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Windows-Delayed Write failed (MFT)

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by Member 25371377

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At times after I install a program and then reboot, I receive the following warning, "Windows was unable to save all data for the file C:\$Mft. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere."

When I then check on the current installation of the program I just installed, it is't in my "All Programs" folder anymore. If I do a chkdsk /f and then reboot, my system is totally wiped clean of everything having to do with that particular program.

How do I correct this? How do I save that file elsewhere? Thank you everyone for your time and support!!!!!!!!!!

Running Windows XP Professional, with 256 MB of RAM

11 replies

by dklippert

Could be a bad drive. Try running CHKDSK /R on the disks.

Also look here:
(Type the Q number in the solutions using box at support.microsoft.com)
Cluster Disks May Be Incorrectly Accessible from All Nodes

Q275704

by Member 25371377

Thanks for the link. What does CHKDSK /R do? I went ahead and reformatted because my problem kept getting worse and worse. I thought that maybe it was my drive, but I've not ever had problems with it before and am not having problems with it now since after the reformat.

by xiaxiong

Two possibles:

1) You don't have the appropriate permissions for installing the software. The software may require administrator access. Make sure that the account you are using to install it has local admin access.

2) Your printer and file sharing has been removed or corrupted. Go into your network properties and reinstall file and printer sharing. You may also try to manually reshare your C drive as C$.

If that doesn't work, tell us more about the program you are installing. Does this happen with any program you are trying to install, or just one specific program? If so, what is the program?

by Member 25371377

I was installing with administrator access, checked the file and printer sharing which you refurred to. I was having the problem with many different programs, not just one. Thanks...

by douglas_debow

Sounds like a cashe problem with the hard disk. With 256mb ram windows has lots of space for cashing. But to be safe slow down your ram timing in the bios first, if it works your ram is the problem. (if your not sure about timming setting's check the manual first)
If not look up your drive manufacturer on the net see if there's a jumper setting to disable the cashe (ibm harddrives usualy have cashe jumpers) or software to disable the cashe (like some maxtor and wd drives).
Running chkdsk /fwill delete all the mixed up allocation tables (there goes the install)
By asking you save that file elsewhere they mean to a totally different drive.
I hope it help's

by douglas_debow

on a short note the software should check to see if it has enough space to install to. You might double check how much free space is left. just to make sure it fit's. could be it just ran out of space right at the end.

by Member 25371377

I checked my bios and didn't see where to slow down the ram timing. I also have plenty of room on the drive. Thanks

by blackcurrant

Hi

It may be that the data that should be saved to this file during shutdown can not be saved because the shutdown is too fast.

You can fix this by editing the registry. Make sure you have a verified backup of the registry before proceeding.
1. Go to Start|run, type regedit, click OK
2. Navigate to:
HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion
3. Right click the mouse in an empty part of the right-hand pane, and select New, DWord.
4. Call it CacheWriteDelay
5. Doubleclick CacheWriteDelay and enter a decimal value of 2000 or 3000 (the equivalent of 2 or 3 seconds)
6. Close regedit

This procedure delays shutdown, allowing the system time to transfer the contents of the cache to the hard drive. If your error message persists after this, I should contact the application manufacturer.

Hope this is useful

Mark

by Member 25371377

Thank you all for your time and suggestions. I went ahead and reformatted the hard drive last Thursday (12/20). I believe the problem started after I converted from FAT32 to NTFS (being that the MFT deals with NTFS and not FAT32) I didn't have anyproblems before then.

I did try all the suggestions but the last one, since today was really the only time that I've had to check back in. I my attempt to reinstall XP Pro, in the next few days if God be with me! Today if I'm really daring!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again ???

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