[joelstub]

I am running Windows 98SE and have recently had a problem with ScanDisk. I run the Standard Scan in a clean boot (i.e., I use msconfig and choose Selective Startup, unchecking everything.) This has worked well for several years, but doesn't any longer. What happens now is that ScanDisk runs for several minutes and almost completes "Checking for lost file fragments" when the computer freezes. This behavior is repeatable (i.e., the computer always freezes at the same point in the process) and also occurs when running ScanDisk in Safe Mode. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware or software problem. What to do?

[oscardog]

joelstub, on Sep 25 2006, 09:45 PM, said:

I am running Windows 98SE and have recently had a problem with ScanDisk. I run the Standard Scan in a clean boot (i.e., I use msconfig and choose Selective Startup, unchecking everything.) This has worked well for several years, but doesn't any longer. What happens now is that ScanDisk runs for several minutes and almost completes "Checking for lost file fragments" when the computer freezes. This behavior is repeatable (i.e., the computer always freezes at the same point in the process) and also occurs when running ScanDisk in Safe Mode. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware or software problem. What to do?

Try F8 on boot up choose 5 command prompt only, type scandisk.exe c: (or whatever drive you wish to check) see if that helps. Or if you can get hold of ndd (norton disk doctor an old version when norton made top flight software) use that. Could possibly be fat corruption, might need some ide devices unplugged
HTH
P.S be prepared for some lost clusters, get a live cd and backup your important stuff if you can