Delayed write failed error - is this bad?

[dirtydog]

When I switched my monitor on this morning (the computer was on overnight) I found two errors waiting for me, which I have never seen before on any computer in my life.

This is the event log...

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Application Popup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 26
Date: 09/07/2007
Time: 6:11:29 AM
User: N/A
Computer: COMPUTER
Description:
Application popup: Windows - Delayed Write Failed : Windows was unable to save all the data for the file \$BitMap. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


Event Type: Information
Event Source: Application Popup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 26
Date: 09/07/2007
Time: 6:11:29 AM
User: N/A
Computer: COMPUTER
Description:
Application popup: Windows - Delayed Write Failed : Windows was unable to save all the data for the file \$Mft. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I googled it and it seems to be associated with external hard drives and the like. I do not have any such devices; just one internal hard drive.

I don't recognise the filenames - are they some sort of system files, eg. mft = master file table?

Is this something I should be worried about and should investigate further? Could it be a sign of impending hard drive failure?

edit - CHKDSK found errors with the Windows partition, it said it 'discovered free space marked as allocated'. I had to reboot to get CHKDSK to fix it.

What caused the error?

 

[dirtydog]

No crashes or new hardware. I ran CHKDSK again and it is still giving an error :/

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Local Disk.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...
Security descriptor verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
Usn Journal verification completed.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

9928138 KB total disk space.
9093368 KB in 71307 files.
19492 KB in 5454 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
184382 KB in use by the system.
59200 KB occupied by the log file.
630896 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
2482034 total allocation units on disk.
157724 allocation units available on disk.

Hmm.... I'll try fixing it again then.

 

[dirtydog]

I did another CHKDSK C: /F (had to reboot)

Done another CHKDSK in Windows and it's still buggered

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Local Disk.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is recovering lost files.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...
Security descriptor verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
Usn Journal verification completed.
CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the
master file table (MFT) bitmap.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

9928138 KB total disk space.
8881336 KB in 67605 files.
19008 KB in 4948 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
184634 KB in use by the system.
59200 KB occupied by the log file.
843160 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
2482034 total allocation units on disk.
210790 allocation units available on disk.

Dare I run defrag while the partition has errors?

Is the partition knackered? CHKDSK doesn't find any errors on the other two partitions I have.

I thought it could be because it is low on space so I deleted a few hundred meg of stuff. Even 600 meg should be plenty of free space though.

 

[dirtydog]

I'm using ye olde IDE non-NCQ drive here It's a Samsung 120gig which is about four years old

I found this on the MS site...

NTFS File System Corruption
In very rare circumstances, the NTFS $MFT or $BITMAP metafiles may become corrupted and result in lost disk space. To identify and fix this issue, run the chkdsk /F command against the volume in question. Toward the end of chkdsk process, you receive the following message if the $BITMAP metafile needs to be adjusted:
Correcting errors in the master file table's (MFT) BITMAP attribute. CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the volume bitmap. Windows has made corrections to the file system.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315688

It doesn't say what to do if the repair fails though...

Well I've just increased the size of the partition so there is now 12 gigs of free space, and am running the defragger. I'll try to fix the problem again when that's finished.

I thought NTFS was supposed to be more reliable and fault-tolerant than this?!??

 

[dirtydog]

I did yet another boot time repair and then CHKDSK again in Windows and it's still throwing a wobbler.

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Local Disk.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is recovering lost files.
Recovering orphaned file TMP000000210DA9F49724B100E0 (7600) into directory file
72.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...
Security descriptor verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
Usn Journal verification completed.
Correcting errors in the master file table's (MFT) BITMAP attribute.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

21711815 KB total disk space.
8883332 KB in 67622 files.
19008 KB in 4948 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
184995 KB in use by the system.
59200 KB occupied by the log file.
12624480 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
5427953 total allocation units on disk.
3156120 allocation units available on disk.

