Insistent chkdsk scan requests

[tinpanalley]

I have two Windows installs running fine on the same desktop, I'm trying to figure out what method to use to get a UI for picking one at bootup (EasyBCD, etc) but that's a separate issue. Now, obviously BOTH Windows installs regardless of which I'm using have access to the storage drives I keep in the system but they have different letters when in either OS. Is that why Windows keeps asking for a chkdsk scan at each startup? I can't figure out why this is happening. All the drives are healthy, in good condition as per CrystalDisk. Could it be having installed OneDrive to sync with each C drive in its respective OS and then OneDrive getting confused about why there is another OneDrive on the system somewhere else? But they're separate installs, one should have nothing to do with the other right? And when one C drive is booted, then the other is just another drive, isn't it?

 

[Billb2]

Which OSs?
In what order were they installed?
Did you uninstall a drive when you installed Windows to the other one?
If you did then that's your problem.

 

[tinpanalley]

Which OSs?
In what order were they installed?
Did you uninstall a drive when you installed Windows to the other one?
If you did then that's your problem.

- Windows 7 and Windows 10 (please dont ask why I need Windows 7, remind me it sucks, ask me why I dont use VM, etc, it's just what I have to run)
- Windows 10 was installed, then Windows 7 was installed with the 10 drive completely disconnected from the system.
- I did not uninstall anything. Straight up one install after the other as I described. Completely clean installs.

 

[Ketchup]

Here are some good ways to check for the cause of seemingly random chkdsk's.

https://social.technet.microsoft.co...-using-rtm-windows-7-pro?forum=w7itprogeneral

 

[Billb2]

When you install any OS the install program writes a small piece if code to the first sector (the boot sector) of the drive that is set as the boot drive in the bios. From then on, whenever the computer starts up, that small piece of code is loaded into memory and runs. That code tell the computer where the OS (actually the boot loader) is located, that boot loader then runs and the OS starts up.

When you install another, second, OS it's install program sees the previous install and modifies the boot sector code to indicate that there are two OSs. From then on, whenever the computer starts up an "OS choice screen" is displayed that allows you to choose which of the two OSs to boot up. Also, the two OSs are then aware of each other and the drives will retain the same drive letters is both OSs. The only caveat is that the older OS has to be installed before the newer (Win 7 install can't see a Win 10 boot sector and will overwrite whatever is there).

But when you removed the drive befor the second install the install program did not see the other OS and wrote a new boot sector to the (now different) boot drive. So... now you have two different drives, each with a different boot sector code and each code pointing to a different OS, and neither OS is aware that the other exists.

You can mess around with BCDEdit or EasyBCD but that can lead to problems if drive letters are changed (and they will be). An OS won't be able to find any of it's installed programs because the programs will be located on an (as far as that OS is concerned) a different drive, not where it looks for them.

If I were you I'd kill the Win 10 installation with EasyBCD, delete all it's files (ie. it's Windows folder) and use EasyBCD to make the WIn 7 bootable and then (with all the drives connected) install Win 10. There are other workarounds, but they pretty much all result in unintended consequences that are hard to live with.

 

[tinpanalley]

You can mess around with BCDEdit or EasyBCD but that can lead to problems if drive letters are changed (and they will be). An OS won't be able to find any of it's installed programs because the programs will be located on an (as far as that OS is concerned) a different drive, not where it looks for them.

Ok, but in this particular case, the Win10 has programs installed on C and one other drive (because I don't install games to the C drive) but the Windows 7 install which I did 2nd ONLY has a handful of installs of a few programs to its C drive. Nowhere else. Either OS will have no problems finding its installs. ...unless I'm not getting what you're saying.
This is just like two C drives from two different computers that you want in the same desktop. I'm not getting where the problem is. I do genuinely want to learn though, I'm not challenging what you're saying.

 

[Ketchup]

Question, as you have several threads, although different, on the same topic: does one drive have enough space for both OSes and their data? Installing both OSes (in the correct order) on the same drive and using the built-in boot loader would be a much easier way to go about it.

 

[tinpanalley]

Question, as you have several threads, although different, on the same topic: does one drive have enough space for both OSes and their data? Installing both OSes (in the correct order) on the same drive and using the built-in boot loader would be a much easier way to go about it.

I've been told that the ideal would be to keep them on separate drives. But ultimately, no, there isn't really room for both unless I really want to limit what I install on the C drive. Also, to clarify, though I'm not looking to make my life more complicated for the fun of it, I've never found that doing what's easiest is necessarily always the best way. I want the way that's going to limit the chances of problems in the future. I know I keep going back to this thing that happened last time, but unfortunately it's all I have to go on, something about how EasyBCD was set up caused me to have boot manager issues just because I did nothing more than move the placement of one of the C drives. Well, I simply can't have a modifiable system where the C drive is never allowed to move to a different slot ever again.

