chkdsk

[themanwhowas]

hello
when i come to running chkdsk it always asks if i want to convert lost chains to files. i always answer yes but i have no idea why. what exactly does it do?

[Train]

Error Message:

Convert lost chains to files (Y/N)? text

Explanation:

FAT Chkdsk has found chains of clusters that do not belong to any file. These chains can be converted to files in which case they will appear as FILExxxx.CHK in FOUND.xxx, or they can be released to free space.

User Action:

Choose Y to recover the data as files. Choose N to release the data to free space.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro....mspx?mfr=true

Might want to note what is in the left pane also.

Are you running chkdsk /R ?

[themanwhowas]

im running chkdsk /f

so, assuming that i never even knew that i had these files backed up, do i want to convert these chains to files or just let them go? what could i do with them if i said yes?

[SuperSparks]

Just let them go, the chances of ever converting them into anything useful are vanishingly small.

[themanwhowas]

last thing. where are these files saved? i have chose to convert the lost chains to files every time i have run chkdsk in the past (approximately a billion times +- 3) and there must be quite a few random useless files cluttering up my system.

[SuperSparks]

Do a search for "*.chk" without the quotes, and that should hunt them down.

[Train]

In the Hidden Found folder on the partition that is having the trouble.