Windows XP can't get past checkdsk

[peasantlover]

Everytime I load up my computer, it goes into a checkdsk (my computer crashed last night I guess). It is a 3 step process. step 1 checks files and finishes pretty quickly. Step 2 checks indexes and gets stuck right at 29% everytime - freezing on me so turning off the computer is the only option.

I cant figure out how to skip this. I can hit f2 to go to set up menu before it does this, but nothing there helps, and as soon as I exit it goes to the chkdsk. HELP! I cant do anything right now (using my roomies comp)

btw, if it matters, it is Dell Dimension 8300 with way more memory (ram and rom) than I need. Windows XP.

[AntiRealityHero]

Usually there is a ten second interval that lets you cancel the chkdsk before it starts by pressing any key - double check this first.

- If not, try logging into Safe Mode with Command Prompt by pressing F8.
- If asked to log on as Administrator, then do so. If you have not set an administrator password then simply press Enter.
- At the command prompt, enter the following:
- chkntfs /d
- and hit Enter. That should stop it from starting up again.

If all else fails: restart, let chkdsk run, and just wait. I had mine appear to hang at 61% [no hard drive noise, processing light stopped blinking] but I left for 20-30 minutes, came back and it had moved on.

[peasantlover]

:(
1. No hitting any key (or every key pretty much) doesnt skip it.
2. i was able to the f8 menu. For some reason it wont let me access safe mode however. It just pulls up runs about 30 lines of C: windows\osdjk\sjk\etc. (like 30 diff files\directories) and doesnt give me a prompt to enter anything (doesnt actually go into safe mode either i guess).. :( (:
3. ive left it up for at least an hour.. i suppose if I cant get it working by bedtime ill leave it stuck at 29% over night, but im not optimistic:(

wahh

[Viper]

Boot up with your Windows disc if you have it and try safe mode that way.

[peasantlover]

Boot up with your Windows disc if you have it and try safe mode that way.

ah hell, i moved since i bought the thing, i dont think i took it with me. I guess I can call my mom to mail it to me though, if I cant find anotehr solution :(

[AntiRealityHero]

Well, I set chkdsk to run on my machine, and then tried booting off an XP MS-DOS floppy, but the command prompt won't accept the fix. I also tried resetting the battery, but the dang thing keeps coming up.

How is your keyboard plugged into your PC? Is it USB?

[Derrick Barra]

As a precaution you should ask your mom to mail you that CD, (Make sure you have the Windows CD Key incase you need it also).

You may get Windows to work again using what the other members tell you, but just incase save yourself some time and ask for the CD.

[peasantlover]

Well, I set chkdsk to run on my machine, and then tried booting off an XP MS-DOS floppy, but the command prompt won't accept the fix. I also tried resetting the battery, but the dang thing keeps coming up.

How is your keyboard plugged into your PC? Is it USB?


??? no, its the round color coded plug that comes with all new factory pcs.
you know - pink for keyboard, green for mouse, whatever.

btw, have had it stuck at 29% for 3 hours now, so I dont think thats gonna work.

[AntiRealityHero]

Looks like you'll have to get the XP disk and try to get to Safe Mode from there. If that still doesn't work you can use the Recovery Console to fix XP (pretty much just writing over your old install without losing your files). I'm out of ideas. Sorry. :(

- The reason I asked about the keyboard is because sometimes the drivers for USB devices don't behave properly at startup, and I was hoping that you could switch a new keyboard in and skip it. It was a long shot, but I figured it couldn't hurt to check.

[peasantlover]

Looks like you'll have to get the XP disk and try to get to Safe Mode from there. If that still doesn't work you can use the Recovery Console to fix XP (pretty much just writing over your old install without losing your files). I'm out of ideas. Sorry. :(

- The reason I asked about the keyboard is because sometimes the drivers for USB devices don't behave properly at startup, and I was hoping that you could switch a new keyboard in and skip it. It was a long shot, but I figured it couldn't hurt to check.

