ScanDisk, lost cluster

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

March 9, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

"Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>

> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart, system

>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

>> some

>> info:

>>

>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>> cluster

>> as free space.

>

> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses in the

> "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>

>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is it

>> safe for hard drive?

>

> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>

>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>

> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest of

> cleanup.

>

> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked files,

> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash left a

> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a disk

> operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and not from

> this crash.

>

>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>

> Add the switch /checkonly.

> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>

Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's the only

way to do exactly what you asked to do.

SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

March 9, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

"Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message

news:u8ShN2egIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>

> > Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

system

> > start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

some

> > info:

> >

> > File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

> cluster

> > as free space.

> >

> > Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is it

> > safe for hard drive?

>

> This is normal and safe. Every cluster=logical sector of the

> hard drive has an identifying number. The FAT (= File

> Allocation Table = directory of contents) is a record of

> filenames and the numbers of every sectors used by every file

> (in sequence.) Your ScanDisk process discovered a single

> logical sector (out of thousands) listed nowhere in the

> FAT but not shown as "free space" -- therefore marked

> it "free space" i.e. free to use. That is all.

>

> > Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>

> No file is damaged and nothing need be "removed."

>

> > How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>

> Set appropriate check boxes on the ScanDisk main panel.

>

> --

> Don Phillipson

> Carlsbad Springs

> (Ottawa, Canada)

---------

If do a ScanDisk Thorough test: there is an 'Options' tab, where is 2

checkboxes below: 'Do not perform write-testing', 'Do not repair bad sectors

in hidden and system files'. Should we check it? Will it better do test in

Safe Mode?

Thank you,

S.

March 9, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

"SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

news:enRyUsfgIHA.5208@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>

> "Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message

> news:u8ShN2egIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>

>> > Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

> system

>> > start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

> some

>> > info:

>> >

>> > File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>> cluster

>> > as free space.

>> >

>> > Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is

>> > it

>> > safe for hard drive?

>>

>> This is normal and safe. Every cluster=logical sector of the

>> hard drive has an identifying number. The FAT (= File

>> Allocation Table = directory of contents) is a record of

>> filenames and the numbers of every sectors used by every file

>> (in sequence.) Your ScanDisk process discovered a single

>> logical sector (out of thousands) listed nowhere in the

>> FAT but not shown as "free space" -- therefore marked

>> it "free space" i.e. free to use. That is all.

>>

>> > Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>

>> No file is damaged and nothing need be "removed."

>>

>> > How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>

>> Set appropriate check boxes on the ScanDisk main panel.

>>

>> --

>> Don Phillipson

>> Carlsbad Springs

>> (Ottawa, Canada)

> ---------

>

> If do a ScanDisk Thorough test: there is an 'Options' tab, where is 2

> checkboxes below: 'Do not perform write-testing', 'Do not repair bad

> sectors

> in hidden and system files'. Should we check it? Will it better do test in

> Safe Mode?

These are boxes for fairly sophisticated diagnosticians to use. 'Do not

perform write-testing' is much faster, but also only returns half the data

you're looking for. However, if you know enough to know you don't need the

missing half, who cares?

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

March 12, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

On Sun, 9 Mar 2008 15:37:27 +0200, "SANTANDER"

<santander@microsoft.news> wrote:

>Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart, system

>start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was some

>info:

>

>File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost cluster

>as free space.

>

>Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is it

>safe for hard drive?

>Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>

>How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

I too wanted and still would like to run through all the testing

before fixing anything, but with time I've gotten a lot more

confidence in Scandisk, and drives are so large that I no longer want

to take the time to test without fixing.

8 or 10 or more years ago when I was having a lot of crashes and using

versions of Eudora email that didnt' do well in crashes, I had my

options set to not change lost clusters into free space, but to make

files out of them. Then I would use the List command** to look

quickly at all of the new files, and occasionally I would find whole

mailboxes that either were copies of mailboxes I still had, or in a 3

or 4 cases were THE mailbox, when it was missing from Eudora. In one

or more cases I was able to actually restore the mailbox, and in

others I was able to rename the file and keep my mail all in one

sequential file, not easy to use but better than nothing in case I

needed it.

