Interpret the Information Reported in a CHKDSK Log File

[baumgrenze]

I'm having trouble reading a CHKDSK log file and understanding what MS 'fixed' when CHKDSK ran.

I will try to attach a *.doc file.

View attachment CHKDSK&Win10Update_F_012719_Log.doc

Has someone written a tutorial or something similar that describes what MS is reporting in a CHKDSK log file? If so, please post a link.

thanks
baumgrenze

 

[samuria]

There are two things one is the disk hardware were a disk has bad blocks and is damaged the other is the NTFS files system errors which can be simply fixed. All you need to worry about is it's reported no bad sectors so the disk is fine. The NTFS errors have all been fixed that's all you really need to know. NTFS errors are normally due to bad shut down when windows couldn't write data quick enough

 

[Megahertz07]

As I can see, your drive F: had a lot of logical errors that were fixed. No bad sectors.
Run (chkdsk F: /f) again. If "found no problems" there is nothing to worry.

 

[baumgrenze]

Thank you samuria and megaherz for your replies.

Would that it were so straightforward.

Late in January I ran an update to a Win10 installation I finished just in time to meet the 7/29/16 MS 'deadline' to upgrade from Win7. The Win10 OS is installed on its own SDD.

Like many on this forum, I prefer the Win7 interface and its features. I also prefer to use my remaining lifetime (I'll be 79 in less than a month) doing things of more interest to me than unlearning one way of doing things (Win7) and relearning a new way (Win10.) I understand that this is my selfish perspective and that MS has its own, to make $ for the shareholders. They hold most of the cards in the game.

Perhaps samuria will remember that I first posted on tenforums and then panicked and started another thread here

eSATA Data Disk Locks System After Updating Win10 - Windows 10 Forums

eSATA Data Disk Locks System Post Win10 Update-File Recovery Problem?

I now see that this was a dumb move. I have two threads to check myself and I probably irritate other users by replying to posts on both with further questions and insights.

Is there a way I can combine the 2 threads (remove the tenforums post) and follow them on sevenforums? I see several of the same gurus replying on both forums.

I now have a new 2TB WD Black and am trying to understand what happened to my 'data disk' which I failed to disconnect from the system before I ran the Win10 updates late in January.

Yes, the system works. The disk 'works' or at least I can access it and examine the file structure. My favorite file manager, ZTreeWin, tells me that many files that I could see on it are now inaccessible. Most of them appear to be ones I saved in 2017 or later. Within a day I 'isolated' the disk and stopped writing files to it. I understand that many are still there and can be recovered using Photorec from cgsecurity.

I get the sense that the CHKDSK routine I ran on both Win10 and then on Win7 'fixed' things by deleting many of the recent entries on the Master File Table or otherwise did something to make file names and creation dates for the 'missing files' inaccessible.

Yesterday I found this thread on sevenforums:

CHKDSK and SFC Scan Results: What do they mean?

in it on 10/3/14, well into the thread, Nostromov said:

"Chkdsk is rarely a *good* solution, because apparent disk corruption CAN occur due to several factors - and IN MY EXPERIENCE, it's almost never because the disk is faulty and/or contains bad sectors. So the tool will *fix* the "errors" and you will apparently have a normal system, while all along - the initial problem / error had been due to some Windows Service, a Scheduled Task, Virus, or whatever.

Just a heads-up, that chkdsk is a tool to be used as a last-resort and w/professional care; not as a go-to fix for everything "
​

I wish I'd seen it earlier.

I'm trying to decide on my best path forward. I'm looking for the most efficient way to recover the missing files.


thanks
baumgrenze

 

[Megahertz07]

Answering your questions:
- You can't combine the two threads in one. They are in two different addresses (sevenforums.com and tenforums.com).
- When downloading Win 10 installation files, it probably did on the external disk (F:?).
- You may still have those Win 10 installation files and / or backup files on the external disk.
- As they are protected (System or hidden files) you cant see under Explorer, unless you have configured Explorer view options to do show System and hidden files.
- There are two types of disk problems: Logical and physical (hardware).
Logical problems normally happen if you disconnect the disk while it's been written. Check disk can and will repair logical issues. So I disagree with you. Check Disk is always a good to run. It can't make things worst.
Physical problems are disk surface damages and there is nothing you can do other then mark them as bad to avoid them to be used. If you have bad blocks or bad clusters, it's time to replace the disk. NEVER, EVER move or touch a running external disk or the disk heads can touch the surface.