Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

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AlanMiller
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Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by AlanMiller »

On a friend's computer, they have copped the never-ending cycle of Windows running a chkdsk on every boot. The C: drive is reported as dirty. Is there a way of resetting this bit from some sort of boot to C:? My efforts to start with a safe mode command prompt are to no avail.

They have also mislaid their installation disk(s). Is there a recommended boot CD I could use to try to run a chkdsk /r on C: from?

Any info appreciated.

Alan

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Argus
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by Argus »

A loop, or the Check Disk Tool runs every time the computer is started (before loading Windows)?

It is possible to use Chkntfs to exclude a drive from the scheduled boot-time check. (I.e. we know that a system drive that is online can't be checked with chkdsk /f etc. it needs to be locked, so it offers itself to run at the next reboot.) One can then schedule a /r scan for additional analysis.
AlanMiller wrote:They have also mislaid their installation disk(s).
No surprise there, Alan. :doh:
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viking33
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by viking33 »

Alan,
I'm copying this from a note I had scrawled in Misc. Notes. Hopefully, it's correct. I do know that it corrected that repetitive chkdsk at every boot.
================================
To stop CHKDSK running at every bootup.
iF IT REPORTS A DIRTY BIT IN ONE OR MORE PARTITIONS THEN:
go to CMD PROMPT AND RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR.
CHKNTFS /X c: ( AND ANY OTHER DRIVE/PARTITION found dirty
fsutil dirty query C:
fsutil dirty set C:
-------------------------------------------------------
Hopefully, I read my own scrawl correctly
BOB
:massachusetts: :usa:
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AlanMiller
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by AlanMiller »

OK, thanks guys. I will give those a try next time I see him and report back on success .... or otherwise. :crossfingers:

Alan

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Argus
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by Argus »

In that instruction it ends with a query (if the system drive is dirty) and then sets the dirty bit, Bob. Is the idea that it should then run once, since the dirty bit has been set by the user? I don't think that will work, since it's been excluded in a step just before, chkntfs /x. (To restore default behaviour, disk check: chkntfs /d.)

In fact, I just did that in a VM. I knew it wasn't, but started with a check (FSUTIL Dirty Query C:), then followed:

CHKNTFS /X C: [Excludes C from being checked by autochk, and if found dirty, preventing it from running chkdsk /f.]
FSUTIL Dirty Query C: [No dirty bit is set.]
FSUTIL Dirty Set C: [Dirty bit is set.]

Rebooted the VM, no chkdsk ran (as expected since it had been excluded in first step above), and if I query, the drive now has the dirty bit set (since that was the last step above). Another reboot and no chkdsk, as expected. So I restored default autochk on C (chkntfs /d), rebooted, autochk ran a chkdsk /f, and back at the Desktop FSUTIL didn't find a dirty bit on C.

(Lots of dirty questions here, not my fault. :laugh:)
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Argus
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by Argus »

Sorry, Bob, what I meant to say was as in my first post; CHKNTFS /X excludes selected drives from autochk (and if found dirty a chkdsk run), it will not stop a scheduled scan (either done via CLI/command prompt or via UI tools for the drive). Just found it a bit confusing to exclude a drive from autocheck and then set it as dirty with no further action. (As far as I know, it will be excluded until set to default check, CHKNTFS /D.)
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viking33
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by viking33 »

f you saw my notes on that subject, you would understand that I quite possibly screwed up the sequence of commands.
I'll have to go back and look a LOT closer and will also stop scribbling any notes with my left hand while talking on the phone?
BOB
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Argus
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Re: Resetting a dirty bit on C: drive

Post by Argus »

No problem, Bob. :smile: You introduced fsutil dirty, with query and set.
(One can also check if a disk is dirty or has been scheduled for check at boot time with CHKNTFS C: (i.e. without parameters).)

That said, I'm not sure it (excluding a disk from autochk and running a scheduled scan, perhaps this time with /R) will help Alan's friend. (Don't know if it's a loop, or every time Windows is started.)

Anyhow, Alan, here is an article that covers some different ways (you may have seen); 1, 3 and 4 are via command prompt, Explorer UI and Windows DVD.
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