 

[Ketchup]

I've been told that the ideal would be to keep them on separate drives. ....

I would be interested to know who told you that. And just remember that the person who told you that may have been doing things a slightly different way than you are.

As far as the future goes, that's fun to try to plan for, but mostly speculation. Down the road, it will be quite easy to remove the Windows 7 partition and to remove it from the boot manager (from within Windows 10) so I don't see that as being a good reason either. Since you have a drive that's big enough to hold both OSes and apps that would be using both, I can't think of a good reason to use both drives. A better use of the extra drive, for example, would be as a backup for the one drive you are using.

 

[tinpanalley]

I would be interested to know who told you that. And just remember that the person who told you that may have been doing things a slightly different way than you are.

Several people have suggested to me, different sites, "oh you've got two different drives, that's way better than partitions which cause problems down the line and get difficult should you ever choose to modify things. Keep them separate if you're physically able to" ...I'm paraphrasing.

Since you have a drive that's big enough to hold both OSes and apps that would be using both, I can't think of a good reason to use both drives. A better use of the extra drive, for example, would be as a backup for the one drive you are using.

Again, it's not enough for both, and no app is used in both. Each OS runs completely different software. The Win7 runs things that the Win10 can't effectively and seamlessly run.

 

[C1]

This is a very mysterious thread.

There's no reason why MS Windows cant be installed on different drives. (I actually have such a multi-boot setup that's used every day. You can also change the Windows system drive letter via the registry.)

Having had the old "System Commander" as boot manager, it had quite a tutorial concerning boot management and installing and running various multiple operating systems.

In general, different configurations/setups are possible with each having its own advantages and disadvantages. Some installation setups are much safer than others (eg, safer is preventing multiple OSes from being able to see/access the others or in other words, keeping them compartmentalized.)

One needs to decide what they are trying to do or achieve as well as the conditions of the situation such as who will have access to the system(s). For example, in all likelihood you will not want an uninitiated user to be able to access critical system files of the other or another operating system, etc.

https://www.russharvey.bc.ca/resources/multios.html

 

[Ketchup]

Again, it's not enough for both....

Apologies for the misread. Does your Motherboard allow a RAID setup? You could do a JBOD array to have all your space, but a bit less strain on the drives that a RAID-O.

 

[Billb2]

I'll say it again:
Your installs are FUBARed.

They can't be fixed to be stable, reliable and easy to use (unless you spend days and days messing around with BCDEdit and maybe not even then)

The best thing you can do is to start over. If you're concerned about drive space you can make any drive the boot drive, install both OSs there but put each of their Windows folders anywhere you want (ie on different drives or partitions).

And stop complaining about drive space, Fast 1 TB drive are now less than $40.

 

[tinpanalley]

And stop complaining about drive space, Fast 1 TB drive are now less than $40.

Honestly, if I'm annoying you because I know less about computers than you, you DO have the choice to just ignore me. You can also save the attitude. You think I'm a moron that isn't listening, just ignore me. I've done nothing wrong or against the rules. You think I HAVE broken rules? Report me.

 

[Ketchup]

Settle boys, we are all friends here (haters are in other subforums, lol). I do agree that a fresh install sounds like a good idea here.

 

[tinpanalley]

Settle boys, we are all friends here (haters are in other subforums, lol). I do agree that a fresh install sounds like a good idea here.

Fine. I'll take the 7 that already works perfectly and reinstall 10 again with the 7 drive still plugged in. Thank you. Sorry to have obviously been such a freaking nuisance.

 

[tinpanalley]

I've now tried implementing EasyBCD to the current set up. It still needed me to press F12 to select from the boot menu. THEN, when I went into Windows 10, it asked me which to boot into. So, as has been suggested to me I'm going to go back into the Windows 7 drive, and re-install Windows 10 on the second SSD from there so that Windows 7 sees a new install happening and I get a boot selection when I start the computer. I'm learning that that's the only way this will work. I am now also crossing streams with another thread about dual booting I have so I think I've reached a point where I can't really continue speaking about this here without abusing the way the forum should be used so I'm going to stop this here because it's no longer about chkdsk problems. But thanks.

If anyone sees anything wrong with specifically the way I want to do it (load up the Windows 7 install and run the Win 1 install from there) please let me know. I imagine that's the only way to make sure Win7 sees that I want another drive to have another Windows and to be asked which to load at boot up. If there is a good guide to follow, I'm all ears.

Thanks.