Incorrect version of autochk.exe on Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit

When I click on Start, enter autochk.exe, then hit Enter, a window pops up
with the following message:

C:\Windows\system32\autochk.exe

The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows
you’re running. Check your computer’s system information to see whether you
need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact
the software publisher.

This, in turn, prevents chkdsk.exe from running at startup.

Dear Shawn,

I have already read the tutorial that you provided me, since it ranks the
highest in any internet search of this topic. I have found that it is the
most authoritative article addressing this issue. Wikipedia also corroborates
the root cause of this problem of chkdsk.exe not running at startup, as being
due to a problem with the autochk.exe file.

Surprisingly, and unfortunately, the Microsoft and HP websites don't address
this issue. It is sad that only third-party sources address this issue.
Microsoft should take ownership of this issue and be at the forefront of it.
The only way Microsoft addresses it, though, is indirectly through consumers
(such as yourself) using its Vista Community forums.

Anyway, I have not yet implemented step one or step two in this tutorial
because I am not comfortable altering items in the registry editor, nor am I
comfortable trying to take ownership of the autochk.exe file. The steps
provided to take ownership of the file admit that you might have
difficulties, which could open up another whole fiasco.

When I open the file under the folder, C:\Windows\system32\autochk.exe,
right-click on the file, click on Properties, then click on the Details tab,
the following fields are left blank: File description, File version, Product
name, Product version, Copyright, and Language. Therefore, if I do succeed in
taking ownership of the file, won't I still not know which version of the
file I have? If not, then I will not be able to complete step two of the
tutorial, where it asks you to download a new copy of the version of the file
that you already have.

Furthermore, this tutorial is based on the assumption that your autochk.exe
file is corrupted. However, I don't think that is my issue. Rather, as the
error message indicates, I believe that I have the wrong version of the file
for my operating system, which is the Windows Vista Ultimate, 64-bit version.
Perhaps the file is designed for Windows Vista 32-bit versions instead.? Or
perhaps it is designed for Windows XP and doesn't work with any Windows Vista
operating systems at all?

Today I started a support case for HP, the manufacturer of my computer,
which is an HP Pavilion dv6700t CTO Notebook PC. I purchased and received
this computer in February of this year (2008). I am awaiting their response
and will update this discussion thread if and when they provide a proper
solution.

An appropriate solution to this specific problem needs to be documented, one
that addresses the issue of having the incorrect version of the autochk.exe
file, rather than a corrupted autochk.exe file, which the tutorial addresses.
Both issues need to be confirmed and verified by the websites of Microsoft
and computer manufacturers themselves, so that we know such procedures are
valid and that we can trust them. If the tutorial came directly from
Microsoft, then I would not have any hesitation to follow all of the steps
outlined. However, since the best solution currently available is provided by
a third-party website, I am reluctant to follow its instructions.

Perhaps a future Windows Vista update, or the next service pack, will solve
this issue. Obviously, Service Pack 1 for Vista did not correct the problem.
Who knows how long it will be until the next service pack will come out, or
if it will even fix the problem?

My incorrect version of autochk will not allow me to run chkdsk, a huge
liability that puts my computer at risk, preventing me from running this
utility to fix file corruption, which will inevitably happen. It is only a
matter of time. With Check Disk (chkdsk), however, these file corruptions can
be prevented and repaired.

Because of this vulnerability, my only recourse, currently, is to constantly
back up my computer so that I can restore it every time a file corruption
occurs. However, one should not be relegated to performing a full computer
back up so often, because when you do such restorations, you lose the changes
made to files and settings since the last backup. This is an undue
inconvenience.

Therefore, I will press HP, the manufacturer of my computer, to fix this
problem immediately, or else I will ask that they let me return this product
for a full refund. Alternatively, I think they could be sued for this
problem, because they are distributing a defective product. If you purchase a
computer and the Check Disk utility doesn't work, you have a defective
product and you should be able to get your money back. Furthermore, they
should be required to do a recall on such defective merchandise.

