Batboard

what a day..OK The wife has a Dell Tower Dimension #4600.(just under 4 yrs. old)
Win XP Home. Pentium 4-- I open my "C" main HD icon, rt. mouse click to properties, tools, error check, I check both box's. It has to be re-booted for both boxes in error check. after the reboot.. I get a blue screen.
On the top left it says:
1. Checking File System On C
2. The Type Of System is NTFS
3. Cannot Open Volume For Direct Access
4. Windows Has Finished Checking Disk

all in about 20 seconds.... ?? Can't get into "safe-mode"
Does anyone know whats going on? To make it worse the wife use's AOL.
Ever since AOL came out with there System check, she's been using it..
Its total warranty is over next month....
system restore does nothing?
I can use any help! thanks Jim Reid

Have you tried running CHKDSK from a command prompt?

my guess is he can't get to a command prompt to use Do you have a rescue disc kickin around that you can try booting from? Where does windows leave you after it finishes checking the hard disk (wow, i almost put /dev/hda)? Do you stick at the BSOD (blue screen of death)? What was going on before you started the drive check? Any problems?

I guess we will have to wait and see.. I assumed he meant that it wouldn't disk check and just rebooted to windows, but he mentioned he can't get into safe mode.. so

Usually at that point i grab a windows cd and boot to the recovery console.

true, i do the same...
on some of the more 'risque' installs i have, i go thru the motions to install the recovery console to the HD....

kb0nly wrote:Have you tried running CHKDSK from a command prompt?

it locks up? I let it sit for over 10 mins?
quiet a few times I tried......

thebigphish wrote:my guess is he can't get to a command prompt to use

Code: Select all

chkdsk /f C:

Do you have a rescue disc kickin around that you can try booting from? Where does windows leave you after it finishes checking the hard disk (wow, i almost put /dev/hda)? Do you stick at the BSOD (blue screen of death)? What was going on before you started the drive check? Any problems?

Exactly as my top post is what happens! Cannot get into Safe Mode or Safe mode with Cmd. Prompt? -- The Blue scree of death --its only a blue screen when I check both error checking boxes. In the past it used to take 30-40 mins... now that blue screen (see top post comes up with that message 1234 in 20 seconds?) I can check the bottom error checking box ONLY! and it will go thru Phase 1 thru 4... -- its all I can think of.. No Rescue Disc.. but will look for one... thx..

kb0nly wrote:I guess we will have to wait and see.. I assumed he meant that it wouldn't disk check and just rebooted to windows, but he mentioned he can't get into safe mode.. so

Usually at that point i grab a windows cd and boot to the recovery console.

I'm looking for it the CD or boot disk....

Ugh.. might have to break out the windows cd or restore disk and start over.

kb0nly wrote:Ugh.. might have to break out the windows cd or restore disk and start over.

tried system restore, back to May...nothing looking for the winCD?

thx Scott

This may not work with the present troubles, but try the old favorite:
CTRL/ALT/DEL and bring up the task manager screen and see what's currently running, you may have programs sharing the same resources and causing the trouble.

It's probably that damn AOL that screwed it up..

kb0nly wrote:It's probably that damn AOL that screwed it up..

I'll bet your right Scott! its the new AOL security! Now everytime the pc boots up to windows..on the top left I get (from my top post)
1. Checking File System On C
2. The Type Of System is NTFS
3. Cannot Open Volume For Direct Access
4. Windows Has Finished Checking Disk

Were using Norton 2006 AV & AOL security uses MacCfee.
AOL Does there own AV & spyware check...
I can F8 into the DOS screen: but safe mode, safe mode with cmd. prombt, or safe mode with networking, puts it in a lock-up of DOS with the screen full of info...and it will stay there till I do a Hot Shutdown?
Never seen anything like this.... thanks for the help folks but its time to take it to the shop. Task Mgr. nothing there, device mgr. is ok..
I'll post more info... I'm gonna call Dell -- with any luck I'll be back in 4-5 hours.....

And the Results are in! (this was a package deal so its still under warrenty)

Spoke to Dell tech support. Instructions: open a cmd. DOS box at the C: prompt: type sfc /scannow which checks all the windows protected files. which there were none...
Now the Error-checking is working back to normal & so is safe mode.
now if I only knew what I did?
___________________________________________________________
thanks to all the replies. & the advice.
until next time... excuse me but I need a drink! so much for my day off! Jim Reid

The System File Checker, SFC, checks and replaces any modified system files with default/backup versions, it most likely just replaced one file, maybe more, that was goofed up by a software install or uninstall.

I should have suggested you try that, kudos to the boys at Dell for pointing you in the right direction. I figured you were beyond that with the problem at hand.

Now remove the AOL and McAfee crap and watch the computer speed up.. LOL

kb0nly wrote:The System File Checker, SFC, checks and replaces any modified system files with default/backup versions, it most likely just replaced one file, maybe more, that was goofed up by a software install or uninstall.

I should have suggested you try that, kudos to the boys at Dell for pointing you in the right direction. I figured you were beyond that with the problem at hand.

Now remove the AOL and McAfee crap and watch the computer speed up.. LOL

No very little sleep dosen't help! I forgot about it. I also had to put the WIN-XP reinstallation CD back in during the SFC.... If it was my notebook (which Dell does not give you CD's anymore?) it would have been a different story!
so it does its error check, dfrag, I can go into safe mode & back.... I'm done.... work at 7am... thanks for all the help out there! nite! Jim Reid PS: should I set todays date with the system restore? I never used that feature... any comments would help! thanks again.... JR

As far as i know Dell only provides the restoration cd's now.. But i think you can pay them extra for a windows cd like HP and Compaq do these days.

If it were me i would disable system restore which deletes all the restore points, then enable it again, and finally run system restore and create a new restore point with a brief description, such as SFC repaired.. etc.