check disk on start up

[Mark Read]

A couple of weeks ago I started to have problems with
comp crashing and not starting properly. However, it all
started happening just after installing the then latest
windows hotfix (early in morning) which needed PC to be
restarted. However I didn't restart straight away but at
end of day (and after a couple of comp crashes).
Next restart led to windows not starting or even going
in, but eventually I did get in and did a system restore
to a couple of days earlier (before hotfix) and since
then it has been fine, until this morning.

This morning I updated latest Mcafee DAT file - no
problem, and was doing a system virus scan whilst working
on Autocad (something I have done before together with no
problems) and it crashed on me. Came up with the blue
windows error screen - something about windows is
shutting down to preserve itself (or something like
that). OK, not a problem, restarted and after the first
windows xp loading screen it comes up with the check disk
utility. OK, never seen it before but tried to run it,
starts check 1 of 3, and it gets to about 50%, hangs for
a couple of minutes and then reboots itself, which then
goes back in and starts check disk again, check 1 of 3.

I have cancelled out of this and windows then appears to
start working properly, but a couple of times I had
message saying 'unknown hard error' and also another blue
screen saying same thing, hard error, beggining dump of
physical memory.

I have also tried to run check disk from within windows
(once I had found it - I was looking for the old scan
disk!!) and this says I have to reboot as files being
used by windows...blah, blah. On rebooting, same as
before, xp screen then the check disk screen, starting
check 1 of 5 this time, 50%, hangs a couple of minutes,
reboots, and then on checking bios it sat there for about
5 minutes on 'detecting IDE drives' but eventually went
past this and then back to check disk screen, but, where
as I was expecting it to go onto check 2 of 5, it started
check 1 again. On cancelling and getting back into
windows, I tried to run defrag but it tells me that check
disk is scheduled to start next time windows starts and
so doesn't run it.

I have also run msconfig to see if check disk has been
added to start menu as default now but can't find any
reference it here. I have also done a system restore back
to Wendesday but still get check disk come up.

The strange thing is that, like now, I can use windows
and you wouldn't know that there's any problem at all but
I will still get the check disk screen on start up, and
the possibility of comp crashing.

I could possibly put crashing down to the current Autocad
drawings that I'm working on as they are over 6 megs and
zooming around with imported architect's drgs attached
(which are normally the problem), having CD's playing and
possibly outlook open at same time might cause it to
through a little wobbly (although these days with this
spec I would have thought it should have coped) but it's
the check disk screen now continually appearing on start
up that is causing a thought of impending doom!! re hard
disk failure.


So does anyone have any ideas to how I can either just
get rid of check disc on start up or tell me why check
disk only gets half way, sits there and starts again.

Thanks

Mark

 

[Guess Who]

Looks like you are getting some serious hard disc errors. Do a chkdisk on
each drive and let it take it's course. And don't be surprised if some of
your files are corrupt.

Also, check the event log, I bet you will find many file and disc errors in
there.

To run a chkdsk on your drives, go to Windows explorer, right-click on a
drive letter icon and choose properties. Go to the TOOLS tab, and click the
CHECK NOW button under the Check Disk For Errors section. Then check off
"Automatically Fix File System errors" and hit START. If you do this on the
boot drive, it will prompt you to reboot. Let the thing run entirely. You
may lose some of your files.

It's important to do this for each partition, otherwise the problem will get
worse, and you may lose more files, or think you are saving files, but they
end up corrupt. You should also investigate why you are getting disk and
file errors.

Is this a new drive? an old drive? Has it made any strange noises lately?
You could also try replacing the drive cable, and make sure the drive is not
getting too hot. More importantly, BACK UP anything you fear losing.