In the meantime, any help that someone can contribute to this matter would
be greatly appreciated. Together, I hope we can resolve this issue once and
for all.

"Brink" wrote:

>
> keokani;672202 Wrote:
> > When I click on Start, enter autochk.exe, then hit Enter, a window pops
> > up
> > with the following message:
> >
> > C:\Windows\system32\autochk.exe
> >
> > The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows
> > you’re running. Check your computer’s system information to see
> > whether you
> > need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then
> > contact
> > the software publisher.
> >
> > This, in turn, prevents chkdsk.exe from running at startup.
>
> Hi Keokani,
>
> See if you can use one these autochk.exe versions from Step Two in this
> tutorial.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/1...rtup-vista.html
>
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> Brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> them.*
> '*VISTA FORUMS*' (http://www.vistax64.com)
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

I've tried the sfc /scannow command and it always terminates prematurely,
even when I run the command prompt as an administrator. It seems that the
only way to run the Check Disk (chkdsk.exe) command is at startup before
Windows boots up. As long as Windows is running, Check Disk will not work.
Instead, it always asks if you want to schedule it upon the next startup (or
restart), which of course, never happens because the autochk.exe file doesn't
work.

HP has opened up a service ticket for my case and have contacted me. They
suspect several possibilities: The autochk.exe file might be corrupted, in a
bad sector, or copied improperly from the recovery drive. I replied that I
had the same problem before and after I restored my computer from the
recovery drive. They also acknowledge the possibility that the incorrect
version of the file was originally installed on both drives, in which case
they will have to communicate with Microsoft.

Accordingly, I have been instructed to restart my computer and keep hitting
F11 (or F10, the guy wasn't sure) before Windows boots, until the BIOS screen
comes up. Next, it is recommended that I have this utility check both the C
drive and the recovery drive (D) to check for bad sectors. If there are bad
sectors, then they may need to replace my hard drive.

If there are no bad sectors, then they recommend that I perform a system
recovery from the recovery CDs that came with my computer, rather than
performing a recovery from the hard drive (D). The thought here is that the
recovery drive could have an incorrect or corrupted version of the file, and
that the recovery CDs will not.

Since the last thing I want to do is perform a system recovery, I may try
your procedure first. Right now I am undecided. What are your thoughts? Also,
can step two of your procedure be performed before, or without performing,
step two?


"Brink" wrote:

