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CHKDSK -- What Is It, and How Can I Use It? |
The information in this document applies to:
WordPerfect® 5.1 for DOS
Problem
Solutions: The CHKDSK (Check Disk) command analyzes the file allocation table (FAT), the directory, and any subdirectories on a disk. Check Disk also analyzes the status of computer memory. Possible formats: CHKDSK CHKDSK B:(drive) CHKDSK/F CHKDSK B:(filename)/F/V CHKDSK is an external command that checks the status, or condition, of a disk's data. After typing CHKDSK a status report will appear if there are no error messages. The first four lines report the total disk space taken up, the number of files on diskette, and the remaining available space. The last two lines report on the amount of memory used up and the amount still available. If the amount still available does not equal 655360 do not be alarmed. There are many bios chip software version that take a portion of the memory for transient operations. FEATURES: 1. If a filename is included in the command, CHKDSK will display the number of noncontiguous areas (sectors) on the disk that contain the named file. While files that are highly fragmented (having many noncontiguous areas) are acceptable, they can slow down system performance. If you use the wildcard *.* as a filename, CHKDSK will report on each fragmented file on the disk. A fragmented file can be copied into a contiguous area on another disk with the COPY command. There is no parameter or way to specify a "directory only" CHKDSK status report. The CHKDSK only checks whole disks such as A: or C:, not C:\WP51\FILES. 2. By including the /f (fix) switch in the CHKDSK command, you can instruct CHKDSK to correct any errors it finds. If you do not use the /f switch, CHKDSK functions as though it were correcting the errors but it will not actually write the corrections to the disk. Typing Y as a response instructs CHKDSK to recover the cluster, place it in a file, and assign a name to that file. The file is in the root directory of the specified drive, and the filename takes the form: FILExxxx.CHK where xxxx is a sequential number starting at 0 Sometimes CHKDSK cannot recover all the lost data in one pass. There may be times when CHKDSK should be run several times to clean up the disk. 3. The /V switch will direct CHKDSK to display the name of each subdirectory and file located on the disk and to provide more detailed information about any errors it has found. 4. You can redirect the status report and any messages to a disk file by using the following command: C>CHKDSK B:>file Note: Do not use the /f switch in the CHKDSK command if you are redirecting CHKDSK's output. Allocation error for file, size adjusted This message will contain the name of a file having an invalid FAT entry. If the /f parameter has been used, the file will be truncated (cut short) at the end of the sector that corresponds to the last valid entry. Cannot CHDIR to file specification Tree cannot be processed beyond this point An error exists in the directory entries. CHKDSK cannot follow the directory entries to the path being checked. Contains invalid cluster, file truncated This message means the same as the one for allocation error. Contains noncontiguous blocks This message is preceded by the name of a file. The message states that the file is not stored in one contiguous area on the disk but rather in xxx different areas. Although this message does not indicate a problem with the disk, such a condition may slow down system performance. A badly fragmented file should be copied onto a contiguous block of another disk. Convert directory to file (Y/N)? This message is preceded by the name of a directory (or subdirectory) that is no longer functional because of one or more invalid entries. CHKDSK asks if you want this directory converted to a file (which could then be examined with DEBUG). If you enter "Y" (and /f was included in the CHKDSK command), the directory will be converted to a file. If you enter "N", no conversion is made. Convert lost chains to files (Y/N)? A cluster is a unit of space on a disk. The cluster is said to be "lost" when the Fat entry for the cluster is a non zero number but the cluster does not belong to any file. A contiguous set of lost clusters is called a lost chain. This message asks if you want each lost chain stored in a file. If you reply "Y", Dos creates a separate file for each lost chain. The files are named filennnn.CHK, where nnnn is a sequential number beginning with 0000. If you reply "N", DOS converts to zero the entries in the FAT that correspond to the lost chains and makes available for new files the areas in the disk occupied by the lost chains. Regardless of your reply, no changes will be written to the disk if you did not include /f in the CHKDSK command. Disk error writing FAT x CHKDSK was unable to update the FAT. The x will either be 1 or 2, depending on which copy of the FAT CHKDSK was trying to update. Error found, F parameter not specified Corrections will not be written to disk The /f switch was not included with the CHKDSK command. The results of the CHKDSK analysis will be displayed, but no changes will be written to the disk. Filename is cross-linked: On cluster xx Two files are said to be cross-linked when the FAT indicates that a cluster belongs to both files. The message will be displayed twice, once for each file that is cross-linked. CHKDSK does not take any action when this situation occurs. Cross-linked files can be salvaged, either partially or entirely, by copying each of the files onto another disk. First cluster number is invalid, Entry truncated This message will be preceded by the name of a file. The file's first cluster, which is located in the file directory, is invalid. The file will be truncated to length of zero if the /f parameter was included in the CHKDSK command. Insufficient Room In Root Directory Erase Files From Root And Repeat CHKDSK CHKDSK has been instructed to convert lost chains into files. Unfortunately, there is not enough room in the root directory for all the files that CHKDSK wants to create. To solve this problem, copy the files already recovered to another diskette. Then delete the recovered files from the original diskette. Rerun CHKDSK on the original diskette to recover the remaining lost chains. Invalid Subdirectory CHKDSK has found an invalid entry in the subdirectory that is named. CHKDSK will attempt to correct the error if the /f parameter was included in the CHKDSK command. Probable non-DOS disk Continue (Y/N)? The first byte of the FAT does not contain a valid entry. CHKDSK will indicate the possible corrective measures if you reply with "Y". However, the changes will not be written to the disk if the /f parameter was not included in the CHKDSK command. xxxxxxx bytes disk space freed An error in the FAT has been corrected by truncating a file. The portion of the disk previously allocated to the file is now available for data storage. xxx lost clusters found in yyy chains A cluster is "lost" if the Fat entry for the cluster is a nonzero number but the cluster does not belong to any file. A contiguous group of lost clusters is called a lost chain. CHKDSK will ask if you want to convert each lost chain to a file or if you want to free disk space taken up by the chains. If a file is corrupted due to "lost clusters", copying a new version the file will fix the corrupted file. |
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