**part of Norton DOS and I forget the real name under which it is

marketed. Why a command or program like this isn't available from

other writers I don't know. Without List or the equivalent, browsing

say 100 big files is very time consuming. "List" is a DOS command

that doesn't provide the ability to edit, so there is no need to copy

the file to a work area, which takes a lot of time. And it doesn't

care what the extension is, or have any tendency to look at a file in

a web broswer or .gif editor. It just looks at the raw data,

simultaneously in hex and in display mode or whatever the opposite of

hex is. One can just look at the file where it is, and there is no

limit to the size of the file. So with one finger on the Page Down

button and another on the Escape button, going back and forth from

finger to finger, one can look at 100 megs of data spread over 200

files in 10 minutes or less.

Eventually I learned more about how data is stored and that much that

looked like I needed it was just a copy of what I still had. But I

would wait a few weeks before doing any of this to see if a mailbox

for example was missing, if I couldn't remember what mailboxes were

open during the crash. But Eudora was been fixed I guess years ago

because this hasn't happened for years, despite some freezes and

crashes. I mention it because you seem like you are interested in

all this nuts and bolts stuff.

But I havent' come across data that I need for years, and, partly

because I don't have List installed on this computer, usually just

wait a month or two to see if anything comes up missing, and then just

delete the files I've created with scandisk, which makes them back

into free space.

>Thanks,

If you are inclined to email me

for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

April 21, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

"Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>

>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>> system

>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

>>> some

>>> info:

>>>

>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>>> cluster

>>> as free space.

>>

>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses in

>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>

>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is it

>>> safe for hard drive?

>>

>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>

>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>

>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest of

>> cleanup.

>>

>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked files,

>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash left a

>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a disk

>> operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and not from

>> this crash.

>>

>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>

>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>

>

> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's the

> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>

> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>

> --

> Gary S. Terhune

> MS-MVP Shell/User

---------

what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

samtander

April 21, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

"SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>

> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>

>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>>> system

>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

>>>> some

>>>> info:

>>>>

>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>>>> cluster

>>>> as free space.

>>>

>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses in

>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>

>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is

>>>> it

>>>> safe for hard drive?

>>>

>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>

>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>

>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest of

>>> cleanup.

>>>

>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked files,

>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash left a

>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a

>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and not

>>> from this crash.

>>>

>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>

>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>

>>

>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's the

>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>

>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>

>> --

>> Gary S. Terhune

>> MS-MVP Shell/User

> ---------

>

> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>

> samtander

>

April 21, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of no use.

Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you can recover

something, if it was otherwise deleted.

Gary S. Terhune wrote:

> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>

> --

> Gary S. Terhune

> MS-MVP Shell/User

>

> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>

>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>

>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>>>> system

>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

>>>>> some

>>>>> info:

>>>>>

>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>>>>> cluster

>>>>> as free space.

>>>>

>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

>>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses in

>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>

>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is

>>>>> it

>>>>> safe for hard drive?

>>>>

>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>

>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>

>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest of

>>>> cleanup.

>>>>

>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked files,

>>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash left a

>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a

>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and not

>>>> from this crash.

>>>>

>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>

>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>

>>>

>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's the

>>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>

>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>

>>> --

>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>> ---------

>>

>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>

>> samtander

April 21, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

No, then you LOOK at those CHK files using WordPad and try to figure out

what's in them and maybe identify what file(s) were lost. Once you've

gleaned all the info you can (and even perhaps saved some important data),

THEN you can delete them.

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:ehmdJ08oIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of no

> use.

> Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you can recover

> something, if it was otherwise deleted.

>

> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>>

>> --

>> Gary S. Terhune

>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>

>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>

>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>

>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>>>>> system

>>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there was

>>>>>> some

>>>>>> info:

>>>>>>

>>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>>>>>> cluster

>>>>>> as free space.

>>>>>

>>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

>>>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses in

>>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>>

>>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface? Is

>>>>>> it

>>>>>> safe for hard drive?

>>>>>

>>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>>

>>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>>

>>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest

>>>>> of

>>>>> cleanup.

>>>>>

>>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked

>>>>> files,

>>>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash left

>>>>> a

>>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a

>>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and not

>>>>> from this crash.

