CHKDSK hangs at Stage 4

B

B. Parker

I'm running XP Pro, SP3 updated with the latest critical updates.

I'm also running Norton 360, which indicated after one of its scans that C:\
had file integrity issues and that I should run CHKDSK.

The first time I ran CHKDSK it got to Stage 4 (Verify Files) where it
recovered missing bad sectors in two compressed files in the Java folders.
Then it hung at 24% complete.

After waiting 1/2 hour, the system was still unresponsive.

I rebooted without CHKDSK, then ended windows properly and rebooted again
and set up CHKDSK to check C: again.

This time, it did not find bad sectors, but still hung at 24% of Stage 4.

Drive C: is an NTFS drive of 500Gb, with the OS, all the Program Files and
one data file of approximately 360 Gb.

Any suggestions?
 
D

Don Phillipson

I rebooted without CHKDSK, then ended windows properly and rebooted again
and set up CHKDSK to check C: again.

This time, it did not find bad sectors, but still hung at 24% of Stage 4.

Drive C: is an NTFS drive of 500Gb, with the OS, all the Program Files and
one data file of approximately 360 Gb.

Is not the size of this single file your problem?
When CHKDSK was coded, no hard drive was
bigger than 40 Gb let alone a single file.
 
J

Jose

I'm running XP Pro, SP3 updated with the latest critical updates.

I'm also running Norton 360, which indicated after one of its scans that C:\
had file integrity issues and that I should run CHKDSK.

The first time I ran CHKDSK it got to Stage 4 (Verify Files) where it
recovered missing bad sectors in two compressed files in the Java folders..  
Then it hung at 24% complete.

After waiting 1/2 hour, the system was still unresponsive.

I rebooted without CHKDSK, then ended windows properly and rebooted again
and set up CHKDSK to check C: again.

This time, it did not find bad sectors, but still hung at 24% of Stage 4.

Drive C: is an NTFS drive of 500Gb, with the OS, all the Program Files and
one data file of approximately 360 Gb.

Any suggestions?

You said you ran chkdsk then you said you set up chkdsk to run...

Are you choosing to run chkdsk from Start, Run for from the volume
from the Properties Tools tab and are you checking any options, etc.

There is really only one good way to run chkdsk and that is when the
voume is locked and in a "static" state.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/187941

There are two ways to achieve a static state before running chkdsk.

1. Let XP run chkdsk when the system reboots before XP loads all the
way
2.Run chkdsk from Recovery Console

Running chkdsk in any other way may look fine, may not look fine, may
look different two times in a row. This is why sometimes you see
suspicious informational messages running chkdsk some other way. It
should not hang though.

If you are running it on reboot (a good idea) the results will be in
the Application Event Log as an event sourced by Winlogon. If that is
what you are doing, look there for clues. If you stop chkdsk, I am
not sure what you will see there. I always think it is dangerous to
stop chkdsk.

I don't think 1/2 hour is really very long to wait for a large volume
with lots of data (someone else can please offer their experience).
I have large volumes 500GB but not much data. chkdsk runs in minutes
on a new 500GB with only 8GB used up, but takes 20 minutes on my old
40GB that is 50% full. Anything more than instantaneously is too long
for me!

I would give it time and only get suspicious if the HDD activity light
does not indicate activity - for a long time. Sometimes the
percentage will even go up and come back down which is normal but can
make you think something is wrong.

If it hangs and you have to terminate it and there is no log, I would
run chkdsk from Recovery Console and then you can see what it is
doing, and you know it is in the desired static state.

There are third party tools you can use too, but I have no use for
them so can't recommend any. I think the XP stuff works fine when
used as directed.

Do you really have a single file that is 360GB or is that total used
space of your 500GB?

Have you ever run successfully chkdsk before/lately on this volume so
you might know if this is a new concern?
 
B

Bill Sharpe

B. Parker said:
I'm running XP Pro, SP3 updated with the latest critical updates.

I'm also running Norton 360, which indicated after one of its scans that C:\
had file integrity issues and that I should run CHKDSK.

The first time I ran CHKDSK it got to Stage 4 (Verify Files) where it
recovered missing bad sectors in two compressed files in the Java folders.
Then it hung at 24% complete.

After waiting 1/2 hour, the system was still unresponsive.

I rebooted without CHKDSK, then ended windows properly and rebooted again
and set up CHKDSK to check C: again.

This time, it did not find bad sectors, but still hung at 24% of Stage 4.

Drive C: is an NTFS drive of 500Gb, with the OS, all the Program Files and
one data file of approximately 360 Gb.

Any suggestions?

A 360 GB file is pretty big! Aside from the other suggestions, can you
possibly move the file to an external hard disk, then run chkdsk again?

Bill
 
B

B. Parker

Jose,

Yes, I believe that I achieved a static state by right clicking drive C: on
My Computer and then Properties, Tools and then Check. It then prompted me
to re-boot and CHKDSK ran on a blue screen before XP booted up.

I'll look to see if I can find Winlogon and open it.

The HDD drive light was not active at all for the 1/2 hour.

Yes, it's a single file that is 360Gb.

No, I didn't run CHKDSK before - regrets.
 
B

B. Parker

Ugh, it's a good idea, but it's a huge pain, I'll use it as a my last-ditch
hail Mary strategy!
 
B

Bill Sharpe

B. Parker said:
Ugh, it's a good idea, but it's a huge pain, I'll use it as a my last-ditch
hail Mary strategy!

What's in that huge file? Is there any way to break out the data into
smaller files, then delete the big one?

Bill
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top