Power outage problem

[Kvin]

Got power outage. Just want know possible problems this can cause.
I do not worry about loss of the current information, since only Outlook has
been opened, but mostly for possible problems this can cause for hard disk
data(data corruption, incorrect free space count, lost cluster chains,
possible incorrect file lengths; various hard drive disk defects, etc)

thanks.

 

[R. McCarty]

If using NTFS it's pretty resistant to corruption. However, any abrupt
loss of power can leave the drive in an inconsistent state. Best to do a
Read-Only Chkdsk and make sure the volume/partition is "Clean".

Everyone should have a minimal UPS ( Universal Power Supply ) on
their PC/Monitor. While expensive in the past - today you can get an
entry level unit for <$30 that will provide 6-10 minutes of backup and
a watchdog app that monitors Line Voltage on a USB connection.

 

[Kvin]

If using NTFS it's pretty resistant to corruption. However, any abrupt
loss of power can leave the drive in an inconsistent state. Best to do a
Read-Only Chkdsk and make sure the volume/partition is "Clean".

Everyone should have a minimal UPS ( Universal Power Supply ) on
their PC/Monitor. While expensive in the past - today you can get an
entry level unit for <$30 that will provide 6-10 minutes of backup and
a watchdog app that monitors Line Voltage on a USB connection.

---------------

And how to make this "Read-Only Chkdsk"? I tried run C > Properties > Tools

Error checking(with both checkbox cleared), hower, it has no

finished(after certain time stop and show unable to finish or something like
this).

Kvin

 

[R. McCarty]

Might be a good idea to boot to "Safe Mode", Click Start, Run
(Type) Cmd [Enter]. Then from within the Command Prompt use

Chkdsk C: [Enter]

Statistics will remain on the screen, look for a message that will
recommend a Chkdsk /F. You simply repeat the command above
but add a /F or /R. The system will ask if you'd like to perform the
operation at next boot - Answer Y.
*Chkdsk has the potential to remove data while repairing the
volume. Always be sure to have data backed up before running a
Chkdsk with the Fix or Repair qualifier.

 

[Kvin]

Might be a good idea to boot to "Safe Mode", Click Start, Run
(Type) Cmd [Enter]. Then from within the Command Prompt use

Chkdsk C: [Enter]

Statistics will remain on the screen, look for a message that will
recommend a Chkdsk /F. You simply repeat the command above
but add a /F or /R. The system will ask if you'd like to perform the
operation at next boot - Answer Y.
*Chkdsk has the potential to remove data while repairing the
volume. Always be sure to have data backed up before running a
Chkdsk with the Fix or Repair qualifier.


And how to make this "Read-Only Chkdsk"? I tried run C > Properties >
Tools
Error checking(with both checkbox cleared), hower, it has no
finished(after certain time stop and show unable to finish or something
like this).

Kvin

------

If first test (Chkdsk C with no arguments) show no error, then there is no
needs to repeat check with /F?

k.

 

[R. McCarty]

That's correct.

Might be a good idea to boot to "Safe Mode", Click Start, Run
(Type) Cmd [Enter]. Then from within the Command Prompt use

Chkdsk C: [Enter]

Statistics will remain on the screen, look for a message that will
recommend a Chkdsk /F. You simply repeat the command above
but add a /F or /R. The system will ask if you'd like to perform the
operation at next boot - Answer Y.
*Chkdsk has the potential to remove data while repairing the
volume. Always be sure to have data backed up before running a
Chkdsk with the Fix or Repair qualifier.

If using NTFS it's pretty resistant to corruption. However, any abrupt
loss of power can leave the drive in an inconsistent state. Best to do
a
Read-Only Chkdsk and make sure the volume/partition is "Clean".

Everyone should have a minimal UPS ( Universal Power Supply ) on
their PC/Monitor. While expensive in the past - today you can get an
entry level unit for <$30 that will provide 6-10 minutes of backup and
a watchdog app that monitors Line Voltage on a USB connection.

Got power outage. Just want know possible problems this can cause.
I do not worry about loss of the current information, since only
Outlook has been opened, but mostly for possible problems this can
cause for hard disk data(data corruption, incorrect free space count,
lost cluster chains, possible incorrect file lengths; various hard
drive disk defects, etc)

thanks.
---------------

And how to make this "Read-Only Chkdsk"? I tried run C > Properties >
Tools
Error checking(with both checkbox cleared), hower, it has no
finished(after certain time stop and show unable to finish or something
like this).

