Scandisk problem - Windows ME

[rossellap]

I've tried to run Scandisk in both Normal (with only Explorer and Systray open) and in Safe Mode, and testing in Standard and Through test mode. I always get to "checking folders" with one or two bars, then to "checking file allocation tables" with no bar underneath, which then kicks back to "checking folders" with one bar (sometimes two), and back to "checking file allocation tables"... And then get the infamous "Scandisk has restarted 10 times....".

Please note that when Scandisk runs after an "improper shutdown detected" (in standard mode), it goes thru with no problems.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[JSntgRvr]

Set your Screen saver to None. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and end task to all programs listed therein, except for Explorer and systray. You may have to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete for each program that needs to end task. Then perform Scandisk. If you recieve the message "Scandisk has restarted 10 times....", select not to receive this message again and allow the scan to be completed.

 

[rossellap]

Thank you for posting a reply.
Actually, the Screen Saver already is on none. Before running the Scandisk I always Ctrl+Atl+Delete all programs except Explorer and Systray, and I always select on the "not receive this message again", but I still get the same results as posted. Only that after I relect the "not receive this message again" I don't get the "scandisk has restarted 10 times...." but it won't go any farther than "checking folders" and "checking file allocation tables" loop.

Any more suggestions I can try out?

Thanks again.

 

[WhitPhil]

Ctl-alt-del doesn't show all running tasks, so you still have some active.

These could be SpyWare and could be viruses.

Download SpyBot and allow it to fix what it finds.
Update your virus defs and do a full scan.

And, if there are still restarts, restart to SAFE mode and run scandisk/defrag there. Then, download HiJackThis, and post back a copy of the log that it creates.

 

[JSntgRvr]

I agree with WhitPhil however, I am also concern with the integrity of your hard drive. When too many clusters and sectors are damaged, scandisk behaves like this. Malware running in the background may interfere with scandisk but, as to make sure that the integrity of your hard drive is in place, I'll suggest you run Scandisk in MSDOS.

Restart the computer in MSDOS. At the prompt type the following:

Scandisk /autofix [If only a standard scan is preferred]

Scandisk /autofix /surface [If a complete scan is prefered]

Press Enter after the preferred command.

If scandisk takes forever to scan the hard drive, chances are that the disk is about to crash due to bad sectors and clusters. I should mention that the surface scan is a very slow process and may take over an hour to complete.

 

[WhitPhil]

JSntgRvr:
If you have concerns about the integrity of the disk, the LAST thing you want to be doing is a Scandisk with AutoFix.
On a failing/questionable drive/disk directory, this can result in severe damage and potential data loss.

A run of Scandisk in DOS won't hurt (without autofix) to see if there is anything strange with the disk structure.

Reference