# computer won't boot windows / stuck in chkdsk



## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

Hello! I'm a computer-illiterate student who needs help fixing a PC before the next school week starts. 

My computer (Dell, Windows XP) was fine this morning. Then after a reboot, I noticed it was giving me an error message in the bottom right corner of the screen that told me that one of my folders was corrupted (my adobe acrobat reader was corrupted; I tried re-installing it and it still wouldn't run) and that I would need to run chkdsk to fix it.

So I went to schedule chkdsk to run after my next reboot.

After my reboot, chkdsk started to run as usual. After the 1~2 hours it usually takes to finish running, chkdsk said it was done with its scan and would now start Windows. ... but it never started Windows, even after I waited an extra hour. 

So chkdsk is stuck in a loop. It won't complete and open Windows when it finishes its check. After rebooting again, it gave me options: run it in the last way that worked or run it in safe mode.

I tried running it with the "last settings that worked" and it just gave me a black screen -- didnt load.

I tried running safe mode and the screen just fills with text as if it's trying to load, but freezes after hitting a certain point.

What can I do? I have some really important files on my hard drive so I hope I can recover from here.

Thanks..!


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

Lets find out what is going on with your hard drive.

first, use Recovery Console to run Chkdsk again:
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp&NoWebContent=1

Set your BIOS and its Boot Order so that booting to CD-Rom is first.
Boot from the XP CD and follow the instructions here: http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxprcons.html

*In Recovery Console:*

chkdsk c: /r
fixboot c:
exit

Now set your BIOS Boot Order back to its original state and try and start XP.

Report back, because I think some of the files needed for XP to boot are corrupted.

.


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

Looks like taking that route requires the Windows XP CD, which I can't find. Any way around this?

I left my computer on all night to see if it would boot eventually, but it's still stuck on a screen that looks like this:

The screen is blue, says
"Checking file system on C:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
The volume is clean.
Windows has finished checking the disk.
..."

... and that's it. If I reboot, it just runs chkdisk again until it gets to this end point, then freezes again.


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

If it is intending to run chdsk at startup, you have the choice to stop this by hitting any key within 20 seconds.

Restart the computer from a power down state and watch carefully for the message to cancel chkdsk.

See how far you can get with a Normal startup.

.


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

I tried booting my computer normally while pressing the enter key rapidly through the entire boot. It came up with options asking me to choose how I want to boot up my PC (safe mode, normal boot, etc). All options lead to freezing. If I select normal boot, chkdsk still runs (and freezes at the end). 

It just won't boot at all, and I don't have my windows XP cd to install recovery console... Is it downloadable?


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

In a fashion. It is on the Setup diskette images: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

There was on the web a bootable .iso containing recovery console. I used to get it here: http://www.tweakxp.com/article36941.aspx


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

I contacted my computer's manufacturer about this and they're sending me a new Windows XP CD, so I'll just have to wait until the CD comes before continuing...

Thanks for your suggestions, though. I'll look into them when the XP CD comes.


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

I finally got my Windows XP CD in the mail. One tech support guy said that re-installing Windows XP would wipe my entire hard drive. Another tech support guy said that I could repair my Windows XP and still keep all of my data. Which support guy is right? Where do I go from here?

I want to repair my Windows and keep my data. I hope this is possible...

So basically, I now have access to the Recovery Console, but I'm hesitant to run it because I've heard mixed information about what will happen AFTER I run it. Some say it will repair Windows and everything will be back to normal. Some say that my entire hard drive will be erased. Some say that my "My Documents" folder (where I keep all of my data) will be erased. I just want to be able to boot up Windows and keep all of my "My Documents" files.

Tech support suggested that I back up my data before re-installing by taking it to Best Buy or something, but Best Buy charges $230 per 9 GB backed up, and I have 120+ GB of data on there that I want to keep so that's just not financially possible..


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

A repair reinstallation, what Microsoft calls an In-Place Upagrade, will not lose you your installed programs or data. *If* you do two steps:

*1. Use Recovery Console -- (You cannot install with this mode)* 


> To run the Recovery Console from the Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM, follow these steps:
> 
> *Note: Picture-based Tutorial here: http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxprcons.html*
> 
> ...


*Remove the CD and try the boot again. If no Joy, we go to the Repair reinstallation.*


*2. Repair/In-Place XP Reinstallation Without Losing Programs or Data*



> To reinstall Windows XP by starting your computer from the Windows XP CD, follow these steps:
> 
> 1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.
> 2. When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message appears on the screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.
> ...


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions.

I tried option 1 in the post above, but it didn't fix the problem, so I moved on to 2.

But I'm hesitant to continue with 2 because I'm not getting the options that you are describing. I can get up to step 4, but after that I do not get an option to press R to repair Windows. My only choices on this screen are:

Enter = install windows
D = Delete partition
and F3 = quit

no option to press R. I'm afraid pressing enter will initiate an install instead of a re-install (If there's a difference..) and hurt my data. Is it okay to press enter and continue from here? I'm just being super hesitant so I can play it safe.  Thanks

Edit: Okay, I went a little further than that screen out of curiosity, and got to a screen that asks me if I want to overwrite my Windows directory with a new install. But it says it will delete my files, subfolders, and possibly also my "My Documents" folder (my "My Documents" folder is where all of my important data is), so it sounds like a bad idea to continue. Don't know where to go from here.