>>>>>

>>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>>

>>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's the

>>>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>>

>>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>>

>>>> --

>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>> ---------

>>>

>>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>>

>>> samtander

>

April 22, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

Whenever it's happened and I've looked at them, about the only thing I've

ever been able to glean is some text out of it (from a word processor type

of file). I've never been able to recover or use its data, except to get

an idea of what I was writing at the time. Outside of that (and that

ain't much!), it's always ended up being useless for me. Have you had

some different experiences?

Gary S. Terhune wrote:

> No, then you LOOK at those CHK files using WordPad and try to figure out

> what's in them and maybe identify what file(s) were lost. Once you've

> gleaned all the info you can (and even perhaps saved some important data),

> THEN you can delete them.

>

> --

> Gary S. Terhune

> MS-MVP Shell/User

>

> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

> news:ehmdJ08oIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of no

>> use. Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you can

>> recover

>> something, if it was otherwise deleted.

>>

>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>>>

>>> --

>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>

>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>

>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>

>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>>>>>> system

>>>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there

>>>>>>> was

>>>>>>> some info:

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the lost

>>>>>>> cluster as free space.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

>>>>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses

>>>>>> in

>>>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface?

>>>>>>> Is

>>>>>>> it safe for hard drive?

>>>>>>

>>>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>>>

>>>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest

>>>>>> of cleanup.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>>>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked

>>>>>> files,

>>>>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash left

>>>>>> a

>>>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a

>>>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and

>>>>>> not

>>>>>> from this crash.

>>>>>>

>>>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's the

>>>>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>>>

>>>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>>>

>>>>> --

>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>> ---------

>>>>

>>>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>>>

>>>> samtander

April 22, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

Yeah, I've actually managed to recover quite a bit of lost word processing

that I was able to clean up. But you're right that they're almost always

garbage.

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:edcngKCpIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Whenever it's happened and I've looked at them, about the only thing I've

> ever been able to glean is some text out of it (from a word processor type

> of file). I've never been able to recover or use its data, except to

> get an idea of what I was writing at the time. Outside of that (and

> that ain't much!), it's always ended up being useless for me. Have you

> had some different experiences?

>

> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>> No, then you LOOK at those CHK files using WordPad and try to figure out

>> what's in them and maybe identify what file(s) were lost. Once you've

>> gleaned all the info you can (and even perhaps saved some important

>> data),

>> THEN you can delete them.

>>

>> --

>> Gary S. Terhune

>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>

>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>> news:ehmdJ08oIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>> And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of no

>>> use. Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you can

>>> recover

>>> something, if it was otherwise deleted.

>>>

>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>>>>

>>>> --

>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>

>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>>

>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>>>>>>> system

>>>>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there

>>>>>>>> was

>>>>>>>> some info:

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the

>>>>>>>> lost

>>>>>>>> cluster as free space.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>>>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has an

>>>>>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses

>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface?

>>>>>>>> Is

>>>>>>>> it safe for hard drive?

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the rest

>>>>>>> of cleanup.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>>>>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked

>>>>>>> files,

>>>>>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash

>>>>>>> left a

>>>>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted a

>>>>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and

>>>>>>> not

>>>>>>> from this crash.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>>>>

>>>>>> --

>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>> ---------

>>>>>

>>>>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>>>>

>>>>> samtander

>

April 22, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

That's about it - getting some text out of it. That's kinda what I was

getting at.

Gary S. Terhune wrote:

> Yeah, I've actually managed to recover quite a bit of lost word processing

> that I was able to clean up. But you're right that they're almost always

> garbage.

>

> --

> Gary S. Terhune

> MS-MVP Shell/User

>

> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

> news:edcngKCpIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>> Whenever it's happened and I've looked at them, about the only thing I've

>> ever been able to glean is some text out of it (from a word processor

>> type

>> of file). I've never been able to recover or use its data, except to

>> get an idea of what I was writing at the time. Outside of that (and

>> that ain't much!), it's always ended up being useless for me. Have you

>> had some different experiences?

>>

>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>> No, then you LOOK at those CHK files using WordPad and try to figure out

>>> what's in them and maybe identify what file(s) were lost. Once you've

>>> gleaned all the info you can (and even perhaps saved some important

>>> data),

>>> THEN you can delete them.

