What triggers a chkdsk?

So, the last 4 times I booted my laptop, a disk consistency check (chkdsk) got launched twice without errors found. It made me wonder what could be reasons for Windows to schedule a chkdsk. Anyone? Please name anything you can think of.

Solution 1:

Windows marks the suspected corrupted volume with a "dirty" bit, you could have a hard drive failing, I suggest you back up your Important data Now.

Then test your ram and hard drive http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/How-to-test-RAM-and-HDD-Hard-Drive/td-p/301638

.

Some installed softwares can cause this issue of random chkdsks.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itprogeneral/thread/8393f5f7-b2bf-42b7-b734-a166a3665323

If you suspect Malware follow these instructions in the order given to disinfect the PC.

1.) Make a boot AV disc then boot from the disc and scan the hard drive, remove any infections it finds, I prefer the Kaspersky disc myself. The New 2010 Kaspersky disc can update the AV dat files if you are connected to the internet at the time of scan and is suggested to update before the scan. http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

2.) Then: Install free MBAM, run the program and go to the Update tab and update it, then go to the Scanner Tab and do a quick scan, select and remove anything it finds.

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

3.) When MBAM is done install SAS free version, run a quick scan, remove what it automatically selects. http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

These last 2 are not AV softwares like Norton, they are on demand scanners that only scan for nasties when you run the program and will not interfere with your installed AV, these can be run once a day or week to ensure you are not infected. Be sure you update them before each daily-weekly scan.

Solution 2:

Most common are logical errors in the file system, bad sectors on the hard disk, lost clusters, cross-linked files, and directory errors. Viruses could very well cause chkdsk to run as well.

Also, incorrectly shutting down your PC can activate chkdsk to start the next time you boot your laptop.

Solution 3:

@Ngen is correct most common is just turning off pc or similar not properly shutting down. Or a driver (app, something) causing the pc to not shutdown correctly.

Could also be a connector if you have a spare drive connect it, or boot of USB, or CD see if you have errors or crashing there. To help eliminate worse errors.

Also under disk mgmt what type of disks are they basic or dynamic?

@Moab is also correct fresh install can cure many problems if you dont mind/ have time and backups.