Chkdsk utility run fault question
 

I am getting error messages which tells me to run the chkdsk utitility. I open run, type in chkdsk. The c: window opens, the utility runs stage 1 of 3, then 2 of 3 but NOT 3 of 3. After 2, it just shuts down. I still get the error messages.

Is it possible to reboot into safe mode and run chkdsk? What do i hit, F8? or which one?

or do i have my head up my a$$ and dont know what i am talking about because there is a different/better means of doing it? :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance. (btw, i am running xp home).

run safe mode (F8, like you thought), open a prompt and do chkdsk /X /R

say yes
reboot

It will take a while. If you have alot of data, potentially hours. If the drive is starting to give SMART errors, it may be worthwhile to copy the OS to a new disk and boot from that one, or grab a new disk and do a clean install.

I just upgraded to a new drive today. Took 15 minutes to copy to the new disk and then boot from it. Norton ghost can do this, and so can paragon disk manager. ghost should be run from a floppy or DOS CD and paragon can be run from windows - just kill extra programs first.

Oh and when you run chkdsk, watch at the end for the error report. It will flash across the screen quickly!

thanks going to do that right now. :)

Yeah, you don't even have to run it in safemode. Just always use this:

chkdsk /r


/r invokes the full 5-step process, but it can't do this on a disk that you're currently on. So it should prompt you to schedule a checkdisk on the next reboot, and you should say yes. The standard 3-step checkdisk process, I've found, is not really too useful.

I don't think you have to use /x unless you want to force disconnect another drive/partition, but you won't be able to do that on the partition you're on obviously.