CHKDSK errors

G

George_222

Occasionally, and it is only once every 1 to 2 months or so, I get in
'EventLog-System' some 'ftdisk event 57'. This basically says do a chkdsk.

If I run a chkdsk I sometimes (not always) get errors fixed like:
Recovering orphaned file 'opr01h65 (187185) into directory file '32379'
and
Recovering orphaned file 'opr01h5w (187182) into directory file '33825'

Q1 What do these mean? Where are the 'opr01xx' files from, and where is the
3xxxx directory files that they appear to have been recovered into?

If I run chkdsk /f it claims to fix everything, and all is well again, until
the next time.

Q2 Whats likely to be causing them, how do I locate the actual problem?


Finally, if I run chkdsk without the /f on c: it seems to have the following
warning:

CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the
master file table (MFT) bitmap.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

This does not happen on D: or E:.

Q3 Is this normal for C: following a chkdsk without the /f, or is this
indicative of the possible error?

Thanks


PS Things Ive tried:

* An updated AV and spyware check finds nothing - all OK.
* SCANDISK finds nothing - all OK (just reports "disk check complete")
* I cannot find anything that appears to not be working correctly; the PC
basically seems to function OK apart from these problems.
* The PC has one physical HD split as C: D: and E:. D: and E: when checked
are always fine, if there are any fixed errors they are always found on C:
* Everything, the complete system, is backed up once a month, just in case.
 
D

db.·.. >

once every couple of months
for an error to produce is kind of
odd.

what you might want to try is to
run the commands directly from
a disk prompt instead of through
the desktop.

simply boot with your windows
setup cd and select the recovery
console.

you will then get to a disk prompt
where you can run chkdsk.

in addition you can also run other
commands like fixmbr.

just type help at the prompt
to get more info on the commands
available.

after wards, type exit and reboot
with out the cd.

something that you might also
want to try is to go the homesite
for your computer and check out
the faq's.

there may even be a patch or
update that resolves the issue
you are having. or perhaps
you can email their technical
support for some fyi.

btw: are you keeping your
system tuned up, like defragging,
clearing out the trash files, etc...?
 
G

George_222

Thanks for the quick response.

I may have misled with the '1 every 2 months' comment. Its not regular.
Sometimes more, sometimes less, but usually in that sort of time scale it
seems to re-occur.

Unfortunately, I don't think I have a Windows recovery disc, the PC didn't
come with windows discs. It was all preloaded with a restore disc. I don't
think that has a recovery console. If I boot to a Windows command prompt is
that likely to help? Can I run chkdsk from that?

The PCs support folk are worth a shot, I'll send an email. But unfortunately
its out of warranty and they tend not to respond quickly, if at all.


I have done a scan for bad sectors and it didn't find any.

Temp files I keep deleted and 'trim' every so often.

I haven't run a defrag for a while though. Thats something I can try - thanks.
 
D

db.·.. >

you can launch a command
console from the desktop by
installing its option to launch
into the boot menu.

the problem is however,
that having only the ability
to perform a factory restore
on the pc puts the data and
files you have accumulated
at great risk because as you
can see at this time, you are
experiencing issues with the
o.s.; although i don't beleive this
particular issue is serious, since
your checkdisk reports no flaws.

but there will be a time in the
future that your o.s. may simply
become corrupted for what
ever reason and not functional
for you.

so if such an event occurs,
the only option that you have
at this time is to do a factory
restore which wipes away
everything off the disk and
returns it to ground zero - as
it was when you first got it a
few years ago.

and as you know, there has
been hundreds of updates to
the o.s. since then.

therefore you need to make
a plan of action.

in anycase, contact the tech
support for advice. they might
be friendly and concerned with
the issue you are experiencing
and offer advice for free.

also, here is the instructions
to install the command console,
eg recovery console/repair console
from the files located on your disk:

http://search.microsoft.com/results...ang=en-us&q=install+command+console&mkt=en-us

in addition, so that you can minimize
the risk of corrupting your system,
do not install software or freeware
without thoroughly researching its
compatiability with your system.

in doing so, you may inadverdently
corrupt your system.

also, i strongly recommend to use
the below every week or so. it will also
help reduce your risks as well:

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/article/registry_cleaner_why.htm

in closing, you might want to
open your pc and take a look
at the cables to your harddrive.

be sure that none are connected
loosely or the cables are bent or
frayed.

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

also, you might want to consider/plan
buying/adding an additional harddrive
where you can keep copies of
your personal files, in the event
you have to wipe away the main
disk.

an easy method to apply to a
secondary harddrive would be to
move your entire my documents
folder from the system drive and
into the new location via
the option provided in the
properties of "my documents"
 
G

George_222

Thanks for the ideas.

