Slightly Corrupt Boot Drive - Can't AUTOCHK because I installed software and need to Restore. Can't Restore because the volume needs to be Autochk'd

1

After solving this Video card problem, on my Windows 7 box, I find myself with a slightly corrupted boot volume. It boots, but wants to run Autochk.

Autochk refuses to run because I've reinstalled my video drivers. It's telling me to go back to a restore point.

System restore tells me that I can't run a system restore because my C: drive is corrupt and I need to run Autochk.

I can deal with ignoring the "please run chkdsk" for all of eternity, however I know well enough that sooner or later, some file will go astray and I'll have to run chkdsk.

I've tried rebooting to Safe Mode with Command Prompt, but running CHKDSK /F from the command line gives me a similar "needs system restore" prompt. Running CHKDSK /F from within Windows has predictable non-results.

I've tried running a command-line system integrity check utility and it reports no errors.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the video drivers. Those don't work either.

EDIT: I booted from my Windows installation USB key, entered the recovery console, ran a CHKDSK /F. It appeared to run successfully. It reported no errors. I rebooted normally and still get the message that AUTOCHK cannot run.

CORRECTION TO EDIT: I ran CHKDSK /F on drive C:, which was not the boot drive when booting from my USB key. The correct drive to CHKDSK was F:, which when run did report errors that were corrected. A subsequent boot indicates that the problem has been fixed.

Bob Kaufman

Posted 2013-03-25T16:30:50.180

Reputation: 501

What filesystem issues do you still have? Didn't "CHKDSK /F" fix the reported errors? – Don Juan dePython – 2013-03-26T17:01:01.590

@DonJuandePython - Yes it did. I will clarify in my post. – Bob Kaufman – 2013-03-27T03:09:47.130

Answers

2

Boot your PC from the Windows installation CD and choose R to enter the recovery console. From there you can do a chkdsk /f.

If you don't have a Windows CD, you can use Hiren's Boot CD.

Don Juan dePython

Posted 2013-03-25T16:30:50.180

Reputation: 184

I did not suggest to boot into Safe Mode from the current hard disk, but to boot from a Windows Installation CD (or Hiren's Boot CD). If the filesystem is not "mounted" by the installed OS, maybe it will enable him to override the problem and do a chkdsk. – Don Juan dePython – 2013-03-25T17:34:18.573

My bad, downvote removed. – terdon – 2013-03-25T17:37:47.317

@DonJuandePython - see edit in OP. – Bob Kaufman – 2013-03-25T18:21:09.020

Asked: 2013-03-25T16:30:50.180

Viewed: 2 268 times

Active: 2013-03-27T03:10:21.773