Also, Norton Disk Doctor IS chkdsk!
chkdsk is chkdsk.exe, C:\WINDOWS\system32\chkdsk.exe, Check Disk Utility ©
Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Not to be confused with the
MS-DOS version. I have no idea what Norton Disk Doctor is but it is not
chkdsk.exe.
[2] Tell me where I can learn more about dirty drives.
Fsutil
Paste into Start | Run and click OK..
hh ntcmds.chm::/fsutil.htm
Fsutil: dirty
hh ntcmds.chm::/fsutil_dirty.htm
You cannot defragment volumes that the file system has marked as dirty,
which indicates possible corruption. You must run chkdsk on a dirty volume
before you can defragment it. You can determine if a volume is dirty by
using the fsutil dirty query command.
hh ntcmds.chm::/defrag.htm
This will report whether the dirty bit is set.
Start | Run | Type: cmd | Click OK |
Type: fsutil dirty query C:
Hit your Enter key.
Volume C: is not dirty
Volume C: is dirty
[[If a volume's dirty bit is set, this indicates that the file system may be
in an inconsistent state. The dirty bit can be set because the volume is
online and has outstanding changes, because changes were made to the volume
and the computer shutdown before the changes were committed to disk, or
because corruption was detected on the volume. If the dirty bit is set when
the computer restarts, chkdsk runs to verify the consistency of the volume.
Every time Windows XP starts, Autochk.exe is called by the Kernel to scan
all volumes to check if the volume dirty bit is set. If the dirty bit is
set, autochk performs an immediate chkdsk /f on that volume. Chkdsk /f
verifies file system integrity and attempts to fix any problems with the
volume.]]
You cannot defragment volumes that are marked as dirty by the file system.
You must run Chkdsk on the dirty volume before you can defragment it. To
determine if a volume is dirty, use the fsutil dirty query command.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...all/reskit/en-us/prkd_tro_ckyh.asp?frame=true
For a look at the chkdsk log.
Open the Event Viewer...
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | Click OK |
Look in Application | Listed as Information |
Event ID: 1001
Source: Winlogon
[[Description: This includes file system type; drive letter or GUID, and
volume name or serial number to help determine what volume Chkdsk ran
against. Also included is whether Chkdsk ran because a user scheduled it or
because the dirty bit was set.]]
[[When Autochk runs against a volume at boot time it records its output to a
file called Bootex.log in the root of the volume being checked. The Winlogon
service then moves the contents of each Bootex.log file to the Application
Event log.]]
[[This file states whether Chkdsk encountered any errors and, if so,
whether they were fixed.]]
Scedule Chkdsk to run at boot time.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
Value Name: BootExecute
Data Type: REG_MULTI_SZ
Value Data: autocheck autochk /r \??\C:
chkdsk c: /f /r
adds the following entry to the BootExecute value:
autocheck autochk /r \??\C:
from...
CHKNTFS.EXE: What You Can Use It For
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/160963
So does running the Check Disk tool from Drive Properties.
Right click Drive | Properties | Tools tab | Check Now button |
Select both boxes in Check Disk Local Disk (C
<quote>
Registry value Function
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/P \??\Volume: Schedules an unconditional Chkdsk against the
volume.
/p \??\VOLUME{GUID} Schedules an unconditional Chkdsk against a volume
mount point.
/k:Volume * Excludes Chkdsk from running against the volume.
/m \??\Volume: Tells Autochk to look only at the dirty bit on the
volume, and if set, run Chkdsk.
Sample command Resulting registry entry
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chkdsk C: /F Autocheck autochk /p \??\C:
Chkdsk C:\mountpoint /F Autocheck autochk /p \??\VOLUME{GUID}
Chkntfs D: E: /X Autocheck autochk /k
/k:E *
Chkntfs G: /C Autocheck autochk /m \??\G:
<quote>
from...
Description of Enhanced Chkdsk, Autochk, and Chkntfs Tools in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/218461
Check Disk runs on every boot.
Open a command prompt...
Start | Run | Type: cmd | Click OK |
Type or paste the following line:
chkntfs /d
Hit the Enter key.
Chkntfs displays or modifies the checking of disks at boot time.
The /d switch restores the machine to the default behavior; all drives are
checked at boot time and chkdsk is run on those that are dirty.
Autochk.exe is a version of Chkdsk that runs only before Windows XP
starts. Autochk runs in the following situations:
Autochk runs if you try to run Chkdsk on the boot volume.
Autochk runs if Chkdsk cannot gain exclusive use of the volume.
Autochk runs if the volume is flagged as dirty.
This can happen if the drive's dirty bit is set.
When a drive's dirty bit is set, autochk automatically
checks the volume for errors the next time the computer is restarted.
This will report whether the dirty bit is set.
Start | Run | Type: cmd | Click OK |
Type or paste the following line:
fsutil dirty query C:
Hit the Enter key.
Volume C: is not dirty
Volume C: is dirty
<quote>
If a volume's dirty bit is set, this indicates that the file system may be
in an inconsistent state. The dirty bit can be set because the volume is
online and has outstanding changes, because changes were made to the volume
and the computer shutdown before the changes were committed to disk, or
because corruption was detected on the volume. If the dirty bit is set when
the computer restarts, chkdsk runs to verify the consistency of the volume.
Every time Windows XP starts, Autochk.exe is called by the Kernel to scan
all volumes to check if the volume dirty bit is set. If the dirty bit is
set, autochk performs an immediate chkdsk /f on that volume. Chkdsk /f
verifies file system integrity and attempts to fix any problems with the
volume
<quote>
-----
This will also report whether the dirty bit is set.
Start | Run | Type: cmd | Click OK |
Type or paste the following line:
chkntfs c:
Hit the Enter key.
C: is not dirty.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In
just plain rob said:
Appreciate the comments, all.
[1] But, I might disagree on occasion with Rock, that sometimes, when
your drive starts hanging on boot and shutdown, then you do a chkdsk and
it repairs MBRs -- things get much peppier afterwards. Plus, in my
experience, no registry program in the world is going to fix drive index
errors and the like--I would think you have to start at the disk level.
Also, Norton Disk Doctor IS chkdsk! Just a shame it can't do it live to
an XP mounted drive like it used to on old Win '98.
I hate the reboot/chkdsk cycle to the point where I take a spare drive,
jump into BIOS for startup, then run its NDD over and over on my main
raid setup until the errors disappear. In the long run, it might not save
a ton of time, but you are in more control.
[2] Tell me where I can learn more about dirty drives. That "fsutil dirty
query c:" command is slick--but I need to understand it in detail. I'd
like to know what the trigger-point is, etc. Anyway, I have more fun
leaving the gui behind--guess I'm crossing over to the other side...
Cheers,
Rob
