W2K Server reporting corrupt MFT$

[Guest]

Hello Folks

I am seeking assistance on an upgrade effort. W2K to W2K3 SBS
IN preparing the network, I must run ADPREP on the W2K server and when
running this I receive the error indicating the the MFT$ is corrupt, and
ADPREP fails.

Since attempting this ADPREP, now whenever I logon the W2K server throughts
the error the file or directory MFT$ is corrupt.

I get this about five times in a row before my desktop displays.

Event Log shows;
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Ntfs
Event Category: Disk
Event ID: 55
Date: 10/23/2004
Time: 7:23:45 AM
User: N/A
Computer: XXXXX
Description:
The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please run
the chkdsk utility on the volume H:.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 02 00 4e 00 ......N.
0008: 02 00 00 00 37 00 04 c0 ....7..À
0010: 00 00 00 00 32 00 00 c0 ....2..À
0018: 18 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........


Unfortunately I have come in behind another, and there is no backup. Trying
to copy data off the box is terrible and slow, and NTBACKUP is failing to
work as expected.

I have
- run CHKDSK multiple times with no luck.
- can't flatten the box as until I can figure out how to get accounting SQL
database off. [Dual booting is not working, won't install...urgh.]
- No third party services except for AV Norton Corporate Edition which is
up-to-date.


Does anyone have any ideas on this? I am about to try FIXMBR but am
reluctant to do so until I get the data secure.

Thanks
AEC

 

[Jonathan]

Fix MBR will not help anything here, this is an $MFT corruption issue, and
not related to the MBR.

What syntax did you use when running chkdsk?

you should have run either chkdsk h: /f or chkdsk h: /r.

If you did not run it with a switch, then it did not repair and ran in
"read only" mode.

If you did run chkdsk /r or /f on the volume, and repaired the corruption,
and still see event id 55's in the system log, then I would suspect you
have a deeper physical issue with the hard drive. If this is true, and the
drive is failing, then you'll need to get a full backup ASAP and get the
drive replaced.


See the following article on running chkdsk:
Error Message: The File or Directory Is Corrupt... -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=176646