Microsoft KB Archive/180694

= SMS: Chkdsk Runs Every Time the System Is Restarted Post- SP3 =

Article ID: 180694

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2 Service Pack 3
 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q180694



IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SYMPTOMS
After you apply Systems Management Server Service Pack 3 (SP3) to Microsoft Windows NT clients, Chkdsk runs every time the client is rebooted, even if Windows NT had previously been shut down correctly.

Additionally, when CHKDSK runs at system startup, you may also receive the following error message:

Cannot open volume for direct access



CAUSE
The new remote control video system driver, Systems Management Server Remote Control Video Helper (Rchelp.sys), is implemented in Systems Management Server 1.2 Service Pack 3.

The "Cannot open volume for direct access" error message occurs because Rchelp.sys was creating a file on the volume during startup. Consequently, CHKDSK was unable to get exclusive access to the volume.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.2. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. service pack for Systems Management Server version 1.2. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):   S E R V P A C K



WORKAROUND
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To work around the problem, edit the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\rchelp

Set the Start value (reg_dword) to 2 (the default is 1).

This has the effect of changing the startup value from "System" to "Automatic", starting it later in the boot process, which solves the Chkdsk problem.

Chkdsk will still work normally when you start the computer and the Systems Management Server Remote Control functionality is retained.

To automate the deployment of the fix, create a text file with a REG extension. It should consist of the following lines:

REGEDIT

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\rchelp]

"Start"=dword:00000002

Run the following command at each computer to implement the fix. Note that the user who is logged on must have the appropriate permission.

regedit \ .REG

You can run the command as part of a logon script or distribute it as a Systems Management Server job, or a similar process.

NOTE: This behavior also occurs in Systems Management Server 2.0 SP2. Following the installation/upgrade to the SP2 client components, client computers may begin exhibiting the same behavior.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

235771 BUG: Rchelp.Sys Can Cause CHKDSK to Run Continuously

Keywords: kbarttypeinf kbbug kbfix KB180694

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