Defrag Catch-22

if you have a windows disc, pop that in, boot from it and then when the first menu comes up, hit “R” for repair.

Once that finishes, it will ask you to pick your windows install (it will say C:\WINDOWS) pick that one (1 or 2, whichever it is)

Once that comes up, types chkdsk c: /r /f

It will run a chkdsk and fix any errors in your windows install. That should fix your problem.

If you dont have a windows disc, just load windows like normal, start up cmd, type chkdsk c: /r /f

It will say:

The type of the file system is NTFS.

Cannot lock current drive.

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another

process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be

checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)

type “Y” and then restart, before windows loads, it will run a chkdsk

The best way (and IMO only real way) to run a checkdisk is offline through an install disc. Vista and XP both have the option to run chkdsk from their install discs.

XP:

Boot to any XP install disc

At the first screen hit “r” to enter Repair Mode

Type number associated with Windows install

Type password for admin account (default is none)

type “chkdsk c: /r /f”

When it’s done, reboot.

Vista:

Boot to any Vista install disc

At the first screen click Next

Click Repair your computer

Select the OS and click Next

Cancel any automatic repairs

At the recovery menu, click Command Prompt

Type “chkdsk c: /r /f /x” (note that the /x allows you to force the volume to dismount when it’s not running an OS)

When it’s done, reboot.

Even if you have XP installed, if you can get your hands on a Vista install disc use it for ANY repairs or offline changes you need to make. Vista may suck at repairing itself but it’s command prompt is almost magical.

adam37 said:

mitch, did you not see the post i made before yours?

You didn’t include Vista. I did both for completeness.

You could always PM me, and one could magically, idk, become into your possession.

MajorMajorMajor said:

So i just went and uninstalled all the *edited* i let accumulate on my harddrive for the past semester, and was planning on running a defrag to make all my files pretty again. (Lord knows we all love solid blue, rather than multiple blue lines)

 

Get into the defrag program, hit analyze and gives me a WTF message. Says i need to run Chkdsk /f. So i open up cmdprompt and type it in and it gives me another WTF message. Say that I cannot perform ChkDsk /F while using that disc (um thar be the catch-22). Asked me if i wanted to do it immediately on a restart, so i hit “y” and then did a merry ol’ restart. Took longer than usual, so i think, sweet that worked. WRONG… didnt perform the check and still will not allow me to run a check, because I’m still using that drive.

 

 

all i can think is to convince my dad that it is non-repairable and make him buy me a new lappy for xmas (cause the warranty just ran out lolz)

 

Do i need to start my comp in some sort of strange mode, and do the run there, then come back to reg windows and do the defrag there? Suggestions? Comments? Trolls? Christmas Cookies?

Reformat ftw, once my desktop can haz ram i’m reformatting my lappy

MajorMajorMajor said:

unless you had uber magiks and could get me a copy of 2005 XP Tablet Ed.

I have one but am not sure if it’s MCE or TE. I’ll check in the next day or so.

If all you want to do is run tests and perform simple stuff it doesn’t matter what version you have. I often use Vista DVDs to do maintenance on XP installs. The only time you have to match versions up is when doing repair installs and SFC scans.