Scandisk keeps restarting.

Scandisk says I need to run a thorough scan because I have an error on my drive (The electricians turned the power off without asking). Scandisk runs everytime I start my computer now on thorough setting but it never finishes, it just restarts. I have also tried running in safe mode but it still restarts with absolutelt nothing running. I was thinking of running scandisk in dos but i dont know how to do this because this laptop does not have a floppy or cd drive and I doubt it can boot from USB. This computer is running windows ME. Is there anyway to boot into dos or run scandisk without it restarting? Or is there any program superior to scandisk?

Thanks.

- Dale

 

Can you fully start to the OS (Win ME) at any time?

 

Yes, i can fully start the OS if I cancel scandisk.

 

Have you tried running scandisk from within the OS?

Can you borrow an external CD drive from anyone? Most reliable disk scaners will need exclusive access to the drive and the majority of the time that means booting from their media (either floppy or more likely CD).

 

I suppose I could purchase an external usb cd drive?

will any of these work?

Edit:

maybe something like this...?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Super-Slim-Ex...300|66:4|65:12|39:1|240:1318#ebayphotohosting

But i suspect this does not work at boot up...

 

Yes that kind of thing but you did point out the boot up issue (sorry completly missed that).

What model laptop do you have? There must be some way to boot it without the onboard HD.

 

It is a Compaq Armada M300.

There are docking stations available for these laptops but they are very expensive, around £40 without media...

 

Are you in the UK Dale?

If so I'll PM you my number and we can talk live regarding this.

 

Just a thought, but have you tried running scandisk in DOS? I remember having to do that on my Win98 system a couple times. You should be able to find the DOS prompt under Accessories in your Start menu.

Mike

 

Typing scandisk in Msdos just brings up the GUI.

Yes I am located in UK around manchester.

Another thought:

I could install a light linux dsitro on another partition and run a disk checking utility from there...?

 

The linux Idea is a good one, no need to install though. Google Live Distro, those will run straight from the CD/DVD without needing installed.

I've PM'd my number if you prefer to talk rather than type obviously if you do we'll post any solution found for others.

Do'h Message to self, recap on earlier posts before making stupid suggestions

Installing on a separate partition may be possible but how would you do it without boot media?

 

The only thing I can think of right now is to use a Virtual Machine manager and and ISO image of a Linux distro but I'm not sure how reliable the hard disk interface would be between the physical drive and the virtual machine.

Perhaps worth considering though?

 

I dont think my laptop will be able to run any virtual machine... it has trouble running itself

Im sorry but I dont know how to check pms.

I have a friend that has an external usb drive, maybe I could ask to borrow that and test if it works botting with my laptop, it did with theirs and that was an old laptop too. If it does work while I am testing it I could fix this issue and then get myself one for in the future too...

 

Sounds good, probably the best course of action.

To read a PM at the top of the page below your Username on the right hand side you'll see a link to private messages.

We'll wait until you test that external drive and take it from there, keep my number just in case though.

 

I was hoping that would help. Sorry.

 

Thanks MinnesotaMike for the suggestion, maybe 98 is different from Millennium in this way...

But thanks anyway.

My friends aay at the moment but I will be able to ask him in the next few days.

I will post results here. Will this post stay open?

 

Yea, this post should stay open for quite awhile. I'll be curious to see what the solution is since I have a friend with ME. Just in case he has the same problem some day.

Mike