CHKDSK/Scandisk stops working on Vista - How to fix?

Hello.

On my several-month-old Vista system, I wanted to scan the disk for
errors, just as part of routine maintenance.

It turns out that the way VISTA needs to do this is to run CHKDSK but
run it at startup so that no other program is accessing the drive.

Fair enough.

The interface asks if you want to schedule the disk scan at the next
reboot, which I have done.

Then I reboot.

It starts to run CHKDSK, presumably with the /F option.

However, very shortly after the start of CHKDSK, it just stops. Disk
light stops blinking. The following is where the display stops:

CHKDSK is verifying files (Stage 1 of 5)
3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records Processed)

and the only way to deal with the situation is to do a hard (power-down)
reset. On the next boot cycle, you can "Press Any Key" to bypass the
disk scan.

But all this means that I am completely unable to execute a disk scan.

Any ideas?

Many thanks in advance.

-stephan g.

Stephan G. spewed out this bit, and i'll scatter a few bits myself:

> Hello.
>
> On my several-month-old Vista system, I wanted to scan the disk for
> errors, just as part of routine maintenance.
>
> It turns out that the way VISTA needs to do this is to run CHKDSK but
> run it at startup so that no other program is accessing the drive.
>
> Fair enough.
>
> The interface asks if you want to schedule the disk scan at the next
> reboot, which I have done.
>
> Then I reboot.
>
> It starts to run CHKDSK, presumably with the /F option.
>
> However, very shortly after the start of CHKDSK, it just stops. Disk
> light stops blinking. The following is where the display stops:
>
> CHKDSK is verifying files (Stage 1 of 5)
> 3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records Processed)
>
> and the only way to deal with the situation is to do a hard
> (power-down) reset. On the next boot cycle, you can "Press Any Key"
> to bypass the disk scan.
>
> But all this means that I am completely unable to execute a disk scan.
>
> Any ideas?

Patience grasshopper !

--
Mhzjunkie

1 PRINT "Windows Vista ERROR"
GOTO 1
END

Mhzjunkie wrote:

>
> Patience grasshopper !
>

Well, I left it running for over two hours with no change at all. No
blinking light indicating disk activity, no sound indicating disk
activity, but the cooling fan for the CPU was running furiously, and the
system was getting hotter and hotter.

So I did the hard reset again.

Any other ideas?

Thanks.

-stephan g.

Try this link, Step 3 under WorkARound

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931699/en-us


"Stephan G." <stephan-> wrote in message
news:...
> Hello.
>
> On my several-month-old Vista system, I wanted to scan the disk for
> errors, just as part of routine maintenance.
>
> It turns out that the way VISTA needs to do this is to run CHKDSK but run
> it at startup so that no other program is accessing the drive.
>
> Fair enough.
>
> The interface asks if you want to schedule the disk scan at the next
> reboot, which I have done.
>
> Then I reboot.
>
> It starts to run CHKDSK, presumably with the /F option.
>
> However, very shortly after the start of CHKDSK, it just stops. Disk
> light stops blinking. The following is where the display stops:
>
> CHKDSK is verifying files (Stage 1 of 5)
> 3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records Processed)
>
> and the only way to deal with the situation is to do a hard (power-down)
> reset. On the next boot cycle, you can "Press Any Key" to bypass the disk
> scan.
>
> But all this means that I am completely unable to execute a disk scan.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Many thanks in advance.
>
> -stephan g.

Stephan G. spewed out this bit, and i'll scatter a few bits myself:

> Mhzjunkie wrote:
>
>>
>> Patience grasshopper !
>>
>
> Well, I left it running for over two hours with no change at all. No
> blinking light indicating disk activity, no sound indicating disk
> activity, but the cooling fan for the CPU was running furiously, and
> the system was getting hotter and hotter.
>
> So I did the hard reset again.
>
> Any other ideas?

I'm at a loss now, grasshopper ! I mentioned it because I've noticed it do
that same thing on my system. When it stops there, I usually got make me a
bourbon, and when I return it's stated back up again. There was however an
earlier version of Kaspersky that would cause something similar to this. It
wouldn't unlock the drive to allow the disk check to proceed. This has been
fixed with the newer versions though.