>
> keokani;672348 Wrote:
> > Dear Shawn,
> >
> > I have already read the tutorial that you provided me, since it ranks
> > the
> > highest in any internet search of this topic. I have found that it is
> > the
> > most authoritative article addressing this issue. Wikipedia also
> > corroborates
> > the root cause of this problem of chkdsk.exe not running at startup, as
> > being
> > due to a problem with the autochk.exe file.
> >
> > Surprisingly, and unfortunately, the Microsoft and HP websites don't
> > address
> > this issue. It is sad that only third-party sources address this issue.
> > Microsoft should take ownership of this issue and be at the forefront
> > of it.
> > The only way Microsoft addresses it, though, is indirectly through
> > consumers
> > (such as yourself) using its Vista Community forums.
> >
> > Anyway, I have not yet implemented step one or step two in this
> > tutorial
> > because I am not comfortable altering items in the registry editor, nor
> > am I
> > comfortable trying to take ownership of the autochk.exe file. The steps
> > provided to take ownership of the file admit that you might have
> > difficulties, which could open up another whole fiasco.
> >
> > When I open the file under the folder, C:\Windows\system32\autochk.exe,
> > right-click on the file, click on Properties, then click on the Details
> > tab,
> > the following fields are left blank: File description, File version,
> > Product
> > name, Product version, Copyright, and Language. Therefore, if I do
> > succeed in
> > taking ownership of the file, won't I still not know which version of
> > the
> > file I have? If not, then I will not be able to complete step two of
> > the
> > tutorial, where it asks you to download a new copy of the version of
> > the file
> > that you already have.
> >
> > Furthermore, this tutorial is based on the assumption that your
> > autochk.exe
> > file is corrupted. However, I don't think that is my issue. Rather, as
> > the
> > error message indicates, I believe that I have the wrong version of the
> > file
> > for my operating system, which is the Windows Vista Ultimate, 64-bit
> > version.
> > Perhaps the file is designed for Windows Vista 32-bit versions
> > instead.? Or
> > perhaps it is designed for Windows XP and doesn't work with any Windows
> > Vista
> > operating systems at all?
> >
> > Today I started a support case for HP, the manufacturer of my computer,
> > which is an HP Pavilion dv6700t CTO Notebook PC. I purchased and
> > received
> > this computer in February of this year (2008). I am awaiting their
> > response
> > and will update this discussion thread if and when they provide a
> > proper
> > solution.
> >
> > An appropriate solution to this specific problem needs to be
> > documented, one
> > that addresses the issue of having the incorrect version of the
> > autochk.exe
> > file, rather than a corrupted autochk.exe file, which the tutorial
> > addresses.
> > Both issues need to be confirmed and verified by the websites of
> > Microsoft
> > and computer manufacturers themselves, so that we know such procedures
> > are
> > valid and that we can trust them. If the tutorial came directly from
> > Microsoft, then I would not have any hesitation to follow all of the
> > steps
> > outlined. However, since the best solution currently available is
> > provided by
> > a third-party website, I am reluctant to follow its instructions.
> >
> > Perhaps a future Windows Vista update, or the next service pack, will
> > solve
> > this issue. Obviously, Service Pack 1 for Vista did not correct the
> > problem.
> > Who knows how long it will be until the next service pack will come
> > out, or
> > if it will even fix the problem?
> >
> > My incorrect version of autochk will not allow me to run chkdsk, a huge
> > liability that puts my computer at risk, preventing me from running
> > this
> > utility to fix file corruption, which will inevitably happen. It is
> > only a
> > matter of time. With Check Disk (chkdsk), however, these file
> > corruptions can
> > be prevented and repaired.
> >
> > Because of this vulnerability, my only recourse, currently, is to
> > constantly
> > back up my computer so that I can restore it every time a file
> > corruption
> > occurs. However, one should not be relegated to performing a full
> > computer
> > back up so often, because when you do such restorations, you lose the
> > changes
> > made to files and settings since the last backup. This is an undue
> > inconvenience.
> >
> > Therefore, I will press HP, the manufacturer of my computer, to fix
> > this
> > problem immediately, or else I will ask that they let me return this
> > product
> > for a full refund. Alternatively, I think they could be sued for this
> > problem, because they are distributing a defective product. If you
> > purchase a
> > computer and the Check Disk utility doesn't work, you have a defective
> > product and you should be able to get your money back. Furthermore,
> > they
> > should be required to do a recall on such defective merchandise.
> >
> > In the meantime, any help that someone can contribute to this matter
> > would
> > be greatly appreciated. Together, I hope we can resolve this issue once
> > and
> > for all.
> >
> > "Brink" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > keokani;672202 Wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi Keokani,
> > > >
> > > > See if you can use one these autochk.exe versions from Step Two in
> > > this
> > > > tutorial.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/1...rtup-vista.html
> > > >
> > > > Shawn
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Brink
> > > >
> > > > *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> > > > them.*
> > > > '*VISTA FORUMS*' (http://www.vistax64.com)
> > > > *Please post feedback to help others.*
> > > > > >
>
> Keokani,
>
> I can understand your point of view, but these files are clean and
> safe. I made sure of it before I posted anything like that. If your
> willing, you can try each version to see which one will work for you.
> They work for both the 32 bit and 64 bit Vista. These are the default
> autochk.exe files installed by Vista. One version is before the SP1 is
> installed and the other after, that's all.
>
> It's up to you, but I believe it may help you.
>
>
> As an alternative, you can try running a "sfc /scannow" (No quotes)
> command to see if it can repair the file for you. This will show you how
> if needed.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/6...fc-command.html
>
> Hope this helps,
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> Brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> them.*
> '*VISTA FORUMS*' (http://www.vistax64.com)
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

I finally took your advice and implemented step two of your tutorial. It was
much easier than I imagined, with no problems at all, and the whole process
is very quick. What is interesting is that step two automatically peformed
step one, because the registry value is now exactly what you said to change
it to, without my actually doing it. Perhaps that is something you might want
to indicate in your tutorial.

