"Cannot Open Volume for Direct Access" for Scan Disk

[Bills Fan]

i'm trying to run scan disk on windows xp, which i've
always had to do with a restart of the machine. now i'm
getting an error message that says "cannot open volume
for direct access" when i try to do this. the ms
knowledge base has an article (823439) that says ms has
confirmed a problem and is researching it, but the
article says "last reviewed 8/14/03". does anybody know
what the fix is? this process worked for me last week,
and the only major software change is that i've installed
zonealarm. i tried the scan disk after turning off
zonealarm at startup, but still got the same message.

many thanks to whoever can help!

 

[Patti MacLeod]

Hi Bills Fan,

If it was version 5 of ZoneAlarm that you installed, that is what is causing
the problem. Turning off ZoneAlarm at startup doesn't solve the problem, you
have to uninstall it. Apparently, ZoneLabs is aware of the problem and are
working on it.


Regards,

 

[Bills fan]

patti,

thanks so much. it is version 5, but the weird thing is
right after i wrote this note, i got the new windows
patch installed and could run the scan disk. although i
installed the patch on another computer, with xp home
(vs. pro on the first one), i still can't seem to run the
scan disk.

anyway, guess zone alarm will figure it out.

thanks!

s

 

[Carrie Garth]

| "Bills Fan" <[email protected]>
| wrote in message | i'm trying to run scan disk on windows xp, which i've
| always had to do with a restart of the machine. now i'm
| getting an error message that says "cannot open volume
| for direct access" when i try to do this. the ms
| knowledge base has an article (823439) that says ms has
| confirmed a problem and is researching it, but the
| article says "last reviewed 8/14/03". does anybody know
| what the fix is? this process worked for me last week,
| and the only major software change is that i've installed
| zonealarm. i tried the scan disk after turning off
| zonealarm at startup, but still got the same message.
|
| many thanks to whoever can help!

A Google search for the following: driver vsdatant chkdsk
http://www.google.com/search?&q=driver+vsdatant+OR+vsmon+chkdsk

Leads to some articles that you may be interested in.
(BTW, vsdatant is the kernel-mode driver used by Zone Alarm).
For instance the following one which outlines how to
temporarily disable the driver so chkdsk will run:

Re Zone Alarm 5 upgrade stopping Win XP Check Disk
Windows and ZoneAlarm® Messages and Alerts
Zone Labs User Forum
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=win_za_msgs&message.id=5933

Also see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

KB816071 - How to Temporarily Deactivate the
Kernel Mode Filter Driver
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;816071

Instead of disabling the driver you may want to try
the following:

To quote Jerold Schulman - Windows: General MVP:

"NOTE: You may have success if you schedule Chkdsk
to run at startup and use the /X switch, which will force
a dismount."

JSI Tip 7079_ You receive 'Cannot open volume for direct
access' when Chkdsk runs during Windows XP startup
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBO/tip7000/rh7079.htm

And if forcing a dismount does not work, and you do not
want to disable the kernel-mode driver, you may want
to try the resolution given by the following Web Site:

Computer Technical Support Forums
All Forums | SOFTWARE SUPPORT |
Operating Systems: Microsoft
MyTechSupport_ca - Cannot open volume for direct access
http://www.mytechsupport.ca/support/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3503

In my words the above site says to:

Run msconfig. Select a Diagnostic Startup of Basic
Devices and Services Only. Use the method of
your choice to schedule autochk (the version of chkdsk that
runs when you restart your computer). And then reboot.

For more information about the GUI error-checking tool
search Windows XP Professional Help and Support Center
Full-text Search Matches titled: "Detecting and repairing
disk errors".

For more information about the command-prompt method
"chkdsk" (and the /x parameter) search the Windows XP
Professional Help and Support Center for the word in
double-quotes and read the Full-text Search by that title.

For more information about msconfig and the option:
Diagnostic Startup - load basic devices and services only,
see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base Article:

KB310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig
Utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;310560

 

[Mark Gong]

I too have had this problem prior to the installation of
WXP SP2 RC2. Just uninstall zone alram, run cgeck disk,
then re-install zone alram. A pain,I know, but it works.

 

[Adm C]

I run Zone Alarm 5 and this is what I did that worked for me (and may or may
not for you):

You can go into ZoneAlarm (ZA) 5, go to the overview tab then preferences

UNcheck the PROTECT ZA CLIENT

That is what is protecting your firewall from malware and locking the hard
drive from a scan

Do the chkdsk then follow same steps and reenable for max protection

C

patti,

thanks so much. it is version 5, but the weird thing is
right after i wrote this note, i got the new windows
patch installed and could run the scan disk. although i
installed the patch on another computer, with xp home
(vs. pro on the first one), i still can't seem to run the
scan disk.

anyway, guess zone alarm will figure it out.

thanks!

s