Fonts keep getting eaten by chkdsk?>?!!?!

**therufus** · 04-09-08, 03:15 PM

In well over a decade as a computer technician, I have never seen a more bizarre problem as the one I face on this customer's PC.

He brought his computer in a few months ago (a brand new PC I built), telling me it doesn't boot. Sure enough, it boots up to a message telling me that C:\windows\fonts\vgaoem.fon is missing or corrupt. I copied a good fonts directory to the drive and everything was okay. Customer took the PC home and everything was sweet. For a couple of days anyway.

He brought the computer back with the exact same problem. Same file, same situation. I ran several hard drive and ram tests on the PC and everything checked out ok. I ran a chkdsk and it came up with no problems with the file system. I plugged the HDD into our workshop PC and noticed a bunch of 'found.00x' folders (a product of a chkdsk that has found errors). Lo and behold, the fonts directory. I restored the folder and sure enough the PC boots okay. But I thought I'd just keep it in for observation. After a random number of reboots, a chkdsk scan appeared on startup and killed the fonts folder again!

I formatted and re-installed windows. I replaced the power supply just in case of undervoltage (just as a precaution really), and ran Passmark burnintest for 3 days non stop. 100% reliability. I called the customer and got him to pick the PC up again.

He had the PC home for 4 hours and it did it again. Always the fonts directory. It makes no sense at all. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any ideas at all?

**best4less** · 04-09-08, 03:32 PM

I have seen a couple of dodgy new HDD in the last 6 months mostly Maxtor
doing some very strange things

**Mysterex** · 04-09-08, 05:25 PM

i've had similar symptoms with corrupt windows files caused by faulty HDD

basically i would repair and same fault would occur few hours later

the quick fix was to partition the drive into 2 (1x 2 gig at beginning with bad sectors and rest as 2nd partition) and install windows in the 2nd partition

keeps windows out of the corrupt area

**Studio1** · 05-09-08, 07:15 AM

I agree with Best4less, has all the hallmarks of a dodgy drive.

I won't use Maxtor drives any more, since they were bought out by Seagate.
I've had a couple of them randomly corrupt and one die completely.

Added to which I won't touch Seagate. Some people reckon they are Ok, but I've replaced more than a few of them and I've heard consistent stories about their low reliability.
They always seem to be the cheapest drives on sale, and there has to be a reason for that.

Aside from drive reliability, have you done scans for boot sector viruses?

**therufus** · 05-09-08, 11:29 AM

The only thing maxtor drives are good for is paperweights.

I'll try replacing the drive.

**therufus** · 05-09-08, 09:27 PM

Replaced the drive, still random chkdsk's, but not the fonts folder yet. Maybe it's mainboard.

**MrRadio** · 05-09-08, 10:38 PM

When you replaced the drive did you replace the data cable too ... sometimes the simplest things cause the most consternation.

I had similar prob (corrupted files and the occasional bsod) with one of my own computers, turns out one of the conductors in the cable was going open circuit when it got warm. Very nearly threw away a perfectly good 400GB drive. Mine was IDE but assuming as yours is new its probably SATA, doesn't hurt to check anyway.

04-09-08, 03:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
therufus Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cranebrook, NSW Posts: 100 Spent time on board: 17:05:17	Fonts keep getting eaten by chkdsk?>?!!?! In well over a decade as a computer technician, I have never seen a more bizarre problem as the one I face on this customer's PC. He brought his computer in a few months ago (a brand new PC I built), telling me it doesn't boot. Sure enough, it boots up to a message telling me that C:\windows\fonts\vgaoem.fon is missing or corrupt. I copied a good fonts directory to the drive and everything was okay. Customer took the PC home and everything was sweet. For a couple of days anyway. He brought the computer back with the exact same problem. Same file, same situation. I ran several hard drive and ram tests on the PC and everything checked out ok. I ran a chkdsk and it came up with no problems with the file system. I plugged the HDD into our workshop PC and noticed a bunch of 'found.00x' folders (a product of a chkdsk that has found errors). Lo and behold, the fonts directory. I restored the folder and sure enough the PC boots okay. But I thought I'd just keep it in for observation. After a random number of reboots, a chkdsk scan appeared on startup and killed the fonts folder again! I formatted and re-installed windows. I replaced the power supply just in case of undervoltage (just as a precaution really), and ran Passmark burnintest for 3 days non stop. 100% reliability. I called the customer and got him to pick the PC up again. He had the PC home for 4 hours and it did it again. Always the fonts directory. It makes no sense at all. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any ideas at all?

04-09-08, 03:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
best4less I'am Not a Bloody Joke iTrader: (10) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,647 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 4 Weeks, 1 Day and 16:17:38	I have seen a couple of dodgy new HDD in the last 6 months mostly Maxtor doing some very strange things __________________ Please wipe your feet before walking all over me

05-09-08, 07:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
Studio1 Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Inside the toaster Posts: 488 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 12:04:21	I agree with Best4less, has all the hallmarks of a dodgy drive. I won't use Maxtor drives any more, since they were bought out by Seagate. I've had a couple of them randomly corrupt and one die completely. Added to which I won't touch Seagate. Some people reckon they are Ok, but I've replaced more than a few of them and I've heard consistent stories about their low reliability. They always seem to be the cheapest drives on sale, and there has to be a reason for that. Aside from drive reliability, have you done scans for boot sector viruses? Last edited by Studio1 : 05-09-08 at 08:12 PM.

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04-09-08, 05:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mysterex Senior Member iTrader: (3) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gold Coast Posts: 114 Spent time on board: 2 Weeks, 1 Day and 7:54:29	i've had similar symptoms with corrupt windows files caused by faulty HDD basically i would repair and same fault would occur few hours later the quick fix was to partition the drive into 2 (1x 2 gig at beginning with bad sectors and rest as 2nd partition) and install windows in the 2nd partition keeps windows out of the corrupt area

05-09-08, 11:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
therufus Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cranebrook, NSW Posts: 100 Spent time on board: 17:05:17	The only thing maxtor drives are good for is paperweights. I'll try replacing the drive.

05-09-08, 09:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
therufus Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cranebrook, NSW Posts: 100 Spent time on board: 17:05:17	Replaced the drive, still random chkdsk's, but not the fonts folder yet. Maybe it's mainboard.

05-09-08, 10:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
MrRadio Premium Golden Oldie iTrader: (1) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: The home of the bear and the big play Posts: 164 Spent time on board: 1 Week, 4 Days and 0:43:44	When you replaced the drive did you replace the data cable too ... sometimes the simplest things cause the most consternation. I had similar prob (corrupted files and the occasional bsod) with one of my own computers, turns out one of the conductors in the cable was going open circuit when it got warm. Very nearly threw away a perfectly good 400GB drive. Mine was IDE but assuming as yours is new its probably SATA, doesn't hurt to check anyway.

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