Since I have previously installed Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista, I chose
the correct version of the two autochk files that you offer in step two.
Since the autochk file I had did not indicate what version it was, I had to
kind of think it through to figure out which of the two I was supposed to
download. That would be my only other suggestion to improve your tutorial.
Indicate which download is for Vista and which one is for Service Pack 1.

Next, I scheduled Check Disk (chkdsk.exe) for the next startup, checking
both of the boxes, then restarted my computer. Finally, it worked as it is
supposed to. I am very thankful for your tutorial and your helping me out in
this discussion. Microsoft and HP should pay you for doing their work for
them. They owe you big. Your procedure is something that they should directly
link their customers to when they inquire about this issue on their websites.

Once again, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. I would still
be frustrated and miserable. I should have followed your tutorial right away,
but I was apprehensive about third-party solutions. Since it was at the top
of the search results, I should have trusted it sooner.

By comparison, all of the advice and technical support that HP took me
through was off target. I should bill them for all of my time they took up
and for my increased cell phone bill.

I would recommend your tutorials to anyone. You really have this stuff down.
Keep up the good public service.


"Brink" wrote:

>
> keokani;672631 Wrote:
> > I've tried the sfc /scannow command and it always terminates
> > prematurely,
> > even when I run the command prompt as an administrator. It seems that
> > the
> > only way to run the Check Disk (chkdsk.exe) command is at startup
> > before
> > Windows boots up. As long as Windows is running, Check Disk will not
> > work.
> > Instead, it always asks if you want to schedule it upon the next
> > startup (or
> > restart), which of course, never happens because the autochk.exe file
> > doesn't
> > work.
> >
> > HP has opened up a service ticket for my case and have contacted me.
> > They
> > suspect several possibilities: The autochk.exe file might be corrupted,
> > in a
> > bad sector, or copied improperly from the recovery drive. I replied
> > that I
> > had the same problem before and after I restored my computer from the
> > recovery drive. They also acknowledge the possibility that the
> > incorrect
> > version of the file was originally installed on both drives, in which
> > case
> > they will have to communicate with Microsoft.
> >
> > Accordingly, I have been instructed to restart my computer and keep
> > hitting
> > F11 (or F10, the guy wasn't sure) before Windows boots, until the BIOS
> > screen
> > comes up. Next, it is recommended that I have this utility check both
> > the C
> > drive and the recovery drive (D) to check for bad sectors. If there are
> > bad
> > sectors, then they may need to replace my hard drive.
> >
> > If there are no bad sectors, then they recommend that I perform a
> > system
> > recovery from the recovery CDs that came with my computer, rather than
> > performing a recovery from the hard drive (D). The thought here is that
> > the
> > recovery drive could have an incorrect or corrupted version of the
> > file, and
> > that the recovery CDs will not.
> >
> > Since the last thing I want to do is perform a system recovery, I may
> > try
> > your procedure first. Right now I am undecided. What are your thoughts?
> > Also,
> > can step two of your procedure be performed before, or without
> > performing,
> > step two?
> >
>
> Keokani,
>
> You should do both Step One and Step Two to rule out and fix both
> common problems. Step One makes sure that there is not a bad registry
> setting that allows chkdsk to run at startup by returning it to the
> default state. Step Two replaces the autochk.exe file with a clean copy
> of it.
>
> The worst thing that will happen is that it will not work and you are
> back to where you are now.
>
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> Brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> them.*
> '*VISTA FORUMS*' (http://www.vistax64.com)
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>