In line.
1. Is a hard disk volume the same as a logical drive?
volume
[[An area of storage on a hard disk. A volume is formatted by using a file
system, such as FAT or NTFS, and has a drive letter assigned to it. You can
view the contents of a volume by clicking its icon in Windows Explorer or in
My Computer. A single hard disk can have multiple volumes, and volumes can
also span multiple disks.
See also: disk; drive letter; file allocation table (FAT); NTFS file system;
simple volume; spanned volume]]
logical drive
[[A volume that you create within an extended partition on a basic master
boot record (MBR) disk. Logical drives are similar to primary partitions,
except that you are limited to four primary partitions per disk, whereas you
can create an unlimited number of logical drives per disk. A logical drive
can be formatted and assigned a drive letter.
See also: basic disk; basic volume; drive letter; extended partition; master
boot record (MBR); primary partition; volume]]
both from Windows Glossary in Help and Support.
2. What is a mount point?
mount point
[[Volume mount points and folder junctions allow an empty folder on an NTFS
volume to point to the root or subfolder on another volume.]]
<quote>
Mount
In computers, to mount is to make a group of files in a file system
structure accessible to a user or user group. In some usages, it means to
make a device physically accessible. For instance, in data storage, to mount
is to place a data medium (such as a tape cartridge) on a drive in a
position to operate. Macintosh calls it mounting when a user inserts a disc
into the machine.
In a Unix environment, the mount command attaches discs, or directories
logically rather than physically. The Unix mount command makes a directory
accessible by attaching a root directory of one file system to another
directory, which makes all the file systems usable as if they were
subdirectories of the file system they are attached to. Unix recognizes
devices by their location, as compared to Windows, which recognizes them by
their names (C: drive, for example). Unix organizes directories in a
tree-like structure, in which directories are attached by mounting them on
the branches of the tree. The file system location where the device is
attached is called a mount point.
Mounts may be local or remote. A local mount connects disc drives on one
machine so that they behave as one logical system. A remote mount uses
Network File System (NFS) to connect to directories on other machines so
that they can be used as if they were all part of the user's file system.
<quote>
Glossary from Diskeeper Corporation
http://www.diskeeper.com/glossary.asp?RId=1&SId=1&CId=1&Aeid=0&Apid=0
<quote>
Mounted Drives on NTFS Volumes
Mounted drives, also known as volume mount points or drive paths, are
volumes attached to an empty folder on an NTFS volume. Mounted drives
function the same way as any other volume, but are assigned a label or name
instead of a drive letter. Mounted drives are robust against system changes
that occur when devices are added or removed from a computer. They are not
subject to the 26-volume limit imposed by drive letters, so you can use them
for access to more than 26 volumes on your computer.
<quote>
How NTFS Works
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...Ref/8cc5891d-bf8e-4164-862d-dac5418c5948.mspx
3. What is the fundamental difference between chkdsk, chkntfs, and
autochk?
Description of Enhanced Chkdsk, Autochk, and Chkntfs Tools
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/218461
chkdsk.exe = Check Disk Utility. Creates and displays a status report for a
disk based on the file system. Chkdsk also lists and corrects errors on the
disk. Used without parameters, chkdsk displays the status of the disk in the
current drive.
chkntfs.exe = NTFS Volume Maitenance Utility. Displays or specifies whether
automatic system checking is scheduled to be run on a FAT, FAT32, or NTFS
volume when the computer is started.
autochk.exe = Auto Check Utility. Only runs at boot before Windows loads,
cannot be run in Win 32 mode. Every time Windows restarts, 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>
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. Chkdsk cannot
dismount the boot volume, so Chkdsk offers to run the repair process by
using Autochk when the computer is restarted. If you press the Y key to
schedule Autochk, you have 10 seconds after the computer restarts to press
any key and cancel the repair process. If you cancel Autochk before the
10-second delay lapses, Autochk does not run the next time you restart the
computer. If you want to run Chkdsk again, you can do so from the command
line.
* Autochk runs if Chkdsk cannot gain exclusive use of the volume. If Chkdsk
cannot gain exclusive use of a volume when you run Chkdsk from the command
line, Chkdsk offers to dismount the volume. If you press the Y key and
Chkdsk still cannot dismount the volume, or if you press the N key, then
Chkdsk offers to run the repair process by using Autochk when the computer
is restarted. If you press the Y key to schedule Autochk, you have 10
seconds after the computer restarts to press any key and cancel the repair
process. If you cancel Autochk before the 10-second delay lapses, Autochk
does not run the next time you restart the computer. If you want to run
Chkdsk again, you can do so from the command line.
* Autochk runs if the volume is flagged as dirty. If the file system has
flagged the volume as dirty, Autochk runs the repair process at startup.
Volumes are flagged as dirty when the file system detects an error on the
volume. If Autochk detects a dirty volume, it provides a 10-second delay and
then begins the repair process. If you cancel Autochk when a volume is
dirty, Autochk attempts to run again after a 10-second delay each time the
computer is restarted.
<quote>
from...
Running Autochk When the Computer Restarts
4. Isn't there a utility or powertoy that can allow us to schedule
automated checks without playing Russian-Roulette with the registry?
How many machines are you talking about?
This schedules chkdsk for the next reboot.
Error Checking (chkdsk.exe).
1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the drive you want to
check and then click Properties.
2. On the Tools tab, click Check Now.
3. Check both boxes:
* Automatically fix file system errors
* Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
A message will popup.
[[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 restarting Windows. Do you want to schedule this disk check
to occur the next time you restart the computer?]]
Click YES.
Chkdsk will run on the next reboot.
Use the chkntfs or the FSUTIL dirty commands to set or query the volume's
dirty bit (indicating corruption) so that Windows runs chkdsk when the
computer is restarted.
On volumes marked as "dirty," Windows automatically runs chkdsk when the
computer is restarted.
chkntfs /c volume:
The /c switch schedules the specified volume to be checked when the computer
starts.
volume: is the drive letter, C:
chkntfs /c c:
FSUTIL dirty set <volume pathname>
dirty set, sets the dirty bit.
FSUTIL dirty set c:
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In
Blue Max said:
Thanks, Wesley, there appears to be a lot of good information here and it
will take me awhile to digest it all. Meantime, a few more novice
questions if we may:
Thanks
*************************
/k:E *