Windows/Data corruption with defrag???

[Devnull]

My system setup

Abit NF7-S
Barton 2500+ @ 11x200
2x512MB Kingston HyperX @ CL2
550W Enermax
Sapphire X800XT PE VIVO
HD #1 WD Raptor 74GB (WinXP SP2 + Games)
HD #2 WD 250GB SE SATA (WinXP SP2 + older games, apps, videos, pics, documents etc...)
HD #3 WD SE 120GB IDE (Win2k SP3, Old drive, misc stuff)

So yesterday afternoon I decided to defrag my raptor, booted into WinXP onto my HD #2, and defragged the raptor from there so it got at all the system files, page file etc... Booted onto the raptor and it works fine. Then from there I decided to defrag HD #2 and #3. I finished defragging the second drive and was defragging thr third one but after an hour it was only 10% or so in and was currently moving some game file so I just stopped it and decided to finish later.

Today I try to boot into the windows install on my #2 HD the 250GB WD and I get an error about /system32/config being missing or something. I turn the computer off and try again, same message. While reading this drive from my other windows intall, some files appear to be corrupt, images or zip files that won't open, exe files that will not run. I don't know what to make of it at all.

So I try to boot onto my #3 HD the old 120GB WD and towards the end of it loading windows I just get a screen of a bunch of colored lines and it locks up. Tried to boot into Win2k again and my machine simply reboots while loading windows.

I have ran AVG Anti-Virus and TDS-3 and have ran memtest recently. I can think of any software/hardware problems that would cause this...

 

[Major_A]

So the Raptor still boots? If it does open the Run... box and tryp chkdsk d: /f and repeat for disk e:. Most likely it will tell you it will check the disk on the next reboot.

 

[Devnull]

yes everything on the raptor is quite intact... Was just playing some games and stuff on here today when I tried to boot onto my other drive to burn a DVD and no go. I could run chkdsk but that's not something I'd like to do as a first option. I've had it actually cause a HD crash on a drive that appeared to be working fine.

 

[Major_A]

Have you messed with any of the Disk Management( in Administrative Tools) tools in the Control Panel?

 

[Devnull]

Have you messed with any of the Disk Management( in Administrative Tools) tools in the Control Panel?

nope...


I just ran chkdsk without the F parameter on both drives. The 250GB drive checked out fine, but the 120GB one did not.

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is 120SE.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
Deleting corrupt attribute record (160, $O)
from file record segment 130441.
Deleted corrupt attribute list entry
with type code 160 in file 4479.
Deleted corrupt attribute list entry
with type code 144 in file 4479.
Deleting corrupt attribute record (144, $O)
from file record segment 4479.
Deleting corrupt attribute record (160, $O)
from file record segment 118196.
Deleting corrupt attribute record (160, $O)
from file record segment 188462.
File verification completed.
Deleting orphan file record segment 118196.
Deleting orphan file record segment 130441.
Deleting orphan file record segment 188462.

Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

 

[Devnull]

Oh and I just ran it on my raptor and got some errors

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Raptor.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...
Security descriptor verification completed.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

72597703 KB total disk space.
45287400 KB in 48447 files.
18892 KB in 2294 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
123311 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
27168100 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
18149425 total allocation units on disk.
6792025 allocation units available on disk.

 

[Devnull]

I let chkdsk do its thing on my raptor and it fixed some errors... I am reluctant to run it on my other drives. I've had chkdsk destroy a parition table before and cause other issues. Nothing on my raptor but OS + Games.

 

[Devnull]

My only other theory other than the defrag somehow causing it is the past two nights I've watched some movies on my new 19" LCD... And I'm also running with the side panel off since it's been hot. And I was using speakers to watch stuff last night, so I am thinking possible EMI from the speakers as another cause? They're 10 year old yamaha speakers that I got when I had a 486, they still work great but I have no idea if they're shielded.

 

[Devnull]

I was able to repair the WinXP install on my #2 drive and now that I don't have to worry about per missions I actually don't see any evidence of data loss YET. I had to copy over the files in \windows\repair to \windows\system32\config and reinstall sp2 updates drivers etc.. Any idea what could corrupt two windows installs on different drives at/around the same time?

 

[DougLite]

[thread=761272]Corruption 101[/thread] - There are 101 ways to corrupt data on hard disks.

