Member Avatar for toomutch

Hi,
I have a PC running Windows 8. Every time it boots up it tries to 'Scan and repair disk errors on C:' but never gets above 0% - i.e. it hangs at the very start of the process. The 'circle' icon rotates so it is not that the whole PC has frozen - it's just that the progress never gets above 0%. If I reboot it and manage to 'press a key within one second' to skip the disk check, the PC boots up normally, and I can log in to W8 and everything appears to run properly. I can access emails, my documents, get on the internet, play games etc etc. PC remains on and stable for at least 2 hours. When I next turn on the computer it tries to run chkdsk again, and again hangs at 0%. I have left it scanning overnight, but it still doesn't progress passed 0%. I have tried running 'chkdsk /spotfix c:' and rebooting, but it doesn't appear to do anything different (still stops at 0%) but I don't know how to tell if it's doing the spotfix, or still trying to do the full scan

Is there a way to either a) stop it trying to run chkdsk every time, or b) get it further than 0%.

The PC isn't mine, it was brought to me for repair, so I don't have any background on what was happening when this first started. PC is a HP Pavillion and less than a year old, but I don't know much else about it.

Many thanks,
Toomutch

  • 3 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 285 Views
  • 1 Hour Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by shdwmage

Dani AI

Generated

This pattern — a boot-time disk check that sits at 0% while the system still boots OK when skipped — is usually a sign that the volume is marked for repair or that something is blocking the auto-check. Back up any important files first (as recommended). After a current image or copy is safe, perform a few targeted diagnostics to determine whether the problem is metadata, software interference, or hardware.

Useful diagnostics (run from an elevated Command Prompt when the desktop is accessible):

fsutil dirty query C:

(Checks whether Windows thinks the volume is "dirty".)

chkntfs C:
chkntfs /x C:

(The first shows the scheduled auto-check state; the second temporarily excludes C: from automatic checks while troubleshooting.)

wmic diskdrive get model,serialnumber,status

(A quick SMART/status probe — not exhaustive. If status is anything other than OK, run the drive maker's full diagnostics/long self-test.)

Also inspect the system log for chkdsk output: Event Viewer -> Windows Logs -> Application, look for recent entries from source "Wininit" (that entry contains the auto-check results or errors).

Remediation notes: run offline repairs from the Windows Recovery Environment or from installation media so the volume is not in use; try a clean boot or disconnect external/USB drives to rule out volume conflicts; disabling Fast Startup in Power Options can prevent recurring "dirty" states on some systems. Run system integrity checks (System File Checker and DISM) before assuming hardware failure.

If an offline repair still sits at 0% or SMART/diagnostic tools report errors, treat the drive as failing: keep the backup, image the drive, and replace it. As pointed out, msconfig can clear a scheduled check — using the chkntfs approach above is a safer way to suppress auto-checks while gathering logs and running diagnostics.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for rubberman

It seems there is a subtle corruption of the file system, but not one that keeps the system from running (at least for now). Boot it up, and copy your critical data to an external drive, then either restore the system from the system restore partition (there should be one on the disc), an installation disc, or alternatively, boot a Live Linux CD/USB/DVD drive, and try to fix the NTFS partition with the fsck program that Linux provides. In any case, try one or both of the first 2 suggestions first. As an IT consultant, I would go for the third, but by first removing the drive, and installing it in my Linux system as an extern Sata or USB drive - not advisable for non-experts! :-)

Member Avatar for shdwmage

You can try "chkdsk /f" from an administrative command prompt and reboot.

You should be able to clear the check disk flag from msconfig.

Alternitevally you can boot into the windows recovery console and try manually running the commands there.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.