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Partitioning Problems - "Dir Tree Errors"

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by var1016

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Hello again.

I have Paragon's partitioning software installed; it has been entirely successful up to now...

I want to increase the size of my second partition (Drive D) at the expense of Drive C where I have plenty of unnecessary space.

Each time I try to change the drive sizes I get a message telling me that there are directory tree errors and that I must run CHKDSK. I have done this - several times - but I still get the same error message when attempting to resize the partitions.

I have Spybot installed which always calls for authorisation for registry changes and I wonder could this be related to the problem?

System info:
HP Pavilion, AMD 64x 4000+, 2GB ram, 300GB HDD. XP SP3.

Thanks in advance.
Paul

31 replies

by seanferd

After running chkdsk, reboot the system twice, normally, before attempting to change the partitions. Perhaps a surface scan is in order. Try also chkntfs.

by var1016

Thank you; I will try your suggestions.

Best wishes,
Paul

by var1016

I ran CHKDSK again and rebooted twice, but sadly with the same result. I attempted to run CHKNTFS, but nothing happened - that is there was a momentary appearance of the black dialogue box and that was it.

Note I do run registry cleaners and defrag etc.

Paul

by seanferd

to the chkdsk and chkntfs commands. At a command prompt, your choices may be viewed by typing, for example, "chkdsk /?".

I would suggest chkntfs C: /c Reboot.
chkdsk C: /v /r /x Reboot.

Can you run a defrag without it halting due to errors? (It sounds like you can.) If not, it is possible that there is a directory that is too deep. I've seen this happen in the Documents and Settings folders where Yahoo! or some such would store some search preference file or something with a long name in a deeply nested directory. It would bring all disk scanning programs to a halt, even when it was supposedly fixed. Had to be removed manually.

by seanferd

Is "Dir tree error" the exact name of the error? Is there any other info provided? Have you tried doing this via the Paragon recovery cd if you have it?

by Former member

That is if you have not already got it.
I have Paragon myself and i have not seen this happen. You might need to run a registry cleaner to fix the directory tree errors, then try and run Paragon again. Registry cleaners here:
http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/?ref=google_rm&gclid=COnaz7nirZMCFQ0OuwodiWllaw
http://www.networktutorials.info/pages/windows_registry_software.html
http://www.accelerated-ideas.com/SoftwareDirectory/aiFreeSoftwareSearch.aspx?sID=10775
http://www.regcure.com/lp/11/?uid=5ezqa

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

Thanks.

I downloaded Paragon just a few days ago so I suppose it's up to date. For Registry I have run Regcure and also CCleaner, sadly without an improvement.

Paul

by Former member

You just have one drive, is this correct?.
Need the size of the full drive and the sizes of C and D drives. If you run this (Paragon) under "Admin", does it work or does it still give you the error message?. If all fails do a restore and then run RegCure, after this try Paragon again. If all fails go into "safe mode" and try Paragon in there.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by seanferd

Reg cleaning will not help in a situation like this. Directory / filesysytem errors don't have a lot to do with the reg. Since Safe Mode worked for you, I suspect that the filesystem was locked by the OS, preventing Paragon from working.

by var1016

I does actually say "Dir Tree"!

Thanks for your previous post; a little technical for me - my heart always sinks a bit when I see anything in DOS!

I have run Regcure and Ccleaner; whilst as usual these found and corrected errors, I still get the same result.

Paul

by var1016

Thanks.

The HDD is 300GB. With the present partitions, there is the C:\drive which is 247GB, the D:\ drive and also K:\ both of which are around 25GB.

When I attempt to resize D:\ Paragon says that the computer must be re-started. This it does and I then get a DOS page stating that Paragon is checking the files; after it has done the checks, I then get the error message ("Dir Tree") and that I must run CHKDSK. I have run this a number of times - the report, which stays on screen for about three seconds does say that there are no bad sectors.

Paul

by Former member

NT.

by var1016

Not yet; I'll have a go a bit later!
Thanks

Paul

by var1016

Whoops!

I cannot start the computer in Safe Mode. "Help" says press F8 but this does nothing.