Kvin

------

If first test (Chkdsk C with no arguments) show no error, then there is no
needs to repeat check with /F?

k.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Got power outage. Just want know possible problems this can cause.
I do not worry about loss of the current information, since only
Outlook has been opened, but mostly for possible problems this can
cause for hard disk data(data corruption, incorrect free space count,
lost cluster chains, possible incorrect file lengths; various hard
drive disk defects, etc)

Yes, you are susceptible to those kinds of problems if power is removed
abruptly without an orderly shutdown. Most of the time you get away with it
without problems (especially if your drive is NTFS) but problems are always
possible.

However if you have since restarted the computer and it came up without any
indication of a problem, it's highly likely that everything is OK.

By the way, you can buy a UPS that will remove this risk for under $100
these days. At that price, I think everyone should have one.

 

[Kvin]

That's correct.

Might be a good idea to boot to "Safe Mode", Click Start, Run
(Type) Cmd [Enter]. Then from within the Command Prompt use
Chkdsk C: [Enter]
Statistics will remain on the screen, look for a message that will
recommend a Chkdsk /F. You simply repeat the command above
but add a /F or /R. The system will ask if you'd like to perform the
operation at next boot - Answer Y.
*Chkdsk has the potential to remove data while repairing the
volume. Always be sure to have data backed up before running a
Chkdsk with the Fix or Repair qualifier.


If using NTFS it's pretty resistant to corruption. However, any abrupt
loss of power can leave the drive in an inconsistent state. Best to do
a
Read-Only Chkdsk and make sure the volume/partition is "Clean".

Everyone should have a minimal UPS ( Universal Power Supply ) on
their PC/Monitor. While expensive in the past - today you can get an
entry level unit for <$30 that will provide 6-10 minutes of backup and
a watchdog app that monitors Line Voltage on a USB connection.

Got power outage. Just want know possible problems this can cause.
I do not worry about loss of the current information, since only
Outlook has been opened, but mostly for possible problems this can
cause for hard disk data(data corruption, incorrect free space count,
lost cluster chains, possible incorrect file lengths; various hard
drive disk defects, etc)

thanks.
---------------

And how to make this "Read-Only Chkdsk"? I tried run C > Properties >
Tools
Error checking(with both checkbox cleared), hower, it has no
finished(after certain time stop and show unable to finish or something
like this).

Kvin

------

If first test (Chkdsk C with no arguments) show no error, then there is
no needs to repeat check with /F?

k.

----------

Just noticed, when i turn power on again (after Power outage), it seems
there where no shown standard disk error checking operation that windows do
when was improperly shutdown. Does this means something?

K.

 

[w_tom]

Just noticed, when i turn power on again (after Power outage), it seems
there where no shown standard disk error checking operation that windows do
when was improperly shutdown. Does this means something?

Windows can determine problems from NTFS filesystem. Unexpected
shutdown (should) cause no data corruption. Meanwhile unexpected power
downs (from disk drive perspective) is quite normal. Shutdown simply
saves and updates all files to drive before power is removed. Drive
has no idea that power will be lost until power is suddenly removed (as
they worked even 30 years ago). Unexpected power loss does not harm
disk drive hardware since normal power down does same thing. NTFS
makes filesystem resilient if some files are not properly saved. (Old
FAT filesystem in Windows 9x/ME did not.) In short, the UPS
recommendation to protect hard drive hardware is a classic myth.

 

[R. McCarty]

But a UPS is recommending where a system utilizes Write caching.
Not as a hardware protection, but to allow data to be flushed to the
drive. Abrupt power loss in that situation can result in data loss.

During an average month of use, I'll typically loose power at least a
couple of times, sometimes just a momentary brown out. I'm still
using a 7-year old PowerWare UPS that's only on it's 2nd battery.
One of the best investments I ever made in computer hardware. In
fact when my son was in college he was the only one in his dorm
with a UPS. Told me that many times it saved his work in process.

 

[w_tom]

Properly noted by R McCarty is the reason for a UPS - to save data
that was not yet written to disk drive. UPS is for data protection.
NTFS makes drive corruption irrelevant.