I have tried a chkdsk /f (and from a microsoft link I found chkdsk /r /x).
They do ask for a reboot to run the test. These sometimes fix errors but
usually only the 'orphaned' file types mentioned above. Once, I seem to
recall, it did say it had found and repaired errors in the filesystem.

Agreed re Factory restore discs, I'll keep a better eye out when I get my
next PC.

I do back the complete PC up every month or so, to an external USB2 HD and
have at least 3 archives running worth of backups, so hopefully I should be
able to recover most if not all - assuming the worst happens.

I have now emailed the PCs tech support, awaiting reply.

I'll take a look at the links you sent - thanks.


Regarding the specific queries, and mainly for my interest, is there an MS
explanation as to what something like "Recovering orphaned file 'opr01h5w
(187182) into directory file '33825" means? i.e. where are the opr015h and
33825 files located, has it actually fixed/repaired something or just 'tidied
up the garbage'? I tried a search for the files and found nothing.

Also is this a usual response when running chkdsk against C: (without a
reboot)?
CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the
master file table (MFT) bitmap.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

I don't get that on D: or E:, only against C:


Once again - Thanks.
 
R

R. McCarty

Chkdsk being run from a Command Prompt window can return results
that aren't always valid. Certain Boot time drivers/services will interfere
with Chkdsk.

I've personally seen a number of machines where the Windows volume
will almost 100% of the time return the "Free Space" issue and running
Chkdsk with /Fix or /Repair qualifiers will never resolve it.

The problem ( or underlying problem ) may be the Disk controller and
not the drive/volume itself.

George_222 said:
Thanks for the ideas.

I have tried a chkdsk /f (and from a microsoft link I found chkdsk /r /x).
They do ask for a reboot to run the test. These sometimes fix errors but
usually only the 'orphaned' file types mentioned above. Once, I seem to
recall, it did say it had found and repaired errors in the filesystem.

Agreed re Factory restore discs, I'll keep a better eye out when I get my
next PC.

I do back the complete PC up every month or so, to an external USB2 HD and
have at least 3 archives running worth of backups, so hopefully I should
be
able to recover most if not all - assuming the worst happens.

I have now emailed the PCs tech support, awaiting reply.

I'll take a look at the links you sent - thanks.


Regarding the specific queries, and mainly for my interest, is there an MS
explanation as to what something like "Recovering orphaned file 'opr01h5w
(187182) into directory file '33825" means? i.e. where are the opr015h and
33825 files located, has it actually fixed/repaired something or just
'tidied
up the garbage'? I tried a search for the files and found nothing.

Also is this a usual response when running chkdsk against C: (without a
reboot)?
CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the
master file table (MFT) bitmap.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

I don't get that on D: or E:, only against C:


Once again - Thanks.
 
G

George_222

OK, thanks for the info. I'll run it via the /f and reboot options rather
than just from the command prompt in future.

Re the disc controller, is there any way to test it in the PC from the
desktop GUI, or is it a change cards/cables type affair?

I have looked in things like 'Device Manager' and it always seems to show
both the discs and the controllers as being OK (no warnings or red crosses
etc). But I guess thats not a 100% confirmation all is well.
 
R

R. McCarty

There are certain things to check. On traditional IDE controllers set any
unused taps from Auto to None. This prevents the OS from scanning the
taps at boot time. Verify the drives are operating at their native/maximum
mode ( UDMA _ ). Verify device jumpering is correct for your device
combinations. Since your errors are logical, not physical you might want
to check that the Cluster size of your Windows Volume is at 4KBytes.
*On certain setups where a FAT32 volume is converted to NTFS the
resulting cluster size can be a non-optimal size of 512 Bytes.

Finally, you may want to test/verify the throughput speed of your drive(s).
You can download a number of tools that will return test values for items
like access speed, Burst and sustained throughput.
Here's a program I use:
http://www.geocities.com/vgrinenko/DiskSpeed32/
 
G

George_222

OK - Thanks again.

Thats given me a few more things to consider.

The drive is a Sata 150, 7200rpm.

When the PC was about 18 months old, I did check the speed using Si-Soft
Sandra. Can't remember exactly what it was, but seemed correct to the PC info
I had been given.

This may seem daft but how do you check the cluster size in Windows? The PC
was NTFS from day 1 as suppplied by the manufacturer. I assume I need
something like Partition Magic.
 
R

R. McCarty

If you do a Chkdsk on any volume, as part of the statistics shown
will be a _____ Bytes in each allocation Cluster. You can determine
what cluster size the volume is by this value.
 
G

George_222

Its a 250G HD, C: is configured to use 125G of it.

Chkdsk gave - '4096 bytes in each allocation unit'.
 
G

George_222

Thanks all for yor responses, I've got a few things to look at now.

Hopefully one or t'other will help.

If the problem occurs again, I may be back.
 

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