Q71586: MS-DOS: Running CHKDSK As A Child Process

Article: Q71586
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:2.x,3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 2.11, 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
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SUMMARY
=======

To maintain a fixed disk, you may wish to run CHKDSK /F as a child process from
an application that runs continuously. However, you should not do this.

CHKDSK assumes that the file allocation table (FAT) is in a stable state. If
CHKDSK detects an error and attempts to correct it by making changes to the FAT,
CHKDSK could destroy the FAT operations that MS-DOS has done up to that point.

More specifically, if CHKDSK is run when a file is open, the chain of clusters
"owned" by the file could be altered in the FAT by CHKDSK. When the file is
closed and MS-DOS finishes updating the FAT and the directory, you may be left
with an error in the FAT.


Additional query words: 6.22 2.11 3.00 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 4.01a 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a kbMSDOS211
Version           : MS-DOS:2.x,3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

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