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Can't complete scan disk

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by jalmaraz

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(OS: Windows ME) When running Scandisk, the process never get's completed, it seems to go back to check from the begining over an over. Similar thing happens with defragmentation, but defrag finishes because it covers a small % every time it rechecks to 100%. I don't have any programs running and I stopped all items at the task bar.
Thanks in advance for your help.

12 replies

by grbeckmeyer

Boot in safe mode and you should be able to get the job done. Something is running in the background and causing scandisk to keep restarting, Anti-virus programs are usually a prime suspect.

by b.scott1

Disable all virus scanners first. Most virus scanners have an app that runs in the back ground that checks files in real time. This invariably causes problems with degfragging and scanning.

Also make sure all screen savers are deactivated as well. Some scanners (McAfee in particular) have an app that does a full drive scan when the screen saver kicks in.

Barring all that, if you are having problems and are trying to do a full hard drive file and physical disk scan, use a boot disk to bootto a dos prompt and do a scandisk from the prompt.

I have had this problem myself in the past and I did the scandisk from the DOS prompt then the one from insode Windows worked most of the time. Haven't had any issues since moving to W2K pro.

by still_learning

I have had to do this also. It does eventually finish although it may still prompt you after 10 restarts. Another thing to check is to make sure that you have disabled the screen saver.

by b_pope

go to start menu click on run & type msconfig, this will bring up your system configuration utility.

click on the tab that says startup, these are all the programs that load & are running when you boot up your PC.

I found the best thing to do is write them down & go into each of these programs, & change what their doing via either an options or settings button/tab within the programs themselves.

If your unsure what some are,go to this site they have a list of startup programs & what they are

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm

by b_pope

Programs that are setup to check for updates such as a mediaplayer or antivirus will cause constant restarts do to the fact that they write to the hard drive each time they try to check for updates. Everytime a program does this scandisk or defrag has to restart because the drive info has then changed.

by edrive

One factor that can affect Scandisk is Stimon (Still Image Monitor), a Win 98/ME program installed when a USB scanning device (i.e., a scanner)is enumerated.Thanks to my computer vendor
here are steps to avoid Stimon-Scandisk conflict:
1. ShutdownScandisk by clicking "Cancel" and then
"Close".
2. Simultaneously press "Ctrl"-"Alt"-"Del" keys
ONCE ONLY to open the"Close Program" dialog
box.
3. Scroll to the Stimon entry and single-click to
select it; then click "End Task".
4. After running Scandisk to completion, restart
your computer to restore all suspended apps.
NOTE:The same interference seems to affect Defrag. Follow steps 2 through 4 to avoid it.
(MS KB article Q257815 describes Stimon.)

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