HELP: Unnamed MFT Table Entry problem
Jisha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How can I repair this?
I have noticed numerous instances of "{file#} Unnamed MFT Table Entry".
Clearly, the MFT has become corrupted over time, probably due to some really
bad luck with series of HDD's crashing.
Some probably relevant history follows:
----------------------------------------------
Recently, I heard that unmistakable "CLICK" of an eminent HDD failure.
When rebooted, win2Kpro failed to start (as I suspected)... in varying
degrees depending on which F8 options I tried.
I put the Drive into another win2Kpro computer, and ran chkdisk on it there.
Replaced it into it's proper computer, and then booted up fine.
However, I decided to clone it to a new back-up drive, just in case.
The clone was successful, and I am now using that drive.
It was during the cloning process that I noticed the overabundance of
"Unnamed" entries.
PS:
I AM planning on doing a total... clean reinstall... but don't have time to
work on that right now, so I'm nursing my current installation along as best
as possible.
FORMER THREAD HISTORY FOLLOWS:
**************************************
OK... here's what I did.
To save myself hours of re-booting...
1) I cloned the system drive (Call it D1) to another
brand-new-fresh-out-of-the-anti-static-bag-drive (Call this one D2).
I compared my notes on the {filenumber} from when I first noticed this
problem (scroll down to the end to review my comments at the beginning of
this thread...) Several filenumbers matched.
I know this is hit-or-miss... because I really can only confirm files which
are displayed long enough to catch the filenumbers... but it seemed to be
about the same as the first time.
2) Forced a dismount on the newly cloned drive (D2) and ran Chkdsk /f/r/v
repeatedly.
It took 4 passes for Chkdsk too complete w/o any clean-up messages.
All clean-up messages pertained to phase-3: security descriptors.
3) Swapped the drives, booting from the newly cloned and cleaned up
system drive (D2).
BTW, system booted a wee-bit more efficiently.
4) Cloned the "cleaned-up" copy (D2) back over the original copy (D1).
Again... numerous "unnamed MFT table entry" messages were displayed.
5) Ran Chkdsk /f/r/v again on (D1)... and no clean-up messages were
displayed.
This tells me 2 things...
a) the file system problem is NOT a result of the cloning process, and
b) there is corruption in my MFT which Chkdsk is NOT detecting.
I vaguely recall a reference to some utility which will clean-up, fix/repair
MFT, re-compact it, etc...
I'll have to track that down...
And, I suppose I will move this post over to
"microsoft.public.win2000.file_system" as Gary suggested in
news:OEwUR57i...@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl
Thanks...
"Jisha" fa...@exists.not wrote in message
news:OnAJ4qDj...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl ...
> No... I've run it several times... but can run it again... one never
knows,
> right?
>
> But, actually, I noticed the entries while cloning a drive I knew WAS
> dying... so... the new drive, which I am using now... may or may not have
> inherited the problem.
>
> I'll try cloning the NEW drive and watch to see if the "Unnamed" entries
has
> been reduced.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> "Greg Hayes/Raxco Software" ghayes.i-...@raxco.com wrote in
message
> news:eLzQ%23TBjD...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl ...
> > Christopher,
> >
> > This is not "normal". I would suspect some file system corruption.
Does
> > running CHKDSK /F /R on the drive result in these things being fixed?
> >
> > - Greg/Raxco Software
> > Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Jisha" fa...@exists.not wrote in message
> > news:OEhYB80...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl ...
> > > Is this not the correct forum for this question?
> > > If so... would someone kindly redirect me appropriately?
> > >
> > > Thanks very much
> > >
> > > Christopher
> > >
> > > (....donating my corpse to Burger King. :-)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Jisha" fa...@exists.not wrote in message
> > > news:uO7odfri...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl ...
> > > > I have noticed numerous instances of "{file#} Unnamed MFT Table
> Entry".
> > > > Is this normal for NTFS partition, or indicative of a problem?
> > > > If the latter, can it be repaired... and how?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Some probably relevant history follows:
> > > > ----------------------------------------------
> > > > This morning, I heard that unmistakable "CLICK" of an eminent HDD
> > failure.
> > > > When rebooted, win2Kpro failed to start (as I suspected)... in
varying
> > > > degrees depending on which F8 options I tried.
> > > > I put the Drive into another win2Kpro computer, and ran chkdisk on
it
> > > there.
> > > > Replaced it into it's proper computer, and then booted up fine.
> > > >
> > > > However, I decided to clone it to a new back-up drive, just in
case.
> > > > The clone was successful, and I am now using that drive.
> > > >
> > > > It was during the cloning process that I noticed the overabundance
of
> > > > "Unnamed" entries.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > PS:
> > > > I AM planning on doing a total... clean reinstall... but don't have
> time
> > > to
> > > > work on that right now, so I'm nursing my current installation along
> as
> > > best
> > > > as possible.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
Jisha
Apparently there are numerous "unnamed" entries in my system drive MFT.
Is there a way to repair the MFT from within w2k,
or any utilities out there?
Any help will be totally appreciated...
Christopher
"Jisha" <fa...@exists.not> wrote in message
news:uqzO$mHjDH...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...