Diagnostics after application crash

[stocktiki]

Wondering if any Windows 7 experts know if this is normal behavior.

After a game preinstalled by Dell (Jeopardy by Wild Tangent) crashed, I rebooted the PC. Upon startup, the Windows 7 Home Premium PC ran through three diagnostic tests, something like an index verification and two other tests.

Is this normal after an application crash, or is this a sign something might be amiss?

Thanks!

 

[usasma]

We'd need the specifics on what the tests were - but I haven't seen this behavior before. I'd suspect that they were Dell diagnostics.

You can check your Start menu for any Dell diagnostic programs.

 

[stocktiki]

They were Windows tests, I wish I'd written down which ones. It looked almost like a scandisk test.

 

[H2SO4]

... ran through three diagnostic tests, something like an index verification and two other tests.

Based on the "3 tests" and the "index" bit, the test you saw was CHKDSK doing its thang on reboot because the (NTFS) partition had been flagged as "dirty" (in need of scanning).

Is this normal after an application crash, or is this a sign something might be amiss?

No, but its normal after an OS crash. While the OS is running, all NTFS partitions are perpetually kept in a state that marks them as being in need of verification (the so-called "dirty bit" is set). During a "graceful" OS shut down, all transactions are committed and the NTFS partitions are declared clean (no longer in need of verification).

However, should the OS crash for whatever reason, it never gets to "clear the dirty bit", and the partitions remain tagged as being in need of verification. The next time the OS wakes up after the crash, it notices the dirty bit and runs a utility called CHKDSK ("check disk") to verify the partition(s) in question.

That's not the problem. What's worrying is why is your OS crashing in the first place?

 

[stocktiki]

Thank you. This is very helpful information.

My Windows 7 system had been running well. The game that crashed (Jeopardy by Wild Tangent) had locked up and caused the graphics card to switch to a lower resolution. The dialogue box wouldn't close - so I rebooted. A Windows error appeared briefly and flashed away before I could read it.

Interestingly, Windows 7's Reliability Monitor hasn't recorded any disturbance and no problem report was initiated.

Guess I won't worry about it and hope it doesn't become a pattern.