CHKDSK msg: "...cannot open Volume for direct access..."

Noticed that when I've scheduled the CHKDSK option to:
1. Automatically fix file system errors
2. Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

As part of my clean up/house keeping, this past 24 hours, I've noticed that it is not doing the complete check, and a quick message relates:

Scratching my head here because apart from normal updates (eg anti-virus and MS) and regular cleanups, I really haven't done anything different.

Checked MS website, which notes my symptom:

and for the Resolution, MS notes:

Having done a MS check for updates, there are none for my Laptop. In reality, no check disk has been performed.

Previously I could successfully run those two above options without a problem.

This is a new CHKDSK occurrence within the last 24+ hours for me. (Checking the internet, it appears to be a common problem stating as part of the error message for the users: "...Cannot open Volume for Direct Access...", though the type of reasons messaged do vary to mine.)

Hope you can help. Any advice? I'm stumped. :confused

Cheers

LS

 

Checked Microsoft for updates again (in case I missed something) by also doing Custom for updates, and still nothing for my Laptop.

Any one help with this CHKDSK anomoly...or at least provide some advice from our MVP experts?

Cheers

LS

 

Any one at Major Geeks got any solution or advice for my query? Or has it appeared to stump everyone including the resident expert MVPs? :confused

 

Uninstall Spyware Doctor, if ya got it, and try again.

 

Hi Adry <expect you're thrashing 'em with your courses>

Per your advice - uninstalled Spyware, shutdown and rebooted. Exact same message appeared during start up:

I've never encountered a problem with CHKDSK before or infections with my regular clean ups/maintenance. So, everything has always run smoothly ("touch wood") - so kinda puzzled with this CHKDSK anomaly.

Everything I've researched in MS and other sites so far refers to error codes - which I don't have.

Puzzling. Do you think it is something MS needs to provide a fix for maybe?

Cheers

LS

 

No, I dont think its MS'es fault, tbh.

Look for this file on your system, maybe it wasnt removed when you uninstalled Spyware Doctor.

ikhlayer.sys--delete this from C:\windows\system32\drivers.

If THAT doesnt work, you might want to try a chkdsk /r from Recovery Console.

 

Hi Adry,

Looks like I need to try the chkdsk /r from Recovery Console.

Having done some investigations, my system isn't set up to allow me to access Recovery Console straight off - so am going to organise some media for same and then will try your suggestion of chkdsk /r . Thanks. Will let you know of outcome.

Cheers and thanks,

LS

 

Hi Adry,

Okay. This is what I've done in an attempt to follow your suggestion of using CHKDSK comands for repair, but can't move on...sorry for sounding dumb, so would appreciate it if you can step me through if I've missed something:

1. Created XP Setup floppies
   
2. Start Up process using floppies, and at 6th disk, screen displayed:
   
   
   
3. Typed R and pressed ENTER
   
   
   Screen displays:
   
   
4. Typed 2, pressed ENTER and screen prompted:
   
   
   Type the Administrator password: ​
   After password entered, prompt displayed:​
   C:\Windows>​
   
   
   When I tried CHKDSK or CHKDSK /r: neither sets of commands worked. Did a hard boot to restart (ie press Power button)

What am I missing? Again, sorry for sounding dumb...can't work out how to get CHKDSK working properly.

Appreciate your advice.

Cheers

LS

 

You cannot run chkdsk /r from the floppies

No CD
Does your recovery program offer such functionality? (Mine offers all the Vista related stuff and is accessed by hitting F11 during POST).

 

Hiya Adry.

Have CD capacity (ie can change drives to have either floppy or CD). Couldn't get media on CD, hence used floppies.

FYI:
F11 on Start Up starts recovery program...but not to the Recovery Console for accessing CHKDSK. (Don't have Vista - still XP with SP2 - intending to upgrade to new ThinkPad in month or two, so not investing further with current ThinkPad/laptop)

Should I try downloading Recovery Console prog/application to C: and somehow try it that way?

Cheers

LS

 

Well, head back to Windows and find your i386 folder and post where it is here. Lets see if we can improvise.

 

Try to run chkdsk again from Windows.]

Type chkdsk /X in a command prompt and follow directions.

 

Hi Adry...things got crazy at my end for a while, so haven't had a chance to follow up your last advice until lately.

Firstly, thanks for your time and advice. Really appreciated it!

FYI:

• Got hold of an XP CD and managed to run /R from Recovery Console - so finally got to fix some problems.
  
• Unable to use /X as you suggested...so decided to try backtracking (by process of elimination), to point in time CHKDSK stopped working effectively. Discovered the culprit was my Rescue and Recovery application (used for backups and recoveries). By removing it, then rebooting, my system went straight into a successful CHKDSK!

Kinda disappointed with that application - because I found it was quite a nice little program for managing my backup data...so I followed up Lenovo (same maker as my ThinkPad) with a complaint - and it appears they've now got fixes for the application.

When I can organise free time, I'll reload and test the program to see if Lenovo has fixed the bugs.

Once again Adry, thank you for your time and advice!

Cheers

LS

ps
hope your studies are sweetly humming along.

 

Well I just encountered the same problem; what, where was your Rescue and Recovery app?? What name?? Did you delete the app?? Thanks for your reply..
I use NTBack-up but its been 8 months since I used it last and have run ChkDsk a few times since then and it was fine up until today... I run WinXP Pro SP2 ===> just updated to IE7 on the 5th of July, I wonder if that initiated the corruption!!??

Any info/help from anyone is appreciated, thanks....

 

Well I updated to SP3 as recommended by MS KB with no joy, I am still getting the ChkDsk error.... Have used AV, clean, defragged and CCleaner with help either... The NTBack-up is part of the MS backup, would the logs there from my last back-up 8 months ago be related to 'rescue and recovery' and where would I find those?? Guess I wonder why this problem now since just a 4 days ago I ran ChkDsk with no problems.... Thanks for any input...

 

since a couple of weeks i have exactly the same problem and read a lot about it in the internet, which i did not understand at all. today i deleted the rescue and recovery of my new lenovo notebook, running on windows XP Pro SP2 with the latest updates. immediate positive effect!!! problem solved. so simple. i guess it is a conflict with this lenovo programme.