Blue Screen - Disk needs consistency check

I'm running XP, SP2 (for over 18 months on a 5-year-old Gateway). For the past several weeks the following problem pops up at startup about 80% of the time:
"One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. "
If I don't hit Enter within 10 seconds the system proceeds with the checking of files, folders and free space; wasting 15 minutes of my time; and NEVER finding a probem. If I manage to hit Enter within the prescribed 10 seconds the computer seems to make a normal startup (i.e. I see no troubles with anything I run).

I've used up my TWO free calls to MicroSoft for other things and am reluctant to pay $35 for what MIGHT just be an easy fix.

Short of disk formatting, what do you suggest?

 

Do you have S.M.A.R.T. enabled in your BIOS? If so, disable it.
What is S.M.A.R.T.?
http://www.pcmech.com/show/harddrive/158/

Let's check for something else, go to Start\Run, type in chkdsk /f. You will be prompted to reboot, and see if it is the same thing.

 

If chkdsk /f does not solves your problem, try chkdsk /r.

 

71sigma,

Any corrections 'chkdsk' makes will be listed in the Management Console (MMC). Right-click 'MyComputer', then select 'Manage'. In the MMC under System Tools open the Event Viewer, then the Application log. If you just ran 'chkdsk' the logs will be at the top of the list, if not look for them by date and time. HTH

B

 

Thanks markp62, rsinfo and Mr. B.
First of all, I had considered running chkdsk; but was sort of hoping that our friends at MicroSoft had developed a WINDOWS tool to accomplish that task. I'm not afraid of using DOS tools (after all I've been computing since before Bill Gates was born). Long story, short: I went into BIOS and disabled SMART; that didn't solve anything. Tried running chkdsk /f from Start | Run... but system wouldn't allow it so replied Y to run it next restart. Restart ran the chkdsk OK, but I still had the problem. Did the same procedure with chkdsk /r. System seems to now be OK, but I'm not betting on it. I went to MMC a few minutes ago and there is just TONS of stuff there. I checked the times that chkdsk had run and saw that an event called "1517" had run; there was no indication that anything had been corrected. By the way, after previous automatic consistency checks and after both chkdsk runs the summary shows 32KB in Bad Sectors. Would be nice if I could make things automatically jump over the bad sectors; or maybe it already does. I really don't want to do a disk format, YET!

 

If you have run chkdsk /r. it would have already tagged the bad sectors as bad (probably the 32 k you are seeing). Just keep your eyes open & backup up to date. If you face more problems, I would replace the hard disk.

 

It may be some sort of pre-load check, suggest emailing Gateway support and asking if it can be disabled.

I am wondering if Norton Utilities may prove to be any help?

Matt

 

(rsinfo) Your suggestion concerning replacing the hard drive scares me. The current hard drive is the SECOND one for this particular machine. I think I'd rather replace the entire machine; been kicking that around for a year or so now.
(mattman) This machine is so old that I doubt Gateway would be of any help; it was through a previous problem that they coerced me into upgrading from 98SE to XP about 18 months ago. Norton (I use their SystemWorks and AV), although they've never admitted it, seems to have been the cause of some of my past problems.
(anyone) Some might even suggest that some of my problems are caused by the users (just me); and that's entirely possible. But I'll keep slogging along believing that it's the machine and/or the software. Thanks everyone for checking in.

 

Check if your hard disk in warranty period or not. If it is, get it replaced ASAP.

 

I occasionally get asked about old products that we make where I work. I will answer to the best of my knowledge, I know it is in the best interests of consumer relations. If they are only interested in current products, bare that in mind when you purchase the next product. Any response, even a "Sorry... ", means something for me. If I have a 5 year old product, I may well be in the market for a new one.

Matt