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Chkdsk runs everytime on start up? 3

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TheAlaskan

TheAlaskan

Technical User
Oct 25, 2003
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My OS is Windows XP Home (oem version), I keep my updates current as well as virus scans and ad aware scans. When booting up, the screen goes blue and I get a message stating that Windows needs to check my disk for consistency and then it runs chkdsk. It comes up clean then proceeds to start Windows. Any idea what would cause this to just start happening and is there any way to fix it? I haven't installed anything recently nor made any sort of changes.
 
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Does the system shut down and power off properly? (If not, this is the usual cause of Check disk running).

Another thing to check: This comes up far more on FAT32 format volumes than NTFS ones. You can check the format of your hard disk by going
Start -> My Computer -> Right click on hard disk C: -> Left click on Properties and look at the File System type on the General properties tab.

If it is FAT32, you can convert it to NTFS easily, but beware that although I have never yet had this fail and have done it many times on NT, 2K and XP systems, please back up all critical data before proceeding.

Note that NTFS is incompatible with Windows 9x, so if you dual boot with a Windows 95/98 setup, please don't run this as it will stop the other OS working at all. This is a one way conversion, it cannot be changed back to FAT32 at a later date.

Logon to XP as someone with admin rights on the machine.
1. Open a command prompt (start -> run -> cmd.exe)
2. Type CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS <RETURM>
3. acknowledge the warning about not being able to do it now as it can't get exclusive access to the drive.
4. Choose Y when prompted to convert at next boot.

Then, shut down the system and restart. You will see the system convert the disk format during the Windows XP bootup phase.

John
 
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218461 - Description of Enhanced Chkdsk, Autochk, and Chkntfs Tools in Windows 2000

CHKNTFS.EXE: What You Can Use It For

831426 - Chkdsk.exe or Autochk.exe starts when you try to shut down or restart your computer

283340 - Chkdsk in Read-Only Mode Does Not Detect Corruption on NTFS Volume

316506 - Chkdsk Runs Each Time That You Start Your Computer

 
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Sorry, fsutil only lets you see the dirty bit state or set it to active. The link I gave you above is to CHKNTFS and is correct.

chkntfs /x c: This disables chkdsk from running on drive C:
chkntfs /x d: e: This disables chkdsk from running on drives D: and E:.
 
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Thanks for all the tips. I was able to disable the chkdsk from starting but when I tried to defrag I was unable to because the volume was dirty. I ran chkdsk and this time if went through 5 steps (previously it was only going through 3 steps) After completing, it reported that volume was clean and to wait while windows restarted. It hangs on this screen does nothing. I manually reset it and again it goes through the chkdsk and reports a clean volume then hangs. Is there anyway to get into the registry before windows starts?
 
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I got Windows to start. I have again disabled chkdsk from running by using chkntfs /x c:
I have restarted several times now and all seems to be working.
However, when I try to analyze disk using disk defrag, I get a message that chkdsk is scheduled to run. I have checked in scheduled tasks and did not see anything there. I have also checked the registry entry that pertains to autocheck and that does not indicate chkdsk as being scheduled.
I set the value back to its default: autocheck autochk *
Defrag still says chkdsk is scheduled.
Are there any known viruses or bugs that would cause chkdsk to run. I am currently doing a thorough scan and have not detected anything malicious.
Thanks again for your help.
 
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None that I know of for what it is worth. Read linney's links earlier, as they do enumerate the known reasons that Windows itself would exert an autochk.
 
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If defrag is detecting that chkdsk is scheduled, any idea where it is finding the shceduled operation?
 
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It is not malware, but my honest best guess would be a fundamental issue with a registry hive.

If the hive is imperfectly formed, it is re-read imperfectly. So a perfectly fine registry correction is imperfectly saved at exit.

I would do a registry repair at this point. I gave you (two messages above) a rather plain English method described by Pete White. The MS KB equivalent:
It is perfectly possible that a good registry cleaner utility will advertantly or inadvertantly correct a minor registry issue such as this. Because fundamentally, the issue is either a true hard error on the hard disk, and the dirty bit is being set repeatedly by the OS for good reason; or it is an indication of a bad registry hive.

If it was my computer I would:

. download the free diagnostic/setup disk utility from the exact hardware manufacturer of my hard disk drive. I would run their non-destructive testing and see what happens. If errors were thrown, I would call them for replacement of the hard disk under the in-place swap program, where I gave them a credit card, they sent a new drive, and I copied everything from old --> new drive (likely using the same downloaded utility);

. if the drive failed the manufacturer diagnostics, I would replace the drive immediately, using the same plan;

. if the drive repaired without serious issue, I would do nothing more;

. if the autochk issue repeated on any reboot soon after, I would repair the registry hives.

I sincerely hope this helps your circumstance,
Bill Castner
 
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bcastner and Linney,
Your help is greatly appreciated.
I have ran the manufacturers disk diagnostics utility and every test comes back good. At this time I am suspecting an bad registry hive as bcastner mentioned. The procedure you sent says it will not work on OEM versions. My Windows XP is OEM version. Do you know of another procedure for repairing a bad registry hive?
For what ever reason, my repair console will not open for me. Is the admin password the same as my Windows logon user password (my account is an admin account)?
Right now Windows is taking a very long time to load. Once loaded the system seems to be slow and sluggish. It has crashed twice. I did a repair install of OS to help get around the previous problems. I am now installing all current windows updates as the repair reverted back to the original version.

 
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I do have backup hard drives. If I make a clone using Nortons Ghost will that carry the problem over to another HD. What is the best way to transfer to another HD?
I have all of my files and settings already running on another HD but I was hoping to find away where I dont have to reinstall every program.
 
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Start with my earlier advice to find (Device Manager should show this information) as to the original hard drive maker. MAXTOR, Western Digital, Seagate, whatever, they all have a free diagnostic tool that expands to a bootable floppy.

For all my systems I run the free Belarc Advisor:
In your instance with a suspected hard disk issue, run in addition the web-based PC PitStop site tests of the drive, they do a very credible job of it:
As to the clone issue, I hope you do not use it.

Let me now try and give you a best guess under an OEM license. The Recovery Console is available by using the extracted floppy images for Setup: bear with me on this one.

. a description of the process is here:
. the how to obtain the floppy setup image to access Recovery Console is described here:
 
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The password required is the Safe Mode Administrator password.

308402 - 'The Password Is Not Valid' Error Message Appears When You Log On to Recovery Console in Windows XP

312149 - HOW TO: Enable Administrator to Log On Automatically in Recovery Console


If you can get a 2000 CD that Recovery Console can enter XP without a password due to a bug in XP.



Editing an inaccessible Windows Registry might be possible via BartPE and the RegEditPE plugin. BartPE is a mini XP running on just CD but able to access the hard drives.



A parallel installation of XP might work too allowing you to import registry hives, amend them and export them.

266465 - HOW TO: Perform a Parallel Installation of Windows 2000

You can do the same with XP. Don't install any unnecessary programs, just keep the parallel installation as simple as possible.

Or the paragraph in this article.

"To install Windows XP to a new folder (to perform a parallel installation):"

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP
 
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linney,

I suspect we are fairly close to the ultimate "autochk" thread of all time.

 
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