--
Mhzjunkie

1 PRINT "Windows Vista ERROR"
GOTO 1
END

How to run Chkdsk from Command Prompt.... try without /f first
as it is less likely to hang. In fact try /I and /C at first to make it
a fast less vigorous check.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67...isk.html?ltr=C

"Stephan G." <stephan-> wrote in message
news:...
> Hello.
>
> On my several-month-old Vista system, I wanted to scan the disk for
> errors, just as part of routine maintenance.
>
> It turns out that the way VISTA needs to do this is to run CHKDSK but run
> it at startup so that no other program is accessing the drive.
>
> Fair enough.
>
> The interface asks if you want to schedule the disk scan at the next
> reboot, which I have done.
>
> Then I reboot.
>
> It starts to run CHKDSK, presumably with the /F option.
>
> However, very shortly after the start of CHKDSK, it just stops. Disk
> light stops blinking. The following is where the display stops:
>
> CHKDSK is verifying files (Stage 1 of 5)
> 3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records Processed)
>
> and the only way to deal with the situation is to do a hard (power-down)
> reset. On the next boot cycle, you can "Press Any Key" to bypass the disk
> scan.
>
> But all this means that I am completely unable to execute a disk scan.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Many thanks in advance.
>
> -stephan g.

"Stephan G." <stephan-> wrote...
> However, very shortly after the start of CHKDSK, it just stops. Disk
> light stops blinking. The following is where the display stops:
>
> CHKDSK is verifying files (Stage 1 of 5)
> 3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records Processed)
>
> and the only way to deal with the situation is to do a hard (power-down)
> reset. On the next boot cycle, you can "Press Any Key" to bypass the

Hi Stephan

If CHKDSK finds a problem on the disk, it can take a *very* long time trying
to correct it. Runs of 8 hours or more are not uncommon (I once had a server
off-line for 3 days, while CHKDSK ran!).

Stage 1 of 5 is where Chkdsk verifies each file record segment in the master
file table (MFT). I'd guess that it has found a record segment which is
damaged in the MFT. Eventually, it should print out a message like the
following:

File record segment 41109 is unreadable.
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)...

or else eventually blue-screen, with STOP 0x24 or similar. It shouldn't hang
indefinitely (it might - but it shouldn't).

Sometimes you can use the "/i" and "/c" parameters to reduce the amount of
time which CHKDSK takes to run. But I don't think they will help in this
case - the delay is not in checking the indexes (Stage 2), but before that.

You can also run the command:

C:\>chkntfs c:

to see if the dirty bit is set on C:/ If the dirty bit is set, the system
thinks that there is a problem on the file system, and wants to run CHKDSK.
The disk is unstable and needs to be verified ASAP. If the dirty bit is
clear, the system thinks the file system is clean; even though CHKDSK has a
problem verifying the MFT when it runs. Doesn't solve your problem; but
handy to know.

If CHKDSK gets stuck at "3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records
Processed)" and *never* gets any further, even aftwer 12 or 24 hours, the
Master File Table may be corruted. The best way to repair the MFT is to ...
well, run CHKDSK :-) but obviously that isn't an option. In theory, there
are ways to repair the MFT manually, for example by using a hex editor. This
is possible; it is also extremely fiddly, complex, time-consuming and
error-prone. In practice, if you reach this stage your best bet would be to
back up your data; reformat the whole hard disk, and then reinstall from
scratch. It might lack finesse but it will probably be quicker, and more
reliable, than other methods.

Other folks may have additional ideas for you; hope this helps a bit.
--
Andrew McLaren
amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au

Andrew has a good point,,,,, run it FAST as I first suggested and if you
think its a Master Boot Record (File Record) issue try these.

How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to
troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

What to do when Vista Crashes : Little known strategy - bootrec.exe

http://www.informationweek.com/news/...0000329&pgno=5

http://www.informationweek.com/galle...l?galleryID=44

"Andrew McLaren" <> wrote in message
news:528E731F-0C2A-40B4-9D50-...

