Windows XP forum: check disk at most every boot

after a regular shutdown. Turning off the power too early might cause chkdsk to run. But I suppose you do.

Interestingly, something different might be at play.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831374 tells about a comparable message if there are too many files on the disk and you don't run the latest service pack.

Just out of curiosity: in My Computer or Windows Explorer right click on each main folder (generally not more than 10 to 15), choose properties and note how many files it has. Then calculate the total number of files on the disk (simply the sum). How much is it?

In the above I assumed that this was on the c:-drive, and that that's the only partition on the only hard disk. But that might not be the case. How many physical hard drives, and how many partitions on them? The last post in http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/124809-chkdsk-always-runs-boot.html for example, has a rather strange solution if it's another partition than the c:-drive.

Maybe it's a good idea to google XP ALWAYS CHKDSK and see if there are more useful hits.

Somehow, I don't think it's a hardware issue. But I don't know either what it is in stead. IF it is a hardware issue, it's risky to turn the automatic checkdisk of.

Kees

This causes chkdsk to run at startup.

Get another 60GB or so drive, clone it and try again. 60GB drives are from my findings past their expected life span so odd things like this seem to be popping up.

Is this another one of your machines at work?
Bob

Look up the UBCD and on there are some hard drive test programs that should be non-destructive. Be sure to note any SMART status reports.

And if this is IDE, consider shiny new IDE 80 conductor cables.

Sorry but the issue is pretty beat up (discussed to no end) but old drives are something of a constant when I see this happen. Also sometimes I find a linux dual boot.
Bob

I have had this problem myself and there is a solution, but it's not elementary. It has nothing to do with any of the suggestions that have been made so far - it does not imply that your hard disc is too full, or in a terminal condition. I shall have to look for it and get back to you: please give me a day or two (I hope I can find it again!).

I ran the fsutil dirty query on C:. It did report C was dirty. I rebooted and ran a disk check. After this, the query reports C is not dirty. So far, I have had no more problems with checkdisk running at boot up.

It did it again this am at boot up. Guess I'll start hard drive shopping. I was afraid of that, but wanted to post that it had seemed to work before I forgot. I hate threads that are left hanging.

Here are two further suggestions, which may help you solve your problem:

1) Go to <http://www.computerhope.com/help/hdd.htm> and scroll down to
'CH001091: Testing a computer hard disk drive for failures'. Open this and, under the sub-heading Software Solutions, you'll find several free HDD test utilities listed.

2) COMODO, who supply the excellent free Firewall product, are starting a new service called 'Live PC Support' and are offering a free introductory 30-day trial. You may like to try this offer, which you'll find at <http://www.livepcsupport.com/trial/