check disk error

[Steve]

On my windows XP Home edition, I can run check disk
WITHOUT asking for either of the two additional options.
That seems fine. I can run it asking for the second option
(I forget what it says) in addition to 'regular' check
disk. However, when I try to run check disk with the
option "Automatically fix file sytem errors" I get an
error message: " The disk check could not be performed
because the disk check utility needs exclusive access to
some Windows files on the disk. These files can be
accessed only by restating Windows. Do you want to
schedule this disk check to occur the next time you
restart the computer?"

I have tried checking that option and then re-sarting the
computer. I have tried checking that option and do a shut
down and then turn the computer back on. Either way, when
the computer boots, it does try to perform the task.
However, it stops and the error message appears even then.
I have tried several times rebooting in row, still no luck.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. By the way I am a
compter 'novice', so go real slow with the explanation.

Also, is check disk supposed to tell you the results?
Like "no problems found", or "12 problems found". Mine
says nothing when it is done other than check disk
completed.

thanks,

Steve

 

[Adam Turner]

Exclusive access generally means that you have to dismount the hard drive. In the DOS prompt, look for the dismount command in /help.

After you dismount the hard drive, try again.

If at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving!
Adam Turner


On my windows XP Home edition, I can run check disk
WITHOUT asking for either of the two additional options.
That seems fine. I can run it asking for the second option
(I forget what it says) in addition to 'regular' check
disk. However, when I try to run check disk with the
option "Automatically fix file sytem errors" I get an
error message: " The disk check could not be performed
because the disk check utility needs exclusive access to
some Windows files on the disk. These files can be
accessed only by restating Windows. Do you want to
schedule this disk check to occur the next time you
restart the computer?"

I have tried checking that option and then re-sarting the
computer. I have tried checking that option and do a shut
down and then turn the computer back on. Either way, when
the computer boots, it does try to perform the task.
However, it stops and the error message appears even then.
I have tried several times rebooting in row, still no luck.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. By the way I am a
compter 'novice', so go real slow with the explanation.

Also, is check disk supposed to tell you the results?
Like "no problems found", or "12 problems found". Mine
says nothing when it is done other than check disk
completed.

thanks,

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

Boot from the XP CD and get into Recovery Console (instructions below),
then run CHKDSK /P from there. If it still won't complete then repeat
and use CHKDSK /R.

To run the Recovery Console from the Windows XP startup disks or the
Windows XP CD-ROM, use the following steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or
insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the
computer.

Click to select any options that are required to start the
computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
2. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the
Recovery Console.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, choose the
installation that you need to access from the Recovery Console.
4. When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password.
If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
5. At the command prompt, type the appropriate commands to diagnose
and repair your Windows XP installation.

For a list of commands that are available in Recovery Console,
type recovery console commands or help at the command prompt, and then
press ENTER.

For information about a specific command, type help commandname
at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.
6. To exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer, type exit
at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.

Steve

 

[Steve Nielsen]

Ahem...

For one thing, it's not a "DOS prompt" it is the command prompt.
For another, there is no "/help" command; it is "help".
For yet another, there is no "dismount" command at the command prompt in XP:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>help
For more information on a specific command, type HELP command-name
ASSOC Displays or modifies file extension associations.
AT Schedules commands and programs to run on a computer.
ATTRIB Displays or changes file attributes.
BREAK Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking.
CACLS Displays or modifies access control lists (ACLs) of files.
CALL Calls one batch program from another.
CD Displays the name of or changes the current directory.
CHCP Displays or sets the active code page number.
CHDIR Displays the name of or changes the current directory.
CHKDSK Checks a disk and displays a status report.
CHKNTFS Displays or modifies the checking of disk at boot time.
CLS Clears the screen.
CMD Starts a new instance of the Windows command interpreter.
COLOR Sets the default console foreground and background colors.
COMP Compares the contents of two files or sets of files.
COMPACT Displays or alters the compression of files on NTFS partitions.
CONVERT Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. You cannot convert the
current drive.
COPY Copies one or more files to another location.
DATE Displays or sets the date.
DEL Deletes one or more files.
DIR Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.
DISKCOMP Compares the contents of two floppy disks.
DISKCOPY Copies the contents of one floppy disk to another.
DOSKEY Edits command lines, recalls Windows commands, and creates macros.
ECHO Displays messages, or turns command echoing on or off.
ENDLOCAL Ends localization of environment changes in a batch file.
ERASE Deletes one or more files.
EXIT Quits the CMD.EXE program (command interpreter).
FC Compares two files or sets of files, and displays the differences
between them.
FIND Searches for a text string in a file or files.
FINDSTR Searches for strings in files.
FOR Runs a specified command for each file in a set of files.
FORMAT Formats a disk for use with Windows.
FTYPE Displays or modifies file types used in file extension
associations.
GOTO Directs the Windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a
batch program.
GRAFTABL Enables Windows to display an extended character set in graphics
mode.
HELP Provides Help information for Windows commands.
IF Performs conditional processing in batch programs.
LABEL Creates, changes, or deletes the volume label of a disk.
MD Creates a directory.
MKDIR Creates a directory.
MODE Configures a system device.
MORE Displays output one screen at a time.
MOVE Moves one or more files from one directory to another directory.
PATH Displays or sets a search path for executable files.
PAUSE Suspends processing of a batch file and displays a message.
POPD Restores the previous value of the current directory saved by
PUSHD.
PRINT Prints a text file.
PROMPT Changes the Windows command prompt.
PUSHD Saves the current directory then changes it.
RD Removes a directory.
RECOVER Recovers readable information from a bad or defective disk.
REM Records comments (remarks) in batch files or CONFIG.SYS.
REN Renames a file or files.
RENAME Renames a file or files.
REPLACE Replaces files.
RMDIR Removes a directory.
SET Displays, sets, or removes Windows environment variables.
SETLOCAL Begins localization of environment changes in a batch file.
SHIFT Shifts the position of replaceable parameters in batch files.
SORT Sorts input.
START Starts a separate window to run a specified program or command.
SUBST Associates a path with a drive letter.
TIME Displays or sets the system time.
TITLE Sets the window title for a CMD.EXE session.
TREE Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or path.
TYPE Displays the contents of a text file.
VER Displays the Windows version.
VERIFY Tells Windows whether to verify that your files are written
correctly to a disk.
VOL Displays a disk volume label and serial number.
XCOPY Copies files and directory trees.

C:\>

Steve