Windows 7 Disk C has errors?

[divide0]

Every time I try and back up my files, I get this message. I will then proceed to run every kind of HDD check available to me, as well as chkdsk. However, each test finds nothing wrong. I did have some corrupt files on the NTFS partition that were causing Vista to fail every other boot. I have since removed these files (I did this via Linux). At first, everything fixed itself. Now, Vista is starting to fail to boot occasionally. What could be going on here?

 

[kemical]

You don't mention how old the drive is but once they start to go they can throw up all sorts of problems. In fact at times you could mistake the source of the problem to faulty RAM it's gets that bad! The thing is that the HDD can appear to be sound and it's only after some exhaustive testing that you finally narrow it down to which component is the problem. If you have a spare HDD either in the machine or lying around try using that for a while. If the problem has gone then you've got your answer..

 

[divide0]

I didn't mention the age of the drive because it's only 9 months old; it shouldn't be failing yet. I've also noticed that Linux boots and behaves the way it should. It is just Vista that seems to be sluggish on startup (although once loaded, it generally runs as fast as it should).

As for a spare HDD to test if it's Vista or the HDD...I don't have a copy of Vista on a DVD, so I'd have to buy one first...

 

[davehc]

Press Winkey+r and type sfc/scannow and then Enter.
If , when it has finished running, it states something like "errors were found but were not fixed", then I am afraid you do have a failing hard disk

 

[divide0]

Is this what you were talking about?

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\#@%> sfc/scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of th
em.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

Here's the info from the CBS.log

2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 0000015f [SR] Beginning Verify and Repair transaction
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000160 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:20{10}]"conime.exe" of Microsoft-Windows-ConsoleIME, Version = 6.0.6001.18000, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, file is missing
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000161 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:20{10}]"conime.exe" of Microsoft-Windows-ConsoleIME, Version = 6.0.6001.18000, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, file is missing
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000162 [SR] Could not reproject corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\Windows\System32"\[l:20{10}]"conime.exe"; source file in store is also corrupted
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000163 Repair results created:
POQ 66 starts:

POQ 66 ends.
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000164 [SR] Repair complete
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000165 [SR] Committing transaction
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000166 Creating NT transaction (seq 1), objectname [6]"(null)"
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000167 Created NT transaction (seq 1) result 0x00000000, handle @0x144c
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000168@2008/11/9:23:16:40.417 CSI perf trace:
CSIPERF:TXCOMMIT;4
2008-11-09 17:16:40, Info CSI 00000169 [SR] Verify and Repair Transaction completed. All files and registry keys listed in this transaction have been successfully repaired

I don't understand the last part; it's saying everything has been repaired successfuly...

But, this doesn't explain why Windows doesn't behave normally, yet Linux does. Also, I haven't heard any wierd noises from my HDD or anything. Could it simply be an NTFS problem?

Also, this program had to be run from the command prompt, not the run menu (Win+R).

 

[kemical]

Could it be that vista uses the HD differently to Linux what with superfetch and all?

 

[divide0]

Could it be that vista uses the HD differently to Linux what with superfetch and all?

Hmm...are you saying that Vista simply uses the HDD in more ways? If my HDD is failing, I want to replace it ASAP. I don't use Vista often, but I want to see it work properly (it's really not THAT bad...)

Just as a precaution, I have been manually backing up all files important to me biweekly (on both Vista and Linux). I am thinking that I will simply have to get over Vista's slow booting until the day when (if) my HDD fails....

Another thought: is anyone here familiar with the file(s) listed by CBS.log as missing or corrupt? Also, would turning Superfetch off (if possible) possibly help?

 

[kemical]

Sorry can't help you with the files but perhaps davehc may know... As for turning off Superfetch... You could try it I guess as well as turning off the 'indexing' feature too... That will stop some of the extra load vista places on the drive but I'm really unsure as to if it will help or not..

 

[davehc]

Have a look here:
conime.exe Windows process - What is it?

To see which files SFC was unable to repair open an Administrator's cmd.exe and type
findstr /C:"[SR] Cannot repair member file" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log >sfcdetails.txt
See here:
Some Windows Vista functions may not work, or Windows Vista may stop responding .

Then open C:\Windows\System32\sfcdetails.txt and you'll see a listing of the files which remain unrepaired.
To repair them follow the instructions in that article. You'll will probably need to copy them off your Vista DVD.
Fwiw. quote "Also, this program had to be run from the command prompt, not the run menu (Win+R). "
Sorry. I run as a global Administrator, which gives me open access to eveything. I can run most Command prompt instructions from the Run box (provided I have the full search enabled!) Also there is a reported bug in Vista. If you run the command from run, then you need a space between the "sfc" and the "/" Weird but true.

 

[divide0]

I've tried the steps above, yet conime.exe doesn't seem to exist in the directory where sfc says it is, that is, it's not in the System32 folder. Could I be looking at a virus of some sort? Or is the file simply missing? But, I don't see what conime.exe has to do with booting my computer...

Either way, does this prove that my HDD is NOT failing? Because if it is failing, I want to go ahead and buy a replacement so I can be ready...

 

[davehc]

No. Your hard disk is probably OK. Reading up on "conime.exe" I can see that it is one of the vulnerable files for hacker attack. If you have no means of replacing it from a reliable installation DVD, then you best bet is to restore or, even better, reinstall.

 

[divide0]

conime.exe is part of microsoft IME? If this is true, what about simply uninstalling and reinstalling IME? Would that replace the file?

 

[davehc]

I'm a daring experimenter! Anything is worth a try. (Have your image on standby!)