Scandisk "looping"

We had a crash on my kids machine.

These may not be related, but I'll give both just incase.

First:

It reported that C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WBEM\REPOSITORY\CIM.REP had an incorrect
size, and offered to repair it.

I told it to go ahead.

Second:

All attempts to run Scandisk have resulted in Scandisk "looping." It says
"Checking file allocation tables..." then "Checking folders..." When it gets
to two bars on "Checking folders..." it goes back to "Checking file allocation
tables..." and repeats. It's been doing this for a half an hour. Same
behavior in Safe Mode or running normally.

It did give me the ten-tries bit, saying that something else was writing to the
disk. I brought up Process Explorer and killed everything I could find that
didn't seem necessary (and discovered that I was wrong about a couple of them
when the system stopped pretty dead after killing them).

Advice, clues, commiseration?

- Bill

Alias
Wed May 31 19:48:33 CDT 2006

William J. Leary Jr. wrote:
> We had a crash on my kids machine.
>
> These may not be related, but I'll give both just incase.
>
> First:
>
> It reported that C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WBEM\REPOSITORY\CIM.REP had an incorrect
> size, and offered to repair it.
>
> I told it to go ahead.
>
> Second:
>
> All attempts to run Scandisk have resulted in Scandisk "looping." It says
> "Checking file allocation tables..." then "Checking folders..." When it gets
> to two bars on "Checking folders..." it goes back to "Checking file allocation
> tables..." and repeats. It's been doing this for a half an hour. Same
> behavior in Safe Mode or running normally.
>
> It did give me the ten-tries bit, saying that something else was writing to the
> disk. I brought up Process Explorer and killed everything I could find that
> didn't seem necessary (and discovered that I was wrong about a couple of them
> when the system stopped pretty dead after killing them).
>
> Advice, clues, commiseration?
>
> - Bill
>
>

Do it in Safe Mode.

Alias

William
Wed May 31 19:58:18 CDT 2006

"Alias" <aka@[notme]maskedandanonymous.org> wrote in message
news:OsQsdURhGHA.3900@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> William J. Leary Jr. wrote:
> > We had a crash on my kids machine.
> >
> > These may not be related, but I'll give both just incase.
> >
> > First:
> >
> > It reported that C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WBEM\REPOSITORY\CIM.REP had an incorrect
> > size, and offered to repair it.
> >
> > I told it to go ahead.
> >
> > Second:
> >
> > All attempts to run Scandisk have resulted in Scandisk "looping." It says
> > "Checking file allocation tables..." then "Checking folders..." When it
gets
> > to two bars on "Checking folders..." it goes back to "Checking file
allocation
> > tables..." and repeats. It's been doing this for a half an hour. Same
> > behavior in Safe Mode or running normally.
> >
> > It did give me the ten-tries bit, saying that something else was writing to
the
> > disk. I brought up Process Explorer and killed everything I could find that
> > didn't seem necessary (and discovered that I was wrong about a couple of
them
> > when the system stopped pretty dead after killing them).
> >
> > Advice, clues, commiseration?
> >
> > - Bill
>
> Do it in Safe Mode.

Tried that, no good.

Last sentence, first paragraph under "Second:" says "Same behavior in Save Mode
or running normally."

- Bill

Mart
Wed May 31 22:03:47 CDT 2006

Bill,

WBEM - Could that be MS Web-Based Enterprise Management perhaps?

However, try running scandisk in Real Mode DOS. But be aware that you
*might* just have a faulty hard drive and therefore you *may* be putting
your data at risk.

Boot, using your WinMe Startup (floppy) Disk and select 'With CD-ROM
Support' then at the A:\> prompt, type "scandisk c:" (no quotes and note
there is a colon after the letter c) then press Return.

Follow the screen prompts - and for the first time at least, (unless you are
happy that either the disk is OK, or you can sacrifice your data) tell it
NOT to do a Surface Scan. See what it reports and keep a check on its
progress.

If it reports major problems, copy your important data to another drive (or
media) before attempting to write (surface scan) to the disk.

Don't forget to remove the floppy disk BEFORE you tell the machine to
reboot.