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

Follow the picture-based Tutorial: http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

Bill_Castner said:


> Follow the picture-based Tutorial: http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897


I'm unable to reach screen seven because it does not give me the option to select "repair". It wants me to do a fresh install of Windows XP...


In a desperate hunt to find a way around this, I found this:

http://webcast.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658-1

everything seemed to be going well until I got to the "copy C:\windows\repair\system C:\windows\system32\config\system" step. It can't find the file to copy and therefore cannot boot windows...


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

Yoiu are doing a registry recovery. This is the wrong and possibly fatal road for you to take.

Please, just do the repair reinstallation. Did you folllow the picture based Tutorial by Fred Langa?

Maybe text helps you more clearly: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341

If XP was installed as an OEM image, you may not have a backup of the original system hives in \Windows\Repair\System.

And if you did not have Recovery Console enabled, the registry restore is going to fail.

.


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

Bill_Castner said:


> Yoiu are doing a registry recovery. This is the wrong and possibly fatal road for you to take.
> 
> Please, just do the repair reinstallation. Did you folllow the picture based Tutorial by Fred Langa?
> 
> ...


The repair installation option is not and was never available to me. The screen offering that option (as shown in all of these tutorials) does not exist. Everything after the license agreement screen is different than what the tutorials show.

After fishing around online, it seems the repair option won't appear at all in the windows setup menu for people with severe registry problems, and suggested this method as a last resort.

Looks like a complete reinstallation is the only option I have left...


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

"After fishing around online, it seems the repair option won't appear at all in the windows setup menu for people with severe registry problems, and suggested this method as a last resort."

That is absolutely not true.

The only reason the Repair option might be missing is that the OEM vendor did not include the option on its CD.

Please, call the computer manufacturer's Tech Support and ask them for a "real" copy of XP on a CD-Rom.

Or if you can boot from a floppy, use the Floppy-based setup:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

I am trying to make sure you do not lose anything in your repair efforts.

.


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

Bill_Castner said:


> "After fishing around online, it seems the repair option won't appear at all in the windows setup menu for people with severe registry problems, and suggested this method as a last resort."
> 
> That is absolutely not true.
> 
> ...



I'm sorry that my internet-fishing has probably made my situation much worse, but I've been under a time squeeze lately so I've been in a panic (no computer = can't do homework, work, contacts, etc). 

I have no idea why Dell would leave out an XP CD's most useful feature, but I don't think I can go another week without a computer (I've fallen too far behind on things). While I'll miss my old data, I need to get my online life back on track, so I think I'll go ahead with a full reinstall (my PC was so clogged up that this is probably for the best, anyway). 

Thanks for the help, though. At least I learned a bit about Windows through this.


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

Call Dell Tech Support.
They can, if you explain your circumstance, have the right CD in your hands by tomorrow if you make a strong case.

And, act immediately on a good backup scheme.


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## panja (Sep 4, 2006)

I re-installed Windows XP without the repair option. It warned me that my data would be wiped and that my My Documents folder would also probably be deleted, but I went ahead with it anyway.

And to my surprise, after the reinstall finished, all of my data was still there (though I had to fish for it in a Documents and Settings folder). The only thing that was wiped was my application data. 

So everything worked out well in the end. 

And now that my computer is alive again, the first thing I did was order an external hard drive. Learned my lesson about making backups!


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## Bill_Castner (Aug 17, 2006)

We will call this a happy ending.

Some freeware backup utilities to consider while waiting for your external drive. http://www.nonags.com/nonags/diskbk.html

My own choice would be the commercial product Arcronis True Image
Free trial: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://...esult&cd=2&sig=__-EEYniODLPJFGQJ7W0ub2heb_bU=

Best wishes,
Bill


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## callmepaulu (Oct 24, 2007)

hi , just thought i,d reply here , i just had same problem ,at the "volume is clean" message where it freezes i did same tried to reboot and it did a disc check again and froze at the volume is clean message , this time i hit escape and hey presto windows booted normally , hope this helps somebody in the future.


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## joepfeifer (Jul 10, 2008)

Repair wasn't showing up for him because the windows re-installation disk couldn't even recognize the corrupted windows installation. It didn't know there was a windows volume floating around. That's why you didn't get a repair option...

Unfortunately, I've had the same problem numerous times. The windows installation on the c: drive stops working one day. Boot up the xp repair disk, hit enter, f8, and then watch in despair as it can find no previous installation of windows. (despite having been in it less than 10 minutes previous). I can still access the c: drive from my backup windows installation, so the drive is intact, but something in the windows folder must be borked.

If any could shed any light upon that issue, that would be great. Or if someone knows what file(s) the repair disk looks for to recognize a windows partition, please post! Thanks!


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## Daviddim (Jan 26, 2009)

ok now check this out. im stumped, but same thing happens to me, cant run check disk or a virus scan, my computer fequently freezes, i could just be surfing the internet or just trying to install drivers or programs. ive reformatted, repaired and everytime im back to windows, same thing do u think my hard drive is dead?


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## monkeypete_537 (Sep 22, 2009)

i have the same problem except my when i use the disk to reinstall windows i just get a black screen with a flashing cursor. pls help it is really annoying me


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