Start a Help and Support session and search for "command line reference", it
is a goldmine of information.  Looking at CHKDSK shows alot of switches and
shows what to expect from using each one.  What I always do is to start my
computer using my original CD and select "R", when it asks, to use the
Windows Recovery Console.  Now I can type CHKDSK /R /X .  /R Locates bad
sectors and recovers readable information, /X should not be necessary, it
locks the drive, but I use it anyway.  Be prepared to wait; "If you use
chkdsk /f on a very large disk (for example, 70 gigabytes) or a disk with a
very large number of files (for example, millions of files), chkdsk might
take a long time (for example, over several days) to complete. The computer
is not available during this time because chkdsk does not relinquish control
until it is finished."
Hope this helps.

Howard Rubin
The Computer Doctor
Fortaleza, Brazil


RE:  Date:    Wed, 18 Jun 2003 04:12:53 -0500
From:    "Ed Nottingham, PhD" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: XP-Home, Partition Magic 8.01, Chkdsk /f

First, thanks to all on PCBuild for their help over the weekend when I
posted regarding copying/cloning an IBM 34 to a new Maxtor 120 replacement
hard drive.  The consensus was Symantec's Ghost 2003 which I purchased and
it worked like a charm.  Thanks.

Secondly, I posted this on PCSoft thinking we'd moved to a software
question, but it was bounced back to me with instructions to post on
PCBuild, so here goes.

Over the weekend I installed a new Maxtor 120 to replace my IBM 34.
Although the MaxBlast3 software did not work (to format, partition, and copy
files from one drive to the other), with thanks to thesuggestions from folks
at PCBuild, I purchased Ghost 2003
which worked wonderfully.

But, now I'm trying to us Partition Magic 8.01 (PM) to resize my partitions.
I continually get Error 1611 Bad System file name, File 9 (48).  I've
researched it at PowerQuest and followed all the instructions (and have
emailed them).  When I run either ChkDsk or Norton's Disk Doctor, I get
notice of an error, and then run chkdsk /f (for C partition).

Alas, no matter how many times I run chkdsk, it seems that the error,
whatever it is is not corrected.  I have no idea if the drive error and the
failure of PM to run are connected, but want some ideas regarding some
method for running chkdsk (or something) and repairing any errors that *may*
exist.  I have run diagnostics on the new drive, and everything tests OK,
and doubt the drive is culprit.

If finding a way to run chkdsk so that it actually repairs (and I've run
from Safe Mode in XP-Home) fails, then any suggestions for a partition
program that is more likely to work?  Now that I've got my new drive, I'd
like to partition it the way I want without having to fdisk it and start
over with installations or copying it with Ghost again (a 3.5 hour process).

Thanks in advance.

Ed

            Do you want to signoff PCBUILD or just change to
                    Digest mode - visit our web site:
                   http://freepctech.com/pcbuild.shtml