> "Stephan G." <stephan-> wrote...
>> However, very shortly after the start of CHKDSK, it just stops. Disk
>> light stops blinking. The following is where the display stops:
>>
>> CHKDSK is verifying files (Stage 1 of 5)
>> 3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File Records Processed)
>>
>> and the only way to deal with the situation is to do a hard (power-down)
>> reset. On the next boot cycle, you can "Press Any Key" to bypass the
>
> Hi Stephan
>
> If CHKDSK finds a problem on the disk, it can take a *very* long time
> trying to correct it. Runs of 8 hours or more are not uncommon (I once had
> a server off-line for 3 days, while CHKDSK ran!).
>
> Stage 1 of 5 is where Chkdsk verifies each file record segment in the
> master file table (MFT). I'd guess that it has found a record segment
> which is damaged in the MFT. Eventually, it should print out a message
> like the following:
>
> File record segment 41109 is unreadable.
> File verification completed.
> CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)...
>
> or else eventually blue-screen, with STOP 0x24 or similar. It shouldn't
> hang indefinitely (it might - but it shouldn't).
>
> Sometimes you can use the "/i" and "/c" parameters to reduce the amount of
> time which CHKDSK takes to run. But I don't think they will help in this
> case - the delay is not in checking the indexes (Stage 2), but before
> that.
>
> You can also run the command:
>
> C:\>chkntfs c:
>
> to see if the dirty bit is set on C:/ If the dirty bit is set, the system
> thinks that there is a problem on the file system, and wants to run
> CHKDSK. The disk is unstable and needs to be verified ASAP. If the dirty
> bit is clear, the system thinks the file system is clean; even though
> CHKDSK has a problem verifying the MFT when it runs. Doesn't solve your
> problem; but handy to know.
>
> If CHKDSK gets stuck at "3 Percent complete. (41108 of 137024 File
> Records Processed)" and *never* gets any further, even aftwer 12 or 24
> hours, the Master File Table may be corruted. The best way to repair the
> MFT is to ... well, run CHKDSK :-) but obviously that isn't an option. In
> theory, there are ways to repair the MFT manually, for example by using a
> hex editor. This is possible; it is also extremely fiddly, complex,
> time-consuming and error-prone. In practice, if you reach this stage your
> best bet would be to back up your data; reformat the whole hard disk, and
> then reinstall from scratch. It might lack finesse but it will probably be
> quicker, and more reliable, than other methods.
>
> Other folks may have additional ideas for you; hope this helps a bit.
> --
> Andrew McLaren
> amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au
>

> think its a Master Boot Record (File Record) issue try these.
> How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to
> troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
>
> What to do when Vista Crashes : Little known strategy - bootrec.exe
< .. snip .. >

Well, with respect ... those would be good steps to repair a Master Boot
Record (MBR) problem.

However, Master Boot Record != Master File Table (MFT). They are different
structures. MBR is the segment on the hard disk which jumps to the boot
loader, when the machine is first IPL'ed. MFT is a structure which is part
of the NTFS file system:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS

During Stage 1, CHKDSK walks through the Master File Table, verifying the
record segments for every single file and directory in the file system. This
is a linear operation (more files, longer it takes). If CHKDSK is hanging
during Stage 1, it is very likely because it has found corrupt data in the
MFT and is unable to repair it. See
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb457122.aspx (refers to XP but
mostly applies to Vista, as well).

But, Bootrec etc would be correct and appropriate, for a Master Boot Record
problem.

--
Andrew McLaren
amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au

Right you are,,, however I would first repair the MBR and then
continue if that did not solve the problem,,,, often it will.

"Andrew McLaren" <> wrote in message
news:4A44F7D1-D28E-4C74-B256-...
>> think its a Master Boot Record (File Record) issue try these.
>> How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to
>> troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
>>
>> What to do when Vista Crashes : Little known strategy - bootrec.exe
> < .. snip .. >
>
> Well, with respect ... those would be good steps to repair a Master Boot
> Record (MBR) problem.
>
> However, Master Boot Record != Master File Table (MFT). They are different
> structures. MBR is the segment on the hard disk which jumps to the boot
> loader, when the machine is first IPL'ed. MFT is a structure which is
> part of the NTFS file system:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS
>
> During Stage 1, CHKDSK walks through the Master File Table, verifying the
> record segments for every single file and directory in the file system.
> This is a linear operation (more files, longer it takes). If CHKDSK is
> hanging during Stage 1, it is very likely because it has found corrupt
> data in the MFT and is unable to repair it. See
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb457122.aspx (refers to XP but
> mostly applies to Vista, as well).
>
> But, Bootrec etc would be correct and appropriate, for a Master Boot
> Record problem.
>
> --
> Andrew McLaren
> amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au
>