 

[dirtydog]

Well I can't fix it. I put a recent Ghost image on the problem partition but it is still giving the errors - so they must have been present when I last Ghosted, presumably.

This really ****** me off because NTFS is supposed to be reliable Now I have to waste hours reinstalling Windows the hard way and getting everything set up the way I like it. Wonderful. I've never had this problem with FAT32!

 

[dirtydog]

Believe it or not that was what I thought of too I am going to convert it to FAT32. I don't think there is any fault with the drive; it's just Windows / NTFS cocking things up. The HDD passed its self diagnostic test and the other partitions are fine.

 

[dirtydog]

Well it didn't work unfortunately

Firstly, Partition Magic 8 refused to work, giving error 117 when I tried to start it within Windows. Running the DOS version in DOS, it gave error 106 'BAD partition' - very useful I'm sure.

Acronis Partition Expert isn't so fussy and was happy to resize the partition earlier but PM 8 won't have anything to do with it. Sadly that software does not include an option to convert to FAT 32.

So...... I used Paragon Partition Manager to convert to FAT 32. I then tried to boot up... and got an error about a missing or corrupt NTOSKRNL.EXE . Fine I thought, so I expanded and copied said file from the Windows install CD. Nope, still gives the same error. Apparently it can also be a general error meaning that your Windows install is badly corrupted. Okay I thought, I'll convert back to NTFS again. So I did that, using the system convert command. This completed successfully but when I did a CHKDSK /F, there were a million and one errors so I cut it short - clearly the partition manager program had ballsed up the job of converting it.

For now I've ghosted the NTFS install back on - it works but as the partition seems to have errors, obviously I can't rely on it and the integrity of files on this partition cannot be relied upon. However, all of my important files are both backed up to DVDs and on other hard drive partitions, so for now I'm going to leave it. The only solution is going to be to install Windows from scratch again which will be a real pain. Not the install itself which takes about 25 minutes but installling my apps and getting everything set up and configured just right.

Ho hum...

So to sum up how I feel...

<--- me

 

[dirtydog]

I only have XP Home unfortunately so ntbackup isn't included as you say. I think the Files and Settings transfer wizard can be of some assistance albeit not as comprehensive as a full system state backup because it doesn't include the registry and so on. I've never used it before but looking at it just now, it could be useful.

edit - although google says it is on the XP Home install CD... hang on....

Yep it installed and works so that could be the answer. Thanks for the suggestion as I never would have thought of it

 

[dirtydog]

I backed up the entire C: partition, then formatted it (full, not quick) and restored all the data back to the partition. I then used fixmbr / fixboot from the Windows CD to make the disk bootable again. It booted into Windows fine, I ran CHKDSK and..... the errors are still there

I have just acquired Spinrite and I will indeed give that a go The drive got the all clear from Samsung's diagnostic software (hutil) - at least on the quick tests, I didn't do a full surface scan as it takes hours.

 

[dirtydog]

Spinrite found no errors - it took about six hours in all just to check the problem partition. I expect that you are right; the solution will probably involve repartitioning the drive.

I'm wondering whether I need to bother fixing this seeing as everything is working okay, and I keep important data backed up elsewhere. I guess I'll have to see whether I get the same error I got yesterday morning, or any other problems.

Incidentally I have another install of Windows on this disk in a small partition. If I run chkdsk from that install of Windows, to check the C: partition, the first time it finds errors and fixes them. The second time it finds NO errors. Even if I run it again a third time, it finds NO errors. Yet as soon as I boot into the main Windows installation on C:, and run chkdsk, it finds the same errors again straight away.

It's strange.

 

[dirtydog]

Just an update - the partition is now passing the chkdsk test with no errors. All I did was delete some stuff (I uninstalled a few unused programs, cleared the temp folders etc.) and defragged with PerfectDisk, and it passed. Very odd.

Partition Magic 8 still thinks it's off though; it says one of the partitions starts in the wrong place. Oh well, it's working for now which is what matters

Cheers to everyone who helped in this thread by the way!