Check Disk Problems

[Ocala Mike]

This is an odd one. I like to run the "Check Disk" utility on the MS-DOS screen once in a while (and sometimes my desktop runs it on its own). When I type in the Chkdsk command, I get "Access Denied." ??????

PS: My ancient desktop, running Windows XP, is functioning more or less normally. Could this have something to do with Windows XP no longer being supported?

[Augenj]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

This is an odd one. I like to run the "Check Disk" utility on the MS-DOS screen once in a while (and sometimes my desktop runs it on its own). When I type in the Chkdsk command, I get "Access Denied." ??????

PS: My ancient desktop, running Windows XP, is functioning more or less normally. Could this have something to do with Windows XP no longer being supported?

I can't remember XP that well but it sounds like you need Administrator authority.

[whodoyoulike]

My laptop running Windows XP doesn't even offer the check disk option. I checked the help file. I used to run it on my desktop Windows 98 along with the defrag tool option.

[whodoyoulike]

Sorry, I should have searched Chkdsk instead of check disk. The search result provided this:

"The chkdsk command with the parameters listed below is only available when you are using the Recovery Console. The chkdsk command with different parameters is available from the command prompt.

chkdsk [drive:] [/p] [/r]

Parameters

none

Used without parameters, chkdsk displays the status of the disk in the current drive.

drive:

Specifies the drive that you want chkdsk to check.

/p

Performs an exhaustive check even if the drive is not marked for chkdsk to run. This parameter does not make any changes to the drive.

/r

Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. Implies /p.

Note

The chkdsk command requires the file Autochk.exe. If it cannot find it in the startup directory (\%systemroot%\System32, by default), it will attempt to locate it on the Windows Installation CD. If you have a multiboot computer, be sure you are issuing this command from the drive containing Windows."

Hope this helps.

[Longshot6977]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

This is an odd one. I like to run the "Check Disk" utility on the MS-DOS screen once in a while (and sometimes my desktop runs it on its own). When I type in the Chkdsk command, I get "Access Denied." ??????

PS: My ancient desktop, running Windows XP, is functioning more or less normally. Could this have something to do with Windows XP no longer being supported?

The cmd.exe command which runs the MS dos screen (as well as some other commands) needs to be run in 'elevated mode' under Administator privileges, otherwise you get this error message. Don't worry, it's super easy to to. If you're running Win 7, try these 6 steps. If you're running XP, try them anyway ( I use Win7)

1) Click on the Start button and choose All Programs
2) Then choose Accessories
3) Right click on Command Prompt
4) Choose Run As Administrator
5) Choose Yes on the User Account Control pop up window. If needed, type in your Admin password or the password of another user that has Admin privileges ( I don't know your setup) if your user account is a standard account. The elevated command prompt window appears.
6) Type chkdsk with any switches you need. Press enter. Type Exit when finished and press Enter.

[headhawg]

Windows XP isn't like Windows Vista or later versions so you can't use the steps given by Longshot. It sounds like the general suggestions are good ones, though. Ocala Mike -- are you logged in to the computer with an administrator account when you try to run chkdsk? It doesn't have to be 'Administrator'; just a user account that belongs to the Administrators group. If you are then it's something else causing the access problem so let us know.

[GameTheory]

Originally Posted by headhawg

Windows XP isn't like Windows Vista or later versions so you can't use the steps given by Longshot. It sounds like the general suggestions are good ones, though. Ocala Mike -- are you logged in to the computer with an administrator account when you try to run chkdsk? It doesn't have to be 'Administrator'; just a user account that belongs to the Administrators group. If you are then it's something else causing the access problem so let us know.

Even if you are the administrator I think you have to start the command prompt explicitly "as administrator" (or else the option would have no purpose, right?).

[headhawg]

Originally Posted by GameTheory

Even if you are the administrator I think you have to start the command prompt explicitly "as administrator" (or else the option would have no purpose, right?).

The OP stated that he has Win XP, so I'm assuming this is the machine that he has the problem on and answered accordingly. (It's not totally clear as he mentions MS-DOS as well.) The elevated command prompt is not the same as using the "Run as" option which lets you be logged in as a non-admin and then use the option to escalate priveleges to run an admin-level utility.

[GameTheory]

Originally Posted by headhawg

The OP stated that he has Win XP, so I'm assuming this is the machine that he has the problem on and answered accordingly. (It's not totally clear as he mentions MS-DOS as well.) The elevated command prompt is not the same as using the "Run as" option which lets you be logged in as a non-admin and then use the option to escalate priveleges to run an admin-level utility.

Seems like that option is always there, maybe not. (I'm always logged in as administrator.)

[Ocala Mike]

I'm logged in as Administrator ok, and I've pretty much tried all the above suggestions - still says access denied.

I used to type chkdsk C:/f/r to get to where it would schedule to run the utility upon the next start up, but something has caused my access to be denied. Very strange.

[DJofSD]

Try this:

to get permission to do CHKDSK/f. you could try enabling the 'super admin account'

Click Start.

In the Search field, type CMD.

On the list of available programs, right click the Command Prompt icon and click Run as Administrator.

In the black window, type: net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

The system should return you with the following message: The command completed successfully.

Now, exit the Command Prompt and click the Start icon.

Log off from the current account and in the Account window you should now see the Administrator account.

Done!
If you want to turn off the Admin account, type: net users administrator /active:no

[vegasone]

If you don't specify a a drive other than the one that is the main drive it won't work. In order to chkdsk/f your main drive you would need to boot on a floppy if my memory is correct(Been a long while). Try just running chkdsk without parameters and see what happens

[Ocala Mike]

Tried all of the above suggestions to no avail. Thanks anyway, guys.

[Red Knave]

Mike

did you try this ? Read it all the way through.

[vegasone]

Should work since will run before windows boots.