>>>

>>> --

>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>

>>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>>> news:ehmdJ08oIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>> And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of no

>>>> use. Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you can

>>>> recover

>>>> something, if it was otherwise deleted.

>>>>

>>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>>> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>>>>>

>>>>> --

>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>

>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>

>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After restart,

>>>>>>>>> system

>>>>>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there

>>>>>>>>> was

>>>>>>>>> some info:

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the

>>>>>>>>> lost

>>>>>>>>> cluster as free space.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>>>>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has

>>>>>>>> an

>>>>>>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage addresses

>>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk surface?

>>>>>>>>> Is

>>>>>>>>> it safe for hard drive?

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the

>>>>>>>> rest

>>>>>>>> of cleanup.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and accurately

>>>>>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked

>>>>>>>> files,

>>>>>>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash

>>>>>>>> left a

>>>>>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted

>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and

>>>>>>>> not

>>>>>>>> from this crash.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>>>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> --

>>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>> ---------

>>>>>>

>>>>>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>>>>>

>>>>>> samtander

April 22, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

Others with better tools could likely read what we can't. Would be helpful

to know the name of a file that's been trashed. Or, from the code, at least

the general subject matter.

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:uL9SwYCpIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> That's about it - getting some text out of it. That's kinda what I was

> getting at.

>

> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>> Yeah, I've actually managed to recover quite a bit of lost word

>> processing

>> that I was able to clean up. But you're right that they're almost always

>> garbage.

>>

>> --

>> Gary S. Terhune

>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>

>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>> news:edcngKCpIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>> Whenever it's happened and I've looked at them, about the only thing

>>> I've

>>> ever been able to glean is some text out of it (from a word processor

>>> type

>>> of file). I've never been able to recover or use its data, except to

>>> get an idea of what I was writing at the time. Outside of that (and

>>> that ain't much!), it's always ended up being useless for me. Have

>>> you

>>> had some different experiences?

>>>

>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>> No, then you LOOK at those CHK files using WordPad and try to figure

>>>> out

>>>> what's in them and maybe identify what file(s) were lost. Once you've

>>>> gleaned all the info you can (and even perhaps saved some important

>>>> data),

>>>> THEN you can delete them.

>>>>

>>>> --

>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>

>>>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>>>> news:ehmdJ08oIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>> And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of

>>>>> no

>>>>> use. Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you can

>>>>> recover

>>>>> something, if it was otherwise deleted.

>>>>>

>>>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>>>> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> --

>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>>

>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After

>>>>>>>>>> restart,

>>>>>>>>>> system

>>>>>>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file, there

>>>>>>>>>> was

>>>>>>>>>> some info:

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the

>>>>>>>>>> lost

>>>>>>>>>> cluster as free space.

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters". Clusters

>>>>>>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has

>>>>>>>>> an

>>>>>>>>> address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage

>>>>>>>>> addresses

>>>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk

>>>>>>>>>> surface?

>>>>>>>>>> Is

>>>>>>>>>> it safe for hard drive?

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the

>>>>>>>>> rest

>>>>>>>>> of cleanup.

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and

>>>>>>>>> accurately

>>>>>>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked

>>>>>>>>> files,

>>>>>>>>> for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a crash

>>>>>>>>> left a

>>>>>>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise interrupted

>>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too, and

>>>>>>>>> not

>>>>>>>>> from this crash.

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>>>>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> --

>>>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>>> ---------

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> samtander

>

April 22, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

I got its name for you. It's File0001.chk. What more could one ask

for? :-)

Gary S. Terhune wrote:

> Others with better tools could likely read what we can't. Would be helpful

> to know the name of a file that's been trashed. Or, from the code, at

> least

> the general subject matter.

>

> --

> Gary S. Terhune

> MS-MVP Shell/User

>

> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

> news:uL9SwYCpIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> That's about it - getting some text out of it. That's kinda what I was

>> getting at.

>>

>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>> Yeah, I've actually managed to recover quite a bit of lost word

>>> processing

>>> that I was able to clean up. But you're right that they're almost always

>>> garbage.

>>>

>>> --

>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>

>>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>>> news:edcngKCpIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>> Whenever it's happened and I've looked at them, about the only thing

>>>> I've ever been able to glean is some text out of it (from a word

>>>> processor

>>>> type of file). I've never been able to recover or use its data,

>>>> except to

>>>> get an idea of what I was writing at the time. Outside of that (and

>>>> that ain't much!), it's always ended up being useless for me. Have

>>>> you had some different experiences?

>>>>

>>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>>> No, then you LOOK at those CHK files using WordPad and try to figure

>>>>> out

>>>>> what's in them and maybe identify what file(s) were lost. Once you've

>>>>> gleaned all the info you can (and even perhaps saved some important

>>>>> data),

>>>>> THEN you can delete them.

>>>>>

>>>>> --

>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>

>>>>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>>>>> news:ehmdJ08oIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>>> And then delete those chk files, since, AFAIK, they are generally of

>>>>>> no use. Although sometimes (if they were originally text files) you

>>>>>> can

>>>>>> recover something, if it was otherwise deleted.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>>>>> Let it "fix" them by saving them as files.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> --

>>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>>> news:O7N4GS6oIHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>>>> news:OII7MwfgIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message

>>>>>>>>> news:et8NRefgIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> "SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

>>>>>>>>>> news:ut3r$kegIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>>>>>>>> Some applications hung up, so I restarted computer. After

>>>>>>>>>>> restart,

>>>>>>>>>>> system

>>>>>>>>>>> start ScanDisk to check hard drive for errors. In log file,

>>>>>>>>>>> there

>>>>>>>>>>> was some info:

>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>> File system: There was one lost cluster. ScanDisk reclaimed the

>>>>>>>>>>> lost cluster as free space.

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> The disk storage is logically divvied up into "clusters".

>>>>>>>>>> Clusters

>>>>>>>>>> typically contain 2 to 64 KB or more of storage. Each cluster has

>>>>>>>>>> an address. Logical data is mapped to those physical storage

>>>>>>>>>> addresses in

>>>>>>>>>> the "File Allocation Tables" (FATs). There is

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>> Does this mean logical error, not physical damage of disk

>>>>>>>>>>> surface?

>>>>>>>>>>> Is it safe for hard drive?

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> 'Yes', 'no damage', and 'yes'.

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>> Does it possible find the damaged file and remove it?

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> The damage, if any, was already mostly cleaned up. This was the

>>>>>>>>>> rest of cleanup.

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> This error results from the FAT not being completely and

>>>>>>>>>> accurately

>>>>>>>>>> updated during some past disk operation. If you get cross-linked

>>>>>>>>>> files, for instance, you usually get lost clusters, too. Or, if a

>>>>>>>>>> crash

>>>>>>>>>> left a

>>>>>>>>>> non-saved file that "almost disappeared", or otherwise

>>>>>>>>>> interrupted a

>>>>>>>>>> disk operation. The garbage may have been around a while, too,

>>>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>>>> not from this crash.

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>> How to make Thorough test without fixing anything?

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> Add the switch /checkonly.

>>>>>>>>>> Command-Line Parameters for the Scandisk Tool

>>>>>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199557

>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> Sorry, I thought you were asking about a command-line prompt. It's

>>>>>>>>> the only way to do exactly what you asked to do.

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> SCANDISK /CHECKONLY /SURFACE

>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>> --

>>>>>>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>>>>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>>>>>>>> http://www.grystmill.com

>>>>>>>> ---------

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> what if Scandisk find two lost clusters?

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> samtander

April 22, 2008

Re: ScanDisk, lost cluster

Heh, heh...

--

Gary S. Terhune

MS-MVP Shell/User

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:Ozbuu$CpIHA.3976@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I got its name for you. It's File0001.chk. What more could one ask

>for? :-)

>

> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>> Others with better tools could likely read what we can't. Would be

>> helpful

>> to know the name of a file that's been trashed. Or, from the code, at

>> least

>> the general subject matter.

>>

>> --

>> Gary S. Terhune

>> MS-MVP Shell/User

>>

>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>> news:uL9SwYCpIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>> That's about it - getting some text out of it. That's kinda what I

>>> was

>>> getting at.

>>>

>>> Gary S. Terhune wrote:

>>>> Yeah, I've actually managed to recover quite a bit of lost word

>>>> processing

>>>> that I was able to clean up. But you're right that they're almost

>>>> always

>>>> garbage.

>>>>

>>>> --

>>>> Gary S. Terhune

>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User