How to Automate Chkdsk

ID: Q197527

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0

SUMMARY

Chkdsk is a native Windows NT tool that can determine the extent of file and file system corruption. If Chkdsk is to run in write-mode to attempt to remedy corruption, in most cases, there will be locked files and it requires restarting to have exclusive access to the partition or partitions. This process can be automated and requires no user intervention. Usually, a user needs to press "y" to schedule Chkdsk to run in write-mode on the next restart; however, this process can be automated as follows:

Create a batch file and then disseminate it to the preferred system or systems:


   @echo off
   echo y|chkdsk [target drive, i.e. D:] /f/r
   rem sleep 3600
   rem c:\utils\shutdown.exe /l /r /y /t:6

The last two lines are optional. Sleep.exe and Shutdown.exe are from the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit. "Sleep 3600" causes the system to wait for 60 minutes before proceeding to the next line in the batch file. Shutdown.exe is then called to shut down and restart the target system. If Shutdown.exe is not called, and the drive could not be locked for exclusive use, Chkdsk runs the next time you manually restart the target system.

In those cases where you would like Chkdsk, or the above batch file, to be scheduled to run on specific days or times, AT Scheduler (command-line interface) or WinAT Scheduler (GUI-based interface that has added functionality) can be used. You can find WinAT in the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about Shutdown.exe, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q158388 Useful Resource Kit Utilities for Domain Administrators

Additional query words: chkdsk automate script nt 4.0 batchfile at task scheduler

Keywords :
Version : winnt:3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbinfo