CHKDSK wants to run

It was mentioned by someone before, not sure how it was resolved.

I'd boot from 7 DVD and do a system repair though.

I'm not sure how to boot to windows disk, but I wouldn't bother. In the past I've used Windows Repair AND CHKDSK and they simply do not satisfy. They take a LOT of patience / time / heat to your hardware, too.

I myself have just had an issue with chkdsk. I cloned my Vista install using Winclone, and restored it after resizing my partition using BootCamp Assistant. Everything goes great until chkdsk decides it doesn't like the feel of my cloned data. Chkdsk is stubborn, takes hours of time, and then half the time it is still not satisfied with it's own fix. (Same goes for Windows System Repair, I find).

Rule Of Thumb - When ANYthing smells bad in your Microsoft set-up: gather your files to external storage and do a Clean Install of Windows.

In the case of chkdsk, just click a key to go around it, and then start saving your valuables to external storage (USB stick, burn some disks, whatever is easiest). My opinion is that as wonderful as Winclone has been in the past, you can only count on it as an emergency device. I tried to use it to "save time and effort" by cloning a fresh install of M$ (by-passing all the laborious effort of updates, AV, aftermarket software, etc) but the clone is never perfect enough to pass the chkdsk test, so it is best to Clean Install. Or better - make a SlipStream disk.

For the adventurous (or those frustrated or short on time) here is an experimental CHKDSK workaround: disable CHKDSK from starting up by using the /x switch on chkntfs command in command prompt. The /x switch will exclude a drive from the default boot-time check. If you need to disable chkdsk on drive C (for example):

chkntfs /x c:

If you have 2 drives, C and D, disable chkdsk with the command

chkntfs /x c: d:

I have NOT tried this yet - I intend to someday. Google it for further details. In the end though, no matter how you work-around chkdisk, a fresh install is always the Answer To Avoid Disaster in Windows.

I use it (chkdsk) and don't have any of the trouble you had.

Can't help if hard drives are slow, system has poor cooling.

All this is just XP/Vista and the need to constantly reinstall Windows should go out the window with the past.

Booting from Windows 7 DVD is useful and can repair boot.ini among other things.

If you are using WD disk drives, WD has their own Acronis version for cloning your drive.

Hello T.h.

My Vista install (with personal files) was about 60 GB (30GB free space) and chkdsk took 90 minutes (high heat / fans on full) to get 59% of the disk checked before I Forced it Quit. If I have to give up my machine for an afternoon, I'd rather have a clean install with a virgin Registry than a patched buggy one. Now - I've not the $ yet to purchase W7, and THAT might be a big big improvement! My real problem is a lack of decent Windows (+ BootCamp) cloning software. On a PC (with BIOS) there are some very elegant cloning solutions (I mean pain-free!) - but - that's not enough of an incentive to make me go back to PC. Thanks for your notes, BTW. I have REALLY been meaning to give you props on your note that OSX has a lovely Mac-cloning option in Disk Utilities. I've been reluctant to try it because I need a diagram with illustrations to try ANYthing! LOL But I gave it a go and it works so well I cannot believe it. I removed an old 160GB HD with BOTH OSX + BC Vista. I cloned my new OSX install (from my new 200GB HD) to find not only is it a fast process, the old HD was Bootable EVEN with the BootCamp Partition intact. Not only that - I re-installed the old HD into my MBP, and it booted like new. I'm extremely pleased + would like to say thanks TH - for all your wisdom.

Cheers

Note that for CMD console info on a command, enter for example: chkdsk /? This shows arguments available to user with description.

Click on Start then Run , type cmd and press Enter . Next type fsutil dirty query x: where x: is your boot drive. This queries the drive, and more than likely it will tell you that it is dirty. If so, do following

Next, type chkntfs /x c: . The X tells Windows to NOT check that particular drive on the next reboot. Now manually reboot your computer, it should not do a chkdsk and should take you directly to normal Windows login.


Once Windows has fully loaded, bring up another Command Prompt and enter chkdsk c: /r . Reply Y when asked if you want this to happen on the next boot. This should take you through 5 stages of the chkdsk scan and will unset that dirty bit. This can take an hour or more depending on the size of your hard drive, be patient and let it complete.