Can't run CHKDSK --pretty frustrated, any options? (Only other techies need apply)

Okay. (deep breath)

I've only had XP Pro loaded on my machine for two weeks now, so it isn't too cluttered. But, I had some quirky behavior, so I decided to run CHKDSK in read-only mode, which told me there were a few issues with the file system . So, I decided to run a CHKDSK C: /F which would run on reboot.

CHKDSK will not run on reboot. Early on, I got an error about not being able to lock the drive for access. Now, I get no error at all, it just skips.

I have a feeling that some of this is due to the ThinkVantage R&R software running on startup. I have tried to disable a number of the ThinkVantage services, only to find that some will neither allow themselves to be set to Manual or Disabled, nor will they allow themselves to be stopped.

Tried booting in Safe Mode to disable them. I get 2/3 of the way through a safe boot, and the system reboots.

Tried installing Recovery Console as a boot option, but with no SATA hard disk driver, it cannot recognize the hard disk, and blue-screens.

Since the ThinkPads come with specialized Recovery CD's, there's no way to run CHKDSK from them. I booted from one anyway just to check my options, but there's nothing obvious there. Too bad I can't at least get to a command prompt, which would give me some options. About the only thing left I can do is get an XP CD and attempt to slipstream the SATA drivers in, which is a pain.

This is EXTREMELY frustrating. I didn't really want to uninstall Rescue and Recovery, as I thought I might wish to use it at some point. But I'm out of other options. I'm rapidly becoming disillusioned with the ThinkVantage software, which looked pretty cool, but now seems to not function quite as well as it initially appeared in a number of cases.

Has anyone else discovered this to be a problem, and if so, how did you fix it? Am I right in my guess that the ThinkVantage software is the issue, and if so, will uninstalling any of it help me do what I need? This is extremely frustrating --I expect to be able to have some options to fix my file system, and it appears like I've been denied all of them. Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

Have you tried to run CHKDSK via the Window XP recovery console (if you have a copy of the XP installation CD)?

 

I have that problem too with Vista. For me it runs most of the check but freezes toward the end of the final file check.

I read somewhere that it is the R&R software and the only solution I've seen is to uninstall.

But hopefully Doggy's idea works.

 

The problem is Rescue and Recovery. The only solution at this time is to uninstall it, otherwise you will not be able to run chkdsk at boot time as you will not get exclusive access to the drive as another process has it.

HTH,

Steve

 

Download Hiren's Boot Disk which will put you into your choice of pure DOS software and CHKDSK commands.

Or boot with an XP or Vista install disk and hit "R" which will put you into DOS and CHKDSK commands.

 

Yet another reason why I feel it is important to have a real install disk for whatever OS one is using in the laptop bag. The additional repair options such a disk enables the user to access seem to be potentially pretty helpful. I had to run chkdsk from the Vista install disk once and another time do an "upgrade" repair.

 

An hour into this process, I realized that among my last haul of junk (people routinely give me equipment they don't use) was a Teac USB floppy drive. I was able to put the AHCI drivers for the SATA controller on there, boot from the Recovery Console (I installed it as an OS bootup choice as previously mentioned) press F6 to install them, and start CHKDSK.

I left it at home and took my Latitude C640 with me when going out this evening (after half an hour, it had jumped back from 74% to 50%, probably due to the fact that I used the /R flag just in case). We'll see what it looks like when I get home tonight.

Still, it's really frustrating that the ThinkVantage software, which appears so useful, can be a huge millstone around your neck when things go wrong. The part that bugs me most is that the services CAN'T be stopped or disabled, not even temporarily. This is, frankly, ridiculous. For this reason, it's likely I'll do yet another reinstall, this time a clean one, and only install specific ThinkVantage apps, rather than removing what I don't need one by one. There are just too many services, and documentation on them is slim enough that it's hard to tell which services go with which apps in some cases.

pae77, I did have a real install disc, and a BartPE disc too --only problem is, no Windows XP install disc has Intel AHCI SATA controller drivers as part of the default, and so you either need a floppy disk (which of course, means you need a floppy drive, which few notebooks have today) or you need to slipstream the drivers into the install disc, which is a bit of a pain; I hadn't done this, though I'll probably make it my business to do so in the future. I can also hope SP3 for XP comes out soon; it will probably have some of these newer drivers, and when slipstreamed into a current CD, may do the job.

 

did you try the Ultimate Boot disk? stock is pretty robust with feature, add some plugins and your cant get better. I use this enterprise wide a couple times a week at work. I have about 300 customers with dozens of machine types and brands. there are a couple other checkdisk programs built in. alternatively its good to have an external pata/sata to usb adapter, you can just slip out your drive and check it from another pc.

not guaranteed but 99% sure this will have your driver built in.
http://www.ubcd4win.com/

 

Techboy,

Good call. I've usually used BartPE in the past (I haven't used UBCD in a long time, I used to use it to reset lost local admin passwords for others). I'll have to give it a try.

I have the external PATA/SATA to USB adapter on my "tools I need to buy and write off as a business tax expense" this year, but I haven't gotten one yet. Thanks for that advice too.

In the meantime, I guess I'll have to uninstall Rescue and Recovery. If it locks the disk and stops CHKDSK from running on startup, then it isn't worth running. I can use Acronis TrueImage for what it does just fine.

 

the external hookup is a must have. way better than lugging a machine across the building to after my users have done their worst. UBCD usually will attempt to dismount the drive (hasnt failed for me yet) before it runs checkdisk. the latest versions have a sweet boot loader with most of the options that you need. Acronis is excellent. Sometimes when drives fail and have wacky hidden partitions, I use RawCopy from the UBCD. Good Luck.

sysadmin...i feel your pain. hah.

 

I adapted the quote from Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. It seemed fitting.

 

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=396106&sid=91108fe7171c47aa0ec32929b81d5fd5

 

Wow, dead thread revived.

In my case, I installed the Recovery Console to the hard disk --but I slipstreamed the SATA drivers first using nLite. This allows me to boot to the Recovery Console instead of Windows if I wish, and run CHKDSK from there, as well as any other utilities (FIXBOOT, FIXMBR, etc.).