Good luck

Mart



"William J. Leary Jr." <Bill_Leary@msn.com> wrote in message
news:FMmdneTehJk3puPZnZ2dnUVZ_t-dnZ2d@comcast.com...
> "Alias" <aka@[notme]maskedandanonymous.org> wrote in message
> news:OsQsdURhGHA.3900@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> William J. Leary Jr. wrote:
>> > We had a crash on my kids machine.
>> >
>> > These may not be related, but I'll give both just incase.
>> >
>> > First:
>> >
>> > It reported that C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WBEM\REPOSITORY\CIM.REP had an
>> > incorrect
>> > size, and offered to repair it.
>> >
>> > I told it to go ahead.
>> >
>> > Second:
>> >
>> > All attempts to run Scandisk have resulted in Scandisk "looping." It
>> > says
>> > "Checking file allocation tables..." then "Checking folders..." When
>> > it
> gets
>> > to two bars on "Checking folders..." it goes back to "Checking file
> allocation
>> > tables..." and repeats. It's been doing this for a half an hour. Same
>> > behavior in Safe Mode or running normally.
>> >
>> > It did give me the ten-tries bit, saying that something else was
>> > writing to
> the
>> > disk. I brought up Process Explorer and killed everything I could find
>> > that
>> > didn't seem necessary (and discovered that I was wrong about a couple
>> > of
> them
>> > when the system stopped pretty dead after killing them).
>> >
>> > Advice, clues, commiseration?
>> >
>> > - Bill
>>
>> Do it in Safe Mode.
>
> Tried that, no good.
>
> Last sentence, first paragraph under "Second:" says "Same behavior in Save
> Mode
> or running normally."
>
> - Bill
>
>

William
Wed May 31 23:48:31 CDT 2006

"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:uOSYBgShGHA.1260@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> WBEM - Could that be MS Web-Based Enterprise Management perhaps?

There's quite a number of files and several directories within \windows\wbem,
so I suppose it could be. I don't recall ever explicitly installing it, but
after looking around in the directory, I recalled that I've seen it before.

> However, try running scandisk in Real Mode DOS. But be aware that you
> *might* just have a faulty hard drive and therefore you *may* be putting
> your data at risk.

Seems unlikely the drive is bad, but I've been doing all runs with the
automatic repair option turned off.

I thought of doing exactly this after I posted the original message. The
machine won't boot from my startup disk, though my other machine will. The
drive hasn't been used in many months, and from the way it's behaving, I
suspect the drive is crudded up again. Seems to happen every time I need it.
I'll clean it tomorrow and try again.

Now, here's another oddity to throw into the mix. The disk check which is part
of defrag DOES work. Goes right through taking the same amount of time it
always takes (about a minute) and finds no errors. I don't know what that
means relative to the problem.

- Bill

Mart
Thu Jun 01 14:31:33 CDT 2006

Bill wrote :-

> The machine won't boot from my startup
> disk .... and from the way it's behaving, I
> suspect the drive is crudded up again ..

I assume that you were referring to your A: drive. They soon get "crudded
up" due to the fans sucking (dusty) air in through the disk aperture. A
regular little vacuum cleaner <g>

> The disk check which is part
> of defrag DOES work.

IIRC - doesn't it only do a (very) lite check?

Mart


"William J. Leary Jr." <Bill_Leary@msn.com> wrote in message
news:3cKdnWry78oC7OPZnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@comcast.com...
> "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:uOSYBgShGHA.1260@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> WBEM - Could that be MS Web-Based Enterprise Management perhaps?
>
> There's quite a number of files and several directories within
> \windows\wbem,
> so I suppose it could be. I don't recall ever explicitly installing it,
> but
> after looking around in the directory, I recalled that I've seen it
> before.
>
>> However, try running scandisk in Real Mode DOS. But be aware that you
>> *might* just have a faulty hard drive and therefore you *may* be putting
>> your data at risk.
>
> Seems unlikely the drive is bad, but I've been doing all runs with the
> automatic repair option turned off.
>
> I thought of doing exactly this after I posted the original message. The
> machine won't boot from my startup disk, though my other machine will.
> The
> drive hasn't been used in many months, and from the way it's behaving, I
> suspect the drive is crudded up again. Seems to happen every time I need
> it.
> I'll clean it tomorrow and try again.
>
> Now, here's another oddity to throw into the mix. The disk check which is
> part
> of defrag DOES work. Goes right through taking the same amount of time it
> always takes (about a minute) and finds no errors. I don't know what that
> means relative to the problem.
>
> - Bill
>
>

William
Fri Jun 02 01:55:41 CDT 2006

"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:%23FUu%23HbhGHA.3956@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Bill wrote :-
>
> > The machine won't boot from my startup
> > disk .... and from the way it's behaving, I
> > suspect the drive is crudded up again ..
>
> I assume that you were referring to your A: drive.

Yes.

> They soon get "crudded up" due to the fans sucking
> (dusty) air in through the disk aperture. A regular
> little vacuum cleaner <g>

Yes. This machine is the worst. It's in the front hall, and only about a foot
off the floor. I have to keep cleaning out the inside of the case just to keep
the bugger from overheating. I get a fist full of cat hair out of it each
time. Last night I'd finally had enough of that and put it up on the shelf
above the monitor rather than in the housing it's supposed to go in in the
lower right of the desk. Still haven't cleaned the floppy out, but read below
for why...

> > The disk check which is part
> > of defrag DOES work.
>
> IIRC - doesn't it only do a (very) lite check?

As I recall, yes.

Now here's another "odd" to finish this off. After cleaing the inside of the
machine and moving it as noted above, it passed the normal defrag. And hasn't
issued it's "overheat" warning again either. I'm now led to suspect that it
was just SHORT of overheating (that is, the BIOS SMI thermal trip) during the
earlier failures and once I cleaned out the dust, and moved it to where it got
less dust and hair and more air, it moved far enough away from being too hot
that it works now.

- Bill

Mart
Fri Jun 02 02:16:07 CDT 2006

Bill wrote :-

> ... once I cleaned out the ..
> and hair ..
> ... hasn't
> issued it's "overheat" warning again either.
> I'm now led to suspect that it
> was just SHORT of overheating

Ah! no longer Hot - so I guess you could say 'it's hair today and warm
tomorrow'

..... Sorry

I blame it all on Harry <g>

Mart



"William J. Leary Jr." <Bill_Leary@msn.com> wrote in message
news:ULmdnVYXSd1wfeLZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@comcast.com...
> "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:%23FUu%23HbhGHA.3956@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Bill wrote :-
>>
>> > The machine won't boot from my startup
>> > disk .... and from the way it's behaving, I
>> > suspect the drive is crudded up again ..
>>
>> I assume that you were referring to your A: drive.
>
> Yes.
>
>> They soon get "crudded up" due to the fans sucking
>> (dusty) air in through the disk aperture. A regular
>> little vacuum cleaner <g>
>
> Yes. This machine is the worst. It's in the front hall, and only about a
> foot
> off the floor. I have to keep cleaning out the inside of the case just to
> keep
> the bugger from overheating. I get a fist full of cat hair out of it each
> time. Last night I'd finally had enough of that and put it up on the
> shelf
> above the monitor rather than in the housing it's supposed to go in in the
> lower right of the desk. Still haven't cleaned the floppy out, but read
> below
> for why...
>
>> > The disk check which is part
>> > of defrag DOES work.
>>
>> IIRC - doesn't it only do a (very) lite check?
>
> As I recall, yes.
>
> Now here's another "odd" to finish this off. After cleaing the inside of
> the
> machine and moving it as noted above, it passed the normal defrag. And
> hasn't
> issued it's "overheat" warning again either. I'm now led to suspect that
> it
> was just SHORT of overheating (that is, the BIOS SMI thermal trip) during
> the
> earlier failures and once I cleaned out the dust, and moved it to where it
> got
> less dust and hair and more air, it moved far enough away from being too
> hot
> that it works now.
>
> - Bill
>
>

Noel
Fri Jun 02 03:28:14 CDT 2006

LOL!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's
"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:eps7rRhhGHA.1320@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Bill wrote :-
>
>> ... once I cleaned out the ..
>> and hair ..
>> ... hasn't
>> issued it's "overheat" warning again either.
>> I'm now led to suspect that it
>> was just SHORT of overheating
>
> Ah! no longer Hot - so I guess you could say 'it's hair today and warm
> tomorrow'
>
> ..... Sorry
>
> I blame it all on Harry <g>
>
> Mart
>
>
>
> "William J. Leary Jr." <Bill_Leary@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:ULmdnVYXSd1wfeLZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@comcast.com...
>> "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>> news:%23FUu%23HbhGHA.3956@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> Bill wrote :-
>>>
>>> > The machine won't boot from my startup
>>> > disk .... and from the way it's behaving, I
>>> > suspect the drive is crudded up again ..
>>>
>>> I assume that you were referring to your A: drive.
>>
>> Yes.
>>
>>> They soon get "crudded up" due to the fans sucking
>>> (dusty) air in through the disk aperture. A regular
>>> little vacuum cleaner <g>
>>
>> Yes. This machine is the worst. It's in the front hall, and only about
>> a foot
>> off the floor. I have to keep cleaning out the inside of the case just
>> to keep
>> the bugger from overheating. I get a fist full of cat hair out of it
>> each
>> time. Last night I'd finally had enough of that and put it up on the
>> shelf
>> above the monitor rather than in the housing it's supposed to go in in
>> the
>> lower right of the desk. Still haven't cleaned the floppy out, but read
>> below
>> for why...
>>
>>> > The disk check which is part
>>> > of defrag DOES work.
>>>
>>> IIRC - doesn't it only do a (very) lite check?
>>
>> As I recall, yes.
>>
>> Now here's another "odd" to finish this off. After cleaing the inside of
>> the
>> machine and moving it as noted above, it passed the normal defrag. And
>> hasn't
>> issued it's "overheat" warning again either. I'm now led to suspect that
>> it
>> was just SHORT of overheating (that is, the BIOS SMI thermal trip) during
>> the
>> earlier failures and once I cleaned out the dust, and moved it to where
>> it got
>> less dust and hair and more air, it moved far enough away from being too
>> hot
>> that it works now.
>>
>> - Bill
>>
>>
>
>

William
Fri Jun 02 08:00:03 CDT 2006

"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:eps7rRhhGHA.1320@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Bill wrote :-
> > ... once I cleaned out the ..
> > and hair ..
> > ... hasn't
> > issued it's "overheat" warning again either.
> > I'm now led to suspect that it
> > was just SHORT of overheating
>
> Ah! no longer Hot - so I guess you could say 'it's hair today and warm
> tomorrow'

My father used to say things like that.

> ..... Sorry

Yeah, and he usually said that afterwards too. Nobody believed he was "sorry"
either. :)

> I blame it all on Harry <g>

Well, he never did try to blame his on other people, but if it works for you...
:) :)

Back to the subject of the thread... it's a funny thing, but a good deal of my
job is debugging the interface between hardware and software. That is, when
something wonks up, was it a firmware/software bug, or did the hardware foul
up? I *always* consider marginal thermals on the job. It just didn't occur to
me to apply it to a system in my own house. I simply assumed that if it wasn't
giving a thermal warning, all was well.

- Bill

Noel
Fri Jun 02 08:34:56 CDT 2006

...that's one reason why I always set up the BIOS options (if available) to
warn at a lower temp than the recommended.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's
"William J. Leary Jr." <Bill_Leary@msn.com> wrote in message
news:i7OdnTXjIajOqx3ZnZ2dnUVZ_s-dnZ2d@comcast.com...
I *always* consider marginal thermals on the job. It just didn't occur to
> me to apply it to a system in my own house. I simply assumed that if it
> wasn't
> giving a thermal warning, all was well.
>
> - Bill
>
>

Joan
Fri Jun 02 10:24:45 CDT 2006

ROFL
Joan


Mart wrote:
>
> Ah! no longer Hot - so I guess you could say 'it's hair today and warm
> tomorrow'
>
> ..... Sorry
>
> I blame it all on Harry <g>
>
> Mart
>

William
Fri Jun 02 15:33:20 CDT 2006

"Noel Paton" <NoelDPspamless@crashfixpc.com> wrote in message
news:u$S1VlkhGHA.4404@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> ...that's one reason why I always set up the BIOS options (if available) to
> warn at a lower temp than the recommended.

I tried that initially, but was getting what I'd assumed were false warnings.
Maybe they weren't. But as may be, with the setting anything below the
defaults, I often got warnings from it. Now that I've moved it up to where it
gets much better air flow, perhaps it will work.

Thanks for reminding me. I'll have to try it again.

- Bill