Very slow running after CHKDSK /f

[a_lexsmith]

Hi

Running Vista on Inspiron 1525, 750GB HDD.

Ran chkdsk /f when Vista locked up. Took 6hrs to complete, and a further 6hrs to reboot to login screen. Now taking over an hour to load up Vista, with an error message from Microsoft Security Essentials saying simply "At Risk". HDD light is solid/constant.

Have had a previous HDD failure so am prepared to have to replace if necessary. Unhelpfully my backup external drive (using Macrium Reflect) also failed last month so I don't have an adequate backup right now.

Should I try to run chkdsk /r, or I also have DiskCheckUp program?

Many thanks in advance.

[PCdoc]

Is the hard drive under warranty?
Did the chkdsk return any errors?

[Allan]

Yes, you should run chkdsk /r as follows: right-click on a command prompt icon and open as administrator. In the command prompt window type: chkdsk /r  (then press ENTER). You'll be told the disk is in use and asked if you want to run checkdisk on the next boot. Say yes, exit the command prompt window, and reboot.

[a_lexsmith]

Many thanks. Sadly I didn't even get as far as Vista loading properly. Hard shutdown, then attempted to boot in Safe Mode with command prompt (plan is to run chkdsk /r from there) - however Vista not even loading in Safe Mode - got as far as loading various drivers, but now blank screen with only mouse pointer active and HDD light constant. Not looking good, suggestions welcome!

[PCdoc]

Asking for the second time: When you did chkdsk /r at first, did it return any error(s) ??
Because if it did not return any error, I would test the RAM (memory) using memtest.

[Allan]

Download & run the hd diagnostic from the website of the hd manufacturer. You can burn it to cd and boot to it to run it.

[a_lexsmith]

Thanks Alan - after 3hrs finally loaded command prompt so now running chkdsk /r. No other Vista functionality at all.

PCDoc - unable to access any Vista functionality so please calm down.

[PCdoc]

PCDoc - unable to access any Vista functionality so please calm down.

Sorry, but I thought you might have seen those errors for a few minutes when it was performing the check disk. Anyways, please follow Allan's advice.

[a_lexsmith]

No dramas, thanks for your help. Chkdsk /r running and fixing bad clusters in files (6 problems so far out of 9,500 analysed) very slowly but hopefully surely... Will then run WD diagnostics software when completed as per Alan's advice.

[Lisa_maree]

Hi

When chkdsk has any problems running . I would bit copy the hard drive immediately. There is no point in trashing a failing hard drive to death before you have the data . And that is what booting many times and running chkdsk does. You can run a repair install on the copy to get windows back booting or you could find that the errors are repaired  by Windows if running the copy on a good drive.

[a_lexsmith]

Thanks Lisa. Chkdsk /r froze at 11% completion having fixed about 20 bad clusters. As Alan suggested, will burn WD Diagnostics CD on another machine and try that.

Have a 2month old Macrium Reflect image on an external drive which also failed and which I'm hoping is retrievable... Can't get into Windows to create a more up to date image.

[a_lexsmith]

Aha I spoke too soon - managed to boot into Windows, very slowly and with a number of error messages (Bluetooth tray and Explore Search Index both not functioning, plus inevitable SMART event warning that disk may fail in near future) - my guess is to try to make a new Reflect image as suggested by Lisa?

[a_lexsmith]

OK I think it's terminal - got WD DataLifeguard diagnostics installed, short test fell over within seconds, long test running now... - managed to view SMART data and Reallocated Sector Count is 133 against threshold of 140

Pray I get Reflect to work...!

Many thanks for generously giving your time everyone, any additional thoughts most welcome.