Even worse if I press Escape (which is an option - HP computer) I get some DOS stuff in French, but there is nothing like "Safe Mode"

Paul

by Former member

NT.

by Former member

You could not do a partition to your hdd..
Get another hdd and load Windows on this as a safe measure so you do not mess up your data. When done then you can access your drive and transfer your data over. Then you can do what ever you want to your drives. Go to HP's web site and start downloading the drivers for your computer if you have not go them.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

Well, I had no problem re-arranging and making a new partition before.

I think that this will have to wait: I do not have another HDD available, although I do have another computer. Perhaps I could persuade the computers to talk to each other?

Thanks for all your help

Paul

by Former member

Have you done a repair?. If not then do this from your Windows disk..

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

You have been most patient and helpful. May I stretch this patience and ask what you mean by "repair"?

Sorry for my lack of knowledge...

I should add that the computer works beautifully (and is very fast too now I have got rid of Vista!)

Paul

by Former member

I was going to say about doing a repair to the system, but you do not have to now.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

No, the computer has worked beautifully since I installed XP and SP3 nine days ago, but of course I still cannot resize that partition!

Would this "repair" fix the "Dir Tree" problem?. As an experiment I resized drive D, pinching some space from the empty Drive K. This worked perfectly! But I want drastically to reduce the size of C:\

Paul

Paul

by Former member

The first step is to copy the hdd onto another hdd so as not to destroy any data (just in case). When you have copied the drive then load on the Windows disk and select repair (for Vista) "R" (for XP). With the Vista disk and selecting repair, you will be shown a page where the data of Windows is, something like "windows ultimate". Select this first choice and then just follow the on-board instructions. But (it might happen to you) it sometimes can not find where Vista is so do a full search/browse if the option is there. If not then you will have to re-install Vista. The second choice in Vista (if available) is the "restore" option of which i would choose if i were you, (hopefully you copied your drive), but since you can not get into "safe mode" we can then presume the "restore" option is out of the question. If in XP then when selecting "R" just follow the on screen instructions.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by Former member

You will come to a page that will show you where the data of Windows is, it will look something like C:\ windows. But we can presume that since you could not get into "safe mode" this data of windows will not be there. If it is then just follow the on-screen instructions.
This hopefully (fingers and toes crossed) will fix the problem. To make sure, do a test, try and get into "safe mode", if successful then you should be able to re-size your disk, if not then you will have to re-install Windows XP.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

Happily, I removed Vista entirely before I installed XP, so I don't have to look for it.

I tried today uninstalling SP3, using Absolute Uninstaller. I the tried the partitioning again, but with the same result. I have now reinstalled SP3 - still with the same result. I suppose that only reinstalling from scratch will solve the problem, but this would be a day's work with all the programs I would have to reload!

Paul

by Former member

You are not alone when you do a re-install.
I make sure that all of my programs and codes are backed up, then when it comes to do a re-install i do not rush, i know that i have everything backed up (twice). Sometimes it can be a pain, so make sure that everything is running ok before you install your programs.
Mind you, i do wipe my drive fully with a wipe drive program. This wipes your drive completely so you can be sure to have a smooth install.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

I decided to look further into Safe Mode. I found this site http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

It says that to launch XP in Safe Mode one must shut down, wait 30 seconds and then switch on and start tapping F8. This worked and I got Safe Mode. I tried the original operation, but Paragon would not work properly. So then I tried something else: I asked for a new partition (rather than resizing an old one) still taking the space from C:\\. This worked perfectly. I then merged the two smaller ones, so now, C:\\ is 130GB, D:\\ where I keep all my files, is 50GB and I have a spare blank drive L:\\ with 117GB available.

Thanks again for all your help

Paul

by Former member

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by var1016

Thanks for the kind words; how I would love to learn more about computer "mysteries" (i.e. how the damned things work!)

Best

Paul

by var1016

Well, Paragon sort of worked! When I tried to steal space from C:\\ as before to go to an existing drive (D:\\) Paragon's third page, which asks to select the drive from which you wish to take space, was blank. It was then, still in safe mode, that I decided to try to make a new drive, which of course did work!

In fact I am pleased with the outcome: 70GB is plenty big enough for any files I might save, and I suppose I could backup the entire C:\\ drive into my new 117GB L:\\ drive!

Thanks again for the advice.

Paul

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