How do I schedule Check Disk to run overnight?

**Mr. Bombastic** · 07-13-2002, 11:42 AM

I currently have a virus scan, defragment, and backup scheduled to run in Windows XP every night while I sleep.

I'd like to add an automatic Check Disk to that list. It must be possible, but how?

**jebster** · 07-13-2002, 12:14 PM

In win98 System tools folder in the start menu there is a thing called maintenance wizard that you can use to do that. Don't know if XP has it tho.

**gateways_rule** · 07-13-2002, 02:03 PM

I'm pretty sure you can't autoset CheckDisk in Windows XP. Anyways, you have to reboot to CheckDisk for some reason.

**ua549** · 07-13-2002, 02:24 PM

You can ust the AT command to schedule a job that has chkdsk in it for all but the system volume. The issue is that to chkdsk /f the system volume, you must do it during the boot process before the OS is fully loaded.

I imagine that you can include a call to a "shutdown/restart" utility but I wouldn't recommend it. It would be much easier to tell the system to run chkdsk every time you boot it. It is an option in Diskeeper.

**Mr. Bombastic** · 07-13-2002, 07:07 PM

Taking into account my backup shuts down, runs, then restarts the machine in its course of duties, I suppose it would be possible to run Check Disk and let the backup program restart the machine. Check Disk should then run when the backup is finished.

When I run chkdsk /f, I am prompted for input. If I could circumvent this prompt I could schedule a scan just as I have scheduled a defragment.

How would I go about this?

I want to scan only my system volume and can't really afford Diskeeper.

**ua549** · 07-14-2002, 09:26 AM

The /X option will force a volume to be dismounted - if that is the prompt you are getting. If you are using Diskeeper, just tell it to run at boot time with a chkdsk before the defrag. That's how I do it.

**Mr. Bombastic** · 07-14-2002, 05:02 PM

When running chkdsk (I don't have Diskeeper) I get prompted that I cannot run a scan on a system volume unless I schedule it for the next restart. Can I get around this prompt without user input?

**ua549** · 07-14-2002, 09:08 PM

I don't know. I've always used Diskeeper. I'll check my registry tomorrow. If I find anything I'll post it.

**Mr. Bombastic** · 07-15-2002, 04:39 PM

I managed to fiddle a solution.

I created a .bat file reading:

echo y | chkdsk c: /f
shutdown /r /t 00

The first line schedules a disk check without answering a prompt, and the second is to reboot and run the disk check.

This was scheduled with Task Scheduler.

I now have automatic virus scans, disk checks, defragmentation and daily and weekly backups.

My computer does more when I sleep then it does when I am awake!

**ua549** · 07-19-2002, 10:31 AM

I just came across this batch file command that does it all.

Code:

>help chkntfs
Displays or modifies the checking of disk at boot time.

CHKNTFS volume [...]
CHKNTFS /D
CHKNTFS /T[:time]
CHKNTFS /X volume [...]
CHKNTFS /C volume [...]

  volume         Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
                 mount point, or volume name.
  /D             Restores the machine to the default behavior; all drives are
                 checked at boot time and chkdsk is run on those that are
                 dirty.
  /T:time        Changes the AUTOCHK initiation count down time to the
                 specified amount of time in seconds.  If time is not
                 specified, displays the current setting.
  /X             Excludes a drive from the default boot-time check.  Excluded
                 drives are not accumulated between command invocations.
  /C             Schedules a drive to be checked at boot time; chkdsk will run
                 if the drive is dirty.

If no switches are specified, CHKNTFS will display if the specified drive is
dirty or scheduled to be checked on next reboot.

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