all my source files are stored in our company's SourceSafe, which
is backed up daily

> There's absolutely no advantage in upgrading an o/s on a system that
> appears
> to have a problem, without first fixing or diagnosing the problem.
I thought that if a Windows file had gotten damaged it would be replaced
with a good file.
Since the checking program apparently never finds any errors I suspect that
the problem is with Windows, not with the disk.
I have had some cases where reinstalling Windows fixed a problem (Not on
this computer).
I am also thinking about getting a program that checks the Registry.

Ragnar

Thank you for your thoughts Marco.

Ragnar

Just for the record, ran chkdsk, took about 2 minutes and found some file
fragments, created a file from them.

Maybe that was the problem? I doubt it, but we will see.

Ragnar

Laplink FAQ's state it should not be used for migrating to an older o/s,
they avoid the issue of transfering to a later o/s. But they do state this;
Core Windows applications, services, data. PCmover may not migrate
information/settings from applications provided by Windows itself
(ActiveDirectory, IIS, etc.).

Fat32 can be converted to NTFS without data loss or any problems, usually

If a win sys file is damaged you can run the sys file checker (sfc) on your
sy, or even run a repair installation.
Personnally I would'nt advise the use of any registry checking app.

"Ragnar Midtskogen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "DL" <address@invalid> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Thank you DL,
>
> > Are you sure that Laplink will transfer Apps between two different o/s?
>
> No, but their ads claim so and I can't get hold of anybody on the phone
that
> can answer my questions. They have a chat room but I can't get it to work.
I
> disabled my popup blocker but it stiil does not work.
> >
> > Why aren't you using NTFS anyway?
>
> The machine came with FAT32 and by the time I realized that I had
installed
> a lot of software so I left it alone.
>
> > Thought of visiting your hd manu site and downloading their checking
> > utility?
> No, but that is a good idea, I will try that.
>
> > It appears you have no data backup?
> That is partially correct, I generally keep copies of important files on
my
> laptop as well.
> Besides, all my source files are stored in our company's SourceSafe, which
> is backed up daily
>
> > There's absolutely no advantage in upgrading an o/s on a system that
> > appears
> > to have a problem, without first fixing or diagnosing the problem.
> I thought that if a Windows file had gotten damaged it would be replaced
> with a good file.
> Since the checking program apparently never finds any errors I suspect
that
> the problem is with Windows, not with the disk.
> I have had some cases where reinstalling Windows fixed a problem (Not on
> this computer).
> I am also thinking about getting a program that checks the Registry.
>
> Ragnar
>
>

Ragnar Midtskogen wrote:

> Just for the record, ran chkdsk, took about 2 minutes and found some file
> fragments, created a file from them.
>
> Maybe that was the problem? I doubt it, but we will see.
>
> Ragnar
>
>
I have a 38 GB disk and chkdsk takes at least 20 mins to run. You need a
full chkdsk scan, using chkdsk/f or chkdsk /r. Do that within win2k.
Type cmd at Start/Run, then chkdsk /f. If that fails to fix the problem
do you have an ERD, which you should have made on floppy. If so run your
win2k system disk until the point it asks you for an ERD when you've
pressed R to repair. If you don't have one try using a fast repair
without an ERD. Don't attempt a full re-installation yet.