 

[Devnull]

I really need some help with this... I had passed it off as being due to me running more agressive memory timings recently(even though they went through memtest overnight fine.) So I lowered them quite a bit and went back to doing my thing.

Last night I was encoding some DVDs from TV captures, video editing etc some fairly system itensive stuff. And I found that my usenet client would no longer download even though it was connected to the server. I changed the cache/download directories to use my raptor instead of the 250GB drive and it worked fine. Ran chkdsk on my 250GB drive and it found a long list of errors again

I then got a stop error BSOD without any driver or specific error message while I was idle, just web browsing.


I am really at a loss. To diagnose my problem I have ran memtest, with no errors but used slower speeds on my memory anyways. I put the side panel back on my case because I thought it could have been due to EMI. Checked all my bios settings for something I wouldn't normally use. Checked my voltages, they seem fine and my 550W enermax is fairly new.


Things I have changed recently:

One month ago I got a Raptor and started using it as my main os drive.

About two weeks ago I added a 120mm fan in my front of the case blowing air from outside of the case onto my HDs, it is a 12v DC fan but with a non-standard 2pin connector so it may not have been meant for a PC. I don't think a fan could cause it I don't know.

Was running more agressive memory timings for a time.

A few weeks ago I had a problem where my computer would not start up and I got a two-toned alarm. It turned out that was due to overheating. My CPU and HS were making very poor thermal contact so I had to replace the thermal compound. That makes me wonder if my CPU was damaged?

At this point I really suspect some kind of CPU/MB problem to be the cause. I'd appreciate any help or ideas. Thanks

 

[Ice Czar]

http://www.ata-atapi.com/atact.htm


USING ATACT

well this is how I did it, and it was only employed on my PATA onboard channels
so for IDE Cards or RAID Channels, SATA ports, youll have to blunder around yourself

download ATACT demo
extract and change the .ug files to .txt files and read them
Download Dr DOS
run it and it will extract to a new floopy
access the floppy and remove the CONFIG.SYS file
(if you employ an MS-DOS boot disk you also need to remove the AUTOEXEC.BAT)
then add the ATACT.EXE file to it

reboot and change your boot order to floopy first if it isnt already
I was prompted to enter the Date and Time (???)
and then given an A:/ prompt
I always check the directory at that point (just to be sure)
A:/DIR which looked OK so
A:/ATACT P0 = runs on Primary Channel Device Zero (Master)
A:/ATACT P1 = runs on Primary Channel Device One (Slave)
A:/ATACT P01 = runs on Primary Channel Both Devices
A:/ATACT S0 = runs on Secondary Channel Device Zero (Master)
A:/ATACT S1 = runs on Secondary Channel Device One (Slave)
A:/ATACT S01 = runs on Secondary Channel Both Devices

there are lots of other switches, troubleshooting and modes
but I havent tried them, so Good Luck
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
if your showing errors there could be EMI corruption that can be fixed with rerouting, or new cables

Id also start logging your volatges with MBM

you cant "fully" test RAM with memtest at leat with the moduals in the same order
http://www.lostcircuits.com/memory/ultrax/

The advantage of having a non-DOS or Windows based test program is quite simple. If an operating system is running, the area of memory containing the OS or reserved for the OS cannot be tested correctly. Usually, the workaround in a situation like this is to alternate DIMMs between two memory slots since the operating system will be loaded onto the higher (Win9x) or the lower number DIMM (all other operating systems). Thus, by switching DIMMs back and forth between slots, one DIMM can always be kept free of the OS which, then allows complete testing of the module. The natural drawback is that every DIMM has to be tested twice which can be rather time-consuming.

 

[Devnull]

You know I had some issues trying to run that util in the past but I guess I can try it again.


I am having problems with onboard SATA & PATA both.

 

[Ice Czar]

yeh Ive still only run it with the native PATA channels
I get pretty good error reports logged tothe event file with the SX6000

I edited a little known memory testing consideration in above

Good Luck

that whole article is worth a read BTW

 

[Rembrandt]

Questions:
1: Did you change or unhook any of the parallel cables?
2: What was the latest software you installed or removed?
3: How old is the PSU?
4: Do you have Norton’s Works?

