Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)
I've just replaced my primary hard disk after believing that the last two
system failures have been due to a failure of the disk, which showed up as
various programs reporting various disk errors: e.g. run Norton disk doctor
(without 'Fix Errors' checked) and it reports disk errors. Then run it with
'Fix Errors' and it decides it cannot do anything, so schedules a disk check
on next startup - which of course is actually MS's CHKDSK, not Norton. But
CHKDSK reports no errors.
I have tried to do my homework on this, and now believe that any errors I
was seeing might just be down to the way that XP/NTFS locks the volume, and
whilst locked, various 'minor errors' (in MS speak) are visible. But it
doesn't put me at ease that I have a reliable way of checking the integrity
of my hard disk. So, can anyone confirm:
- would it be right to state that a CHKDSK run from the repair console after
booting from the original install CD would 1/ have full access to the disk
(i.e. as XP hasn't booted, it can't have locked it) and 2/ if this reports
that the disk is clean, then it must be?....
- as above, but having F8 booted to a DOS prompt (whoops - is this possible?
forgot to check....).
- are there any tools (other than Norton) that are worth running once XP has
booted, to verify the integrity of the disk? *preferably freeware, as I have
already shelled out for Norton (and am only now seeing it's limitations due
to the way NTFS works...).
Just makes me think that I wasted my money on a replacement disk, and/or
XP/NTFS has really screwed up visibility of being able to check your
hardware for errors......
TIA.
I've just replaced my primary hard disk after believing that the last two
system failures have been due to a failure of the disk, which showed up as
various programs reporting various disk errors: e.g. run Norton disk doctor
(without 'Fix Errors' checked) and it reports disk errors. Then run it with
'Fix Errors' and it decides it cannot do anything, so schedules a disk check
on next startup - which of course is actually MS's CHKDSK, not Norton. But
CHKDSK reports no errors.
I have tried to do my homework on this, and now believe that any errors I
was seeing might just be down to the way that XP/NTFS locks the volume, and
whilst locked, various 'minor errors' (in MS speak) are visible. But it
doesn't put me at ease that I have a reliable way of checking the integrity
of my hard disk. So, can anyone confirm:
- would it be right to state that a CHKDSK run from the repair console after
booting from the original install CD would 1/ have full access to the disk
(i.e. as XP hasn't booted, it can't have locked it) and 2/ if this reports
that the disk is clean, then it must be?....
- as above, but having F8 booted to a DOS prompt (whoops - is this possible?
forgot to check....).
- are there any tools (other than Norton) that are worth running once XP has
booted, to verify the integrity of the disk? *preferably freeware, as I have
already shelled out for Norton (and am only now seeing it's limitations due
to the way NTFS works...).
Just makes me think that I wasted my money on a replacement disk, and/or
XP/NTFS has really screwed up visibility of being able to check your
hardware for errors......
TIA.
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