CHDSK won't fix MFT bitmap

[Mike Stogden]

Hi,

CHKDSK displays the following message:

CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the master file table
MFT bitmap

No amount of CHDSK runs with any settings including via Recovery Console
seems to fix this.

I have lots of image backups but I suspect that these all contain the same
corruption as I only discovered this when trying to defrag.

I would rather not flatten the disk as it would take me a week to re-install
all the application.

Any suggestions?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the master file table
(MFT) bitmap

The CHKDSK utility incorrectly identifies and deletes in-use security
descriptors
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;831374

[[NTFS File System Corruption
In very rare circumstances, the NTFS $MFT or $BITMAP metafiles may become
corrupted and result in lost disk space. To identify and fix this issue, run
the chkdsk /F command against the volume in question. Toward the end of
chkdsk process, you receive the following message if the $BITMAP metafile
needs to be adjusted:
Correcting errors in the master file table's (MFT) BITMAP attribute. CHKDSK
discovered free space marked as allocated in the volume bitmap. Windows has
made corrections to the file system. ]]
from...
How to locate and correct disk space problems on NTFS volumes in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315688

See...
Phase 1: Checking files
here...
Understanding what CHKDSK does
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314835/en-us#XSLTH3154121123120121120120

From...
An explanation of the new /C and /I Switches that are available to use with
Chkdsk.exe
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314835

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Hey I have the same problem and when i run chkdsk /f and reboot it cheks
everything and finds no errors. But the error message when i run chkdsk on
its own still apppears. Any ideas how to correct it?

 

[Unk]

Hey I have the same problem and when i run chkdsk /f and reboot it cheks
everything and finds no errors. But the error message when i run chkdsk on
its own still apppears. Any ideas how to correct it?

These error messages do not necessarilly mean that there is problem with the drive.
The reason you are seeing these errors is because when you run CHKDSK from a command
prompt, it runs in "Read only" mode, and the state of the computer is changing at the time you
run the utility. A "read only" chkdsk on an active NTFS volume will result in false positive
errors!

Read-only CHKDSK will abort before it completes all three phases if it encounters errors in any
phase, falsely reporting errors when in read-only mode. In other words, CHKDSK may report that
a disk is corrupted even when there is no real corruption present. This can happen if the volume
is modifed by of some program activity in the area that CHKDSK is examining at the time.

To test a volume correctly, the volume must be in a static state, and the only way to guarantee
that state is to lock the volume. CHKDSK only locks the volume when it runs before entering
Windows or while in Recovery Console with /P or /R (which implies "F") is specified.

You can test this by starting your computer in the Recovery Console and run "CHKDSK /P" from
there. See if you get any error messages. Now, boot back to Windows and the errors return.

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Consol
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314058

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307654

 

[Plato]

Hey I have the same problem and when i run chkdsk /f and reboot it cheks
everything and finds no errors. But the error message when i run chkdsk on
its own still apppears. Any ideas how to correct it?

Might try a chkdsk from dos. Included in this download:
http://www.datapol.de/dpe/freeware/

 

[PCMcGee]

Hi,

CHKDSK displays the following message:

CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the master file table
MFT bitmap

No amount of CHDSK runs with any settings including via Recovery Console
seems to fix this.

I have lots of image backups but I suspect that these all contain the same
corruption as I only discovered this when trying to defrag.

I would rather not flatten the disk as it would take me a week to re-install
all the application.

Any suggestions?

1st, "it would take me a week to reinstall all the programs..." Have less programs.
2nd, You could run a low level format using software provided by the disk manufacturer, then do a fresh install of windows. If you can't reinstall from scratch, then your data is at risk of loss and you should look into securing backups for it, anyway. Once you have reinstalled the essential software you need, FOSS of course (Free and Open-Source Software), you can create a base install backup through Windows Backup. Keep everything else backed up to the cloud, Onedrive, Google, Mega, etc.

3rd, here is a useful article from Microsoft on this problem. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/303079