Thanks for trying dude.

The XP disk is in the mail, my mom found it right away <G>. Ive never had to reinstall XP before, how would I go about that? I mean, how to I get the pc to load from the C: drive instead of doing its normal boot up.

Worst comes to worst I guess I can always take it down to geek squad at best buy, so they can rape me right before I get my computer fixed. :( Im going to wait a few days to see what happens though.

I had this problem a few months ago and dont remember how I fixed it. I think it just went away. So we shall see.

[AntiRealityHero]

Bah, Geek Squad.

If you absolutely could not get your PC to turn on normally, you can get a Linux live CD and backup the files on your hard drive to CD/DVDs. Then you could format with your Windows XP disc, reload your saved files from the CD/DVD backups and start anew. But don't worry about that for now.

Once you get the XP disc: you just turn your PC on; put it in; and restart. It'll give you a list of options to choose from. I'm not 100% sure if there's a choice to boot in Safe Mode with the disc [Viper says there is], but there will be the choice to either Repair XP or Reinstall XP. You'd want to try those in the same order I listed them.

[Sandman]

That happened to me once.. and it was so frustrating. I think I ended up leaving it on overnight and eventually it finished.

[WolfmanNCSU]

The XP bootdisk should have the option to boot to safe mode (but I can't remember either). It also has the option to go into the reinstall, and then repair your current install. I never tried it, so if anyone else has, they can share the story.

Another option to try would to be to create your own bootdisk and see if you can boot into a command prompt using it instead.

Let us know what you try and how things work out. Good luck bro!

[MrX]

This really sounds more like a hardware problem how well do you maintain your computer like cleaning out dust and the like??

[peasantlover]

This really sounds more like a hardware problem how well do you maintain your computer like cleaning out dust and the like??

i just opened it up (for the purpose fo installing a network device, which i eventually gave up and paid someone to do) about 5 weeks ago and cleaned out the dust thouroughly.

Thanks guys, I should get the CD in 2-3 days and will try the above solutions and report back. Someone on another forum i posed this same questiont to suggest I may have to format the entire hard drive and start over.. since I dont have a backup I certainly like your answers better haha.

[peasantlover]

I just wanted to let everyone know who tried to help me that my computer is working now, although i cant say why. My windows CD was at my parents house where I was living when I bought the comp, and my mom is going to mail it to me tommorrow - haha. Anyway, I had to change rooms in this house, so I took the comp apart and moved into this room and hooked it up. I turned it on just to see if it was stuck still and voila - it did the chkdsk but didnt get stuck (well ti did, for like 15 seconds and then finished). I had it on for about 13 hours last night with no luck, dont know why it worked tonite.

Anyway, on a related note, what is the best method (easiest) for backing up a hard drive nowadays? I was a little afraid I might have to format my hard drive (based on advice from another tech forum) and while I wouldnt mind losing the games there are a few programs I would be royally screwed if I lost.

[AntiRealityHero]

Glad you got it to work! :thumbl:

If you want to back up your OS, programs, games, files, etc. you can use a program like Norton Ghost (http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/backup_recovery/ghost10/) to create an image and store it on a secondary hard drive [There's probably some freeware ones out there if you look hard enough]. If you don't have a second hard drive, you can usually find them pretty cheap nowadays - I just bought an internal 120GB Seagate for $60 out-the-door at Best Buy.

Alternatively, if you only need to save your files, burning to CD or DVDs would work fine.

What kind of programs do you have that couldn't be re-installed with the installation CD?

[peasantlover]

I have a pokertracker database that has tons and tons of stored hands. I use it a lot when I play poker. I could of course get the program back and get it reregistered - but I would lose all the info in the database (which took me 9 months to get)

[WolfmanNCSU]

Great news! After that little scare, time to invest into a backup utility.

[MrX]

Yea i would back up everything! i really think your hard drive is about to go:(