chkdsk /f does not fix NTFS errors

[AngerEyes]

I have installed Windows XP with all the latest Windows update with SP2. I want to defrag my hard drive with O&O Defrag and this programs says that the defrag was cancelled on C: due to errors in the volume. So, I do a Windows check for errors in the next restart, solving what it finds and scanning for bad sectors. I then restart and the scandisk runs through as expected. I then try to defrag but the same problem happens again. So, at this point I am trying to boot from my Windows CD and go to recovery console. I then try to run chkdsk /p and it runs through without any issues. I restart and then notice that I cannot defrag the C: drive due to some errors on the volume. Can anyone please give me some other ideas? Thanks.

[MattyBoy]

Have you tried to do a FIXMBR utility in Recovery Console.

[Sam_Again]

Start XP and F2 to go to the BIOS. Select Boot from CD ROM in the Boot section as the option. Restart (with Windows CD inserted) and F12 - Boot from CD ROM. Windows Recovery Console will eventually appear. Select that option. Select 1. At C:\Windows tap in chkdsk. While not chkdsk /f or others, this sorts out many problems which gets you going. Other options are also available (C:\Windows> help) but use with discretion. Restart - and don't forget to change the BIOS back to Boot from the Hard Drive.

[Fire Ant]

First of all, let me say that I'm glad to find others who have found this problem. Guys, this is a bug in Windows XP. It started sometime in early 2009 - probably after I installed a security patch. I have found this bug on ALL computers running winXP. I have a contact at Paragon Software in Moscow and all of his XP computers do the same thing. I personally have checked 5 machines here in Houston Texas and they all do the same thing. I have clients who work for Microsoft software developers and have tried to get them to bring pressure on Microsoft to the fix the problem - but that has not happened yet. If any of you know how to pressure Microsoft - please do so.

Just so we are on the same page, let me describe the problem and tell you of my explorations. Run chkdsk in windows XP (no switch) and you get a series of error messages: free space marked as used, windows found problems in the file system, run chkdsk /f. These and several others that I don't remember at the moment. I run chkdsk /f. Reboot is required. I watch very carefully at the completion. (I flashes quickly) There are no errors displayed. The computer reboots, I run chkdsk (no switch) and the same errors are displayed.

I have also gone into the Recovery Console and run chkdsk /r. The 3 stages run and the results show that the errors have been fixed. I reboot into winXP, run chkdsk and the same errors are back! Its real fellas, it is not your imagination. It is a real bug in windows XP both Pro and Home. I checked a Vista computer and it did not have the problem. I will say this, the supposed errors do not seem to effect the operation of my system.

So what do we do about it?

Dear db, Please read my post again. As I stated there, I did go into the recovery console. Ran chkdsk /R, which did fix the errors - that is - none were displayed at completion. When I reboot into XP and run chkdsk, the same errors are back.

This occurs on ALL windows XP computers. Several people from around the world have checked this and they ALL do it!! It is a bug in XP as I stated before. The problem started in early 2009 as far as I can tell.

As a note to future comments on my post, I get highly annoyed when someone responds with a comment that is already answered in my original post. If you have a comment or suggestion, please read ALL that I have said to make certain that your comment has not already been addressed.

[Russell]

You can also try to run the check disk from the disk system prompt and see if that works. If you want to do the above then you will have to boot with an XP CD and log into the recovery console.

[Mr. Boo Bear]

Check in the Event Viewer and look in the Application Log for event 1001 from source Winlogon and you will find the report for the chkdsk that ran at boot time. Copy and paste the event to your next post.

[Fire Ant]

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\>chkdsk
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is 74Gig-Super.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...
Security descriptor verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
Usn Journal verification completed.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

72613024 KB total disk space.
33416352 KB in 133186 files.
45972 KB in 10712 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
357456 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
38793244 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
18153256 total allocation units on disk.
9698311 allocation units available on disk.



Hi Guys, The above is the results of a chkdsk on my system. If this does not get you to understand what I'm saying I cannot say any more. You guys ae still not reading what I originally wrote. It has nothing to do with Paragon Software - db. The errors occur on ALL XP computers that I have checked - about 15 in all. Paragon sofware is only on my computer. Incidentally Paragon Disk Backup is THE BEST backup software available. Another thing db, I avoid Acronis software like the plague! It made my system unbootable about 2 years ago. It took an all night session on a Saturday night using the recovery console to get my system back.

I checked event 1001 in Even Viewer. The contents are here:

0000: 00001c4e 00001c4f 00000717

If this means something to you then more power to you.

I have contacts with people at Hitachi. They are a Microsoft deveper. Their XP computers do the same thing.

I have another contact at HP. Their XP computers do the same thing. So Jose, if your XP computer does not have the errors then I would like to know if it has the latests updates. As I stated before, this problem started sometime in early 2009. I built this computer in December 2006 - my Christmas present to myself. This was before SP1. When I do a fresh install on an HDD, chkdsk does NOT have the problem. All of my HDD drives are in mobile docks so I can change them out with the twist of key.

Again, fellas, I have to say some of your comments indicate that you did not read ALL of what I said originally.

Through the contacts mentioned, Hitachi and HP, I have tried to get them to get Microsoft to fix the chkdsk problem, but that has not happened yet. MS seems to be rushing on with the OS du Jour which appears to be about as good as XP. It certainly is better than Vista. But I question if any progress has been made.

One other comment that I have made before: This is mainly for db, the apparent errors do not have any detrimental effect on my system stability or operation in any way. I'm not sure what it will take to get you guys to accept the fact that this is a bug in XP, but maybe this post will do it.

Best regards

[ApPy10]

I cannot say why your contacts are not responding to your issues. It doesnt seems to be a bug in XP, it is the way you are choosing to run chkdsk. Can you try to run it from a command prompt and it might report errors.

[Fire Ant]

Jose, Thank you for explaining the source of the problem! If, according to you, the effect is well known, then I am at a loss as to why none of my sources could explain it. I will tell you that some very high level programmers agreed with me that it was a bug in XP. So on most computers there is some running program that writes to the disk during the running of chkdsk and this causes the error messages. That does explain a lot. I do recall that on several occasions I could run chkdsk and not get any errors, and then I could run it again and get the errors. This effect is now explained - thank you very much. It also explains why you do not get the errors on your own computer - you do not have any running software that writes to the disk during chkdsk.

As I said in an earlier posting, I could do a clean install of XP, pre-SP1, and run chkdsk and not get any errors. This is because I had no other software installed besides the OS at the time.