The second NTFS boot sector is unwriteable (XP Home edition)

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot sector
is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in the
middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to fix
this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
format function that it provides resolve the issue?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Looks like bad news.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/w2kmsgs/2413.asp

--
Good Day
River Rat




"dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C4659718-EB89-49B4-B7C4-84770820B346@microsoft.com...
Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot sector
is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in the
middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to fix
this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
format function that it provides resolve the issue?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

The site you provided says the volume must be reformatted, does anyone know
if my Windows XP OEM restore CD will do that with its quick format function?

"River_Rat" wrote:

> Looks like bad news.
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/w2kmsgs/2413.asp
>
> --
> Good Day
> River Rat
>
>
>
>
> "dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C4659718-EB89-49B4-B7C4-84770820B346@microsoft.com...
> Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
> verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot sector
> is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in the
> middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to fix
> this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
> format function that it provides resolve the issue?
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Hi,

Download and run a drive diagnostic tool from the drive or system
manufacturer. This will tell you whether the problem is bad sectors on the
disk, or a problem with the file table.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C4659718-EB89-49B4-B7C4-84770820B346@microsoft.com...
> Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
> verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot
> sector
> is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in
> the
> middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to fix
> this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
> format function that it provides resolve the issue?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Oddly, the problem seems to have been resolved after I defragmented the drive
(was 31% fragmented). I'm not entirely sure how that worked given that
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/w2kmsgs/2413.asp
suggests reformating the volume, repartitioning or replacing the disk for
this particular issue.

"Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Download and run a drive diagnostic tool from the drive or system
> manufacturer. This will tell you whether the problem is bad sectors on the
> disk, or a problem with the file table.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C4659718-EB89-49B4-B7C4-84770820B346@microsoft.com...
> > Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
> > verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot
> > sector
> > is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in
> > the
> > middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to fix
> > this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
> > format function that it provides resolve the issue?
>
>
>

 

[BigJim]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

it appears that your hard drive may be going bad, backup your important
stuff and get ready for a
big crash down the road.
"dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C4659718-EB89-49B4-B7C4-84770820B346@microsoft.com...
> Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
> verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot
> sector
> is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in
> the
> middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to fix
> this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
> format function that it provides resolve the issue?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Which is precisely why I recommend a drive diagnostic to determine
accurately if that is the case. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Once
you know, then you cna head in the right direction to repair the problem.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2F7AC52A-F622-4844-A483-497E1C67957D@microsoft.com...
> Oddly, the problem seems to have been resolved after I defragmented the
> drive
> (was 31% fragmented). I'm not entirely sure how that worked given that
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/w2kmsgs/2413.asp
> suggests reformating the volume, repartitioning or replacing the disk for
> this particular issue.
>
> "Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Download and run a drive diagnostic tool from the drive or system
>> manufacturer. This will tell you whether the problem is bad sectors on
>> the
>> disk, or a problem with the file table.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
>> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>
>> "dube007ca" <dube007ca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:C4659718-EB89-49B4-B7C4-84770820B346@microsoft.com...
>> > Every time I start windows XP chkdsk runs and completes its three
>> > verifications successfully and gives the message the second NTFS boot
>> > sector
>> > is unwriteable. Apparently windows writes a second NTFS boot sector in
>> > the
>> > middle of the disk in case of emergencies. Can anyone suggest how to
>> > fix
>> > this? All I have is the Windows XP OEM restore CD, but might the quick
>> > format function that it provides resolve the issue?
>>
>>
>>

 

[nolsen]

If you have a virus scanner running it might prevent Windows format command to write to the boot sector. Solution is to temporarily stop the scanner while formatting the disk.