If you unhooked the parallel cable from a HD and hooked it up again but it is not seated just right, it could cause the problems you are describing.

Installing some software or removing some could cause a problem. Also a Worm or Trojan could also do this.

A failing PSU will corrupt a windows setup if it is not supplying enough Amps to the drives or motherboard.

Norton’s Works has saved many a person with a corrupt Windows system or programs without having to reinstall the OS.

 

[Devnull]

Questions:
1: Did you change or unhook any of the parallel cables?
2: What was the latest software you installed or removed?
3: How old is the PSU?
4: Do you have Norton’s Works?

If you unhooked the parallel cable from a HD and hooked it up again but it is not seated just right, it could cause the problems you are describing.

Installing some software or removing some could cause a problem. Also a Worm or Trojan could also do this.

A failing PSU will corrupt a windows setup if it is not supplying enough Amps to the drives or motherboard.

Norton’s Works has saved many a person with a corrupt Windows system or programs without having to reinstall the OS.

1. Nope...
2. Mostly just games, fary cry etc.. Installed Nero the other night, and CCE, some other small tools.
3. New, less than a year. Was a replacement for a nobrand PSU(was sold to me as an antec case/psu but clearly was not)
4. Nope... I don't have any norton software except for NAV and its not installed at present. I pretty much consider anything norton to be bloatware.

Only one of my hard drives is parallel and I don't think there is any problem with the cable. I am having more problems with my SATA drives. I don't think it's the PSU, I really think its the mobo. I've checked with AVG, NAV and TDS-3 so I don't suspect a virus or trojan...

 

[Rembrandt]

You do not have software corruption; you do not have a PSU problem; it is highly unlikely that multiple HD’s have gone bad at the same time; cables are connected correctly. Two possibilities in my book:
1: What is the name of the defraggmentation program that you use?
2: problems with the momo!

 

[Devnull]

Just used the windows xp defrag. Anyways I am pretty sure the defrag was not the cause because the problems first occured then, but its been a while and they reappeared. This is very odd, but I may end up with an excuse to upgrade

 

[Devnull]

I really don't know what to do here. I guess my mobo and cpu are probably still under warranty so RMA is an option...


The other night I downloaded a xvid video and I thought it was a poor encode because much of it looked blocky and there was some skipping... But the encode was fine it's just my system =/ I ditched my overclock and played it from my raptor and it seemed to play fine.

 

[Rembrandt]

After reading this over a couple of times, I have a conclusion for you. Windows defrag program sees the non-boot disk as just files. If you are on disk 2, it sees the boot sector on disk 2 because it is active but it will not see the boot setup on the other disks and it sees them as just files. It was defraging boot sector items out of the boot sector and causing corruption. Download the free trial version of PerfectDisk 7 and install it on each boot drive and then defrag each boot drive while you are in that boot drive. Do it as a smart placement defrag instead of just doing a defragment only. Then do an offline defrag for the metadata files. It will take longer but you will be happy with the results. It may take a few defrags over a few days to completely defrag and compile the boot up items because PerfectDisk is a smart system that learns what is being used and were. Chkdsk is your friend and never be afraid of using it.

 

[Devnull]

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Raptor.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...
Security descriptor verification completed.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

72597703 KB total disk space.
54674812 KB in 41827 files.
16820 KB in 2530 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
126603 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
17779468 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
18149425 total allocation units on disk.
4444867 allocation units available on disk.

That same error keeps cropping up on my raptor... I've been doubtful that the defrag caused that kind of problem just since new types of issues seem to be cropping up...

the fact that a video that was encoded fine had tons of artifacts just says data errors from FSB/chipset/memory(seems to be ruled out) problems or something.

 

[Rembrandt]

You have really eliminated almost all the possibilities that it could be other than the Mombo or the CPU. It is really the only choice in the next step. Wish I could help more but you are at that stage in the game to return something. Call Abit and tell them you need a replacement and see if they come up with something different. If they do and it works, I would like to know what it was.

 

[phaelinx]

I just use O&O Server edition.. I defrag all 3 harddrives at the same time overnight.. I usually do the OS drive as "frequently modified" and the other 2 drives as "space".. I have had 0 problems so far, and I have the same setup as Devnull does. 74g OS drive, 250g storage with a 120g storage..