CHKDSK Error: Cannot open the volume for direct access

When starting up your computer (Windows XP) if you get a message like:

Cannot open volume for direct access.
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Windows has finished checking the disk.

when trying to run CHKDSK on the local drive, then follow the steps below.

Microsoft's only solution is to install SP2 however, this will only fix the problem if there is another line "IFSUTIL: Can't open drive. Status returned = c0000043." is present. Most of the time, however, this line is not present and other steps are required.

Note: This solution has not been tested on Windows Vista, however if the above problem occurs, trying the following solution should not damage your system.
Note 2: You may want to print this solution because you will be required to restart in the middle.

-- Basic Solution --
1) Goto Start -> Run
2) Type "cmd" (no quotes)
3) Type and execute in the Command Prompt window: "chkdsk /F" (no quotes)
3a) If you were trying to perform chkdsk on another drive then type "chkdsk /F" then your drive (ex: "chkdsk /F D:")
4) When it asks if you want to check the volume on the next system restart, press "y" and return
5) Goto Start -> Run
6) Type "msconfig" no quotes
7) Goto the "BOOT.INI" tab and check the box labeled "/SAFEBOOT"



8) Press Apply, then Close
9) When it asks if you want to restart, choose "Restart"
10) The chkdsk Scan should now successfully run
11) When the scan is complete, login, and once again goto Start -> Run
(If a System Configuration dialog comes up, click "OK" [see below] )
12) Type "msconfig" (no quotes) again
13) Once again, goto the BOOT.INI tab and this time, uncheck the "/SAFEBOOT" option
14) Click Apply, then Close, and then Restart

If you get the following window, when you computer starts:


Check the box next to "Don't show this message..." and click OK

Afternote: You will have to do this everytime you want to run chkdsk on the local drive.

If the above solution did not work, please send me an email:

or comment below. If it did work, Congrats! More fixes will be added as time goes on....

The full potential of netsh.

I have not been around much to have been posting some new errors. I have received many emails over the past few weeks and I have been trying to reply (usually in under an hour) and get everyone's problems fixed. Remember you can email me at:


Now time to move on to: Netsh.

Netsh is a command-line based tool that can be used to locally or remotely administer a computer. I recently stumbled upon it when I was searching for a way to set DNS servers via the command-line. Various "things" you can do with Netsh will be shown below:

Set IP Address/Subnet/Gateway
netsh interface ip set address "<name of connection>" static <ip address> <subnet> <default gateway>

Set DNS Server(s)
netsh int ip set dns "<name of connection>" static <ip address> primary
To Set More DNS Servers:
netsh int ip add dns "<name of connection>" <ip address>

Set Connection To DHCP
netsh interface ip set address "<name of connection>" dhcp

Set WINS Server(s)
netsh interface ip set wins "<name of connection>" static <ip address>
To Set More WINS Servers:
netsh interface ip add wins "<name of connection>" <ip address>

Those are just some basic examples. I hope that you can benefit from this command as much as I recently have been able to!

-James Hartig