Cannot back-up corrupt drive C... help!

Hi,

First off, I'm on a Dell Inspiron 1520 that originally ran Vista but was upgraded to Win 7 about 3 months ago.

When my regularly scheduled backup ran two days ago, it gave me the following message: "Windows Backup skipped [insert file locations here] because it is on corrupted drive C:/"

Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Documents because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Documents because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Music because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Music because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Pictures because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Pictures because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Videos because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Videos because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\AppData\Local because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\AppData\LocalLow because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Contacts because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Desktop because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Downloads because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Favorites because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Links because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Saved Games because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Searches because is it on corrupted drive C:\.

I can access all of the files above and was able to manually move them to an external hardrive, where they function just fine.

I tried to run System Restore and and got this message: "The disk Local Disk (C:) has errors. Windows has detected file system corruption on Local Disk (C:). You must check the disk for errors before it can be restored."
Followed by: "Windows can't check the disk while it's in use. Do you want to check for hard disk errors the next time you start your computer?"

I am unable to set a date/time for such a check. No such check takes place when I start. I have run chkdsk manually, but have gotten no errors. I have run antivirus (AVG, CCcleaner, etc.) I have been unable to set a restore point because "the C: drive has not been checked" & I cannot run a backup because I get the message that "the local disk (C:) is corrupt".

I have also run all of the Dell diagnostics accessible before windows boots up, but no errors were found.

Finally, some of the programs I had installed before upgrading are inaccessible. When I try to access them, windows tells me that they are "on corrupted drive C:/"

I'm really frustrated and completely out of ideas, and Dell has been far from helpful because they claim it is a software problem. Please help!

Thanks in advance,
tlynnec

tlynnec said:

Hi,

First off, I'm on a Dell Inspiron 1520 that originally ran Vista but was upgraded to Win 7 about 3 months ago.

When my regularly scheduled backup ran two days ago, it gave me the following message: "Windows Backup skipped [insert file locations here] because it is on corrupted drive C:/"

Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Documents because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Documents because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Music because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Music because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Pictures because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Pictures because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Videos because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\Public\Videos because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\AppData\Local because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\AppData\LocalLow because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Contacts because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Desktop because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Downloads because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Favorites because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Links because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Saved Games because is it on corrupted drive C:\.
Windows Backup skipped C:\Users\x\Searches because is it on corrupted drive C:\.

I can access all of the files above and was able to manually move them to an external hardrive, where they function just fine.

I tried to run System Restore and and got this message: "The disk Local Disk (C:) has errors. Windows has detected file system corruption on Local Disk (C:). You must check the disk for errors before it can be restored."
Followed by: "Windows can't check the disk while it's in use. Do you want to check for hard disk errors the next time you start your computer?"

I am unable to set a date/time for such a check. No such check takes place when I start. I have run chkdsk manually, but have gotten no errors. I have run antivirus (AVG, CCcleaner, etc.) I have been unable to set a restore point because "the C: drive has not been checked" & I cannot run a backup because I get the message that "the local disk (C:) is corrupt".

I have also run all of the Dell diagnostics accessible before windows boots up, but no errors were found.

Finally, some of the programs I had installed before upgrading are inaccessible. When I try to access them, windows tells me that they are "on corrupted drive C:/"

I'm really frustrated and completely out of ideas, and Dell has been far from helpful because they claim it is a software problem. Please help!

Thanks in advance,
tlynnec

It could be software, or hardware. Have you tried doing a repair install? Or a system file check (type cmd in search>right click and run as admin>sfc /scannow)?


let us know if you need help

Ken

Try selecting what you want to backup.

Run Set Backup - choose backup location - select "let me choose" - go to Computer / (C: )/users - and select users you want to backup, and then run backup.

Thanks for all the quick feedback!

Bill2 - Thanks, but I tried that and it failed. Same message.

zigzag/Ken - Nope haven't tried that yet. I'll run scannow and cross my fingers, thanks :)

richc46 - the dell diagnostics found nothing wrong with my harddrive, but I will look up the manufacturer and try that as well. After 3 years of hard use, it wouldn't surprise me if the HDD is failing.

*crosses fingers and gets to work*