FAT32 Error and how to fix

It sounds to me like you have a not-way-too-serious disk problem, but Disk Doctor itself is damaged (thus the internal errors) and therefore ain't working right. That's just an idea. Please post Norton DD's error message.
You could also try running SpinRite 5 from Gibson Research which is much more powerful (though old, a lot less user friendly, and incompatible with NTFS).

bookmarking -- I have this stupid FAT32 problem, too. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. So far, it's not to the point of the beast being unwilling to defrag. (Is that next?) I think, for me, I'll just take it to the shop, but I want to know what they'll have to do. (I'm using another computer right now. It's smooooooooooth.)

What FAT32 problem, piffka?


If someone really thinks they need to run scandisk from DOS, follow these steps to the letter (since you're using FAT32 I'll assume you're using Win9x/ME).... There're a few steps in here that're prolly unnecessary that I just added to make sure you get to the right folder.

1. Press F8 as the computer is starting to get to the boot menu, then choose the option to boot to a comand prompt.
   
2. Type.. C:
   
3. Type.. cd \
   
4. Type.. cd windows\command
   
5. Type.. scandisk /all/autofix

edit: spellchecked and such

Hmmm, I used to have ME, but I took it to the shop and they put in XP. I always wondered if they did it correctly since I was getting the new version of Norton's antivirus and they were supposed to put it in first... but didn't. It took ages longer to correct that and the technician was going into individual files (while I waited and watched) to delete stuff. That was about six months ago.

After about a month I started having the FAT32 problem: sometimes my computer will stop dead and say it has a FAT32 Error. Then when I turn it off and on again, it has to go through a time-consuming disk check. It then says it has fixed most of the problem but there's some bit of the disk that can't be fixed. The computer seems to work OK for a while, but starts to get slower and slower and sllllloooooowwwwweeeerrrr. Then it freezes up again. Happens once or twice a day. Mr.P says I shouldn't have bought such a cheap HP computer and that's why I have the trouble.

Of course, in taking it to the shop, I'll be going back to the place where they may have goofed up the original upgrade. I think I need a MAC.

Mac is only good for the music industry. XP should have been installed using NTFS not FAT32....that is problem number 1 lol

yeah, your computer guys using fat32 with WinXP was pretty silly (not that it would usually cause any problem). The symptoms you described sounds to me like your hard drive is dying, Pifka. Yew should prolly back up anything that losing would make you cry.

Oh, not again. <sigh> It's not that old for Pete's sake. I'm hard on computers, I guess.

Well, thanks for the diagnosis, Monger!

And thanks, Safecracker, even though you laughed at me!

FAT32 error
If you have a Windows Boot disk, or have the ability to create one, do so. Make sure that FDISK.COM (or .EXE) is on it.

Boot with the diskette.

When you get the A:>\ prompt, go to the C: drive.

At the C:\ prompt, type this: FDISK/MBR

That command can (not always) fix the Master Boot Record, which may fix your problem. The bottom line is that doing this will not hurt anything, but may help.

(just a note to those not familiar with DOS...running fdisk without knowing what you're doing could end up pretty ugly. Using 'fdisk /mbr' though like Al said has almost no risk.) For anyone using w2k/xp you can fix a damaged master boot record by getting to the recovery console and typing: fixboot

FAT32 Fix
Thanks, Monger, for the enhanced response.

I admit, I failed to issue the stern warning on FDISK.

I'm glad you did.

I wasn't laughing at you I was laughing at the so called "techs" who installed your OS.

I know, I was just kidding you. I laugh at them too, and laugh at that stupid machine, too. I'm on Mr.P's which has 10 windows open, plus the inbox, Word and it's clearly playing music. This is what a computer is supposed to do, right?

Yes multitasking the whole purpose of a PC lol usually the main reason a PC is slow is ram and CPU speed.

Seems I had plenty of all that, but the computer stinks anyway. Oh well, while the cat's away, the birdies play. Mr.P doesn't care as long as I don't change a single setting which was the reason for multi-computers in the first place. (Can you believe it?)

Monger

Sorry for the delay in responding. I'm also having connection problems and have been going back and forth with Earthlink trying to resolve those.

I was trying to run Norton's Speed Disk to defrag, when it aborted with the error message that there was something wrong with the c drive and that I should run Disk Doctor.

WHen I run DD it says that it is fixing DOS boot record, and then quite a while later, it comes back with the message:

The Boot Record coult not be repaired.

Unable to continue testing the rest of the disk.

Hi Sumac, with Win9x/Me you can use FDISK/MBR and with Win2K/XP you can use FIXBOOT

Lemme know which version of Windows you're using & I'll post the steps to get to where you can use those commands.

WIn98 first edition, upgraded

Okiedokie..

• Start->Settings->Control Panel
  
• open Add/Remove Programs
  
• 3rd tab on top says something like Startup Disk. From there, insert a floppy & make yourself a startup disk
  
• Reboot PC with startup disk in your floppy drive. (Lemme know if it's not automatically booting to the floppy)
  
• It'll ask you if you want to start with CD-ROM support or not. Since you don't need to read anything off a CD go ahead and select 'without CD-ROM support'
  
• At the A: prompt, type..
  
  C:
  
  
• At the C: prompt it brings you to, type..
  
  FDISK/MBR

Keep in mind that there are some rare circumstances where using fdisk's undocumented /MBR switch would be a bad idea.

Every potential problem is moot at the moment, as I already had a startupdisk, changed the BIO setting to look to the floppy first, did as you instructed, and when the A:\> came up, typed in C:, hit enter, and when C:\> appeared, immediately typed FDISK/MBR. Nothing happened for a couple of seconds, then the same C:\> reappeared, with no other words or messages, and I typed in FDISK/MBR again, hit enter, and the same thing happened again. Will try once more, then will try scandisk and defrag from WIndows 98 and see what happens.