When XP starts, it checks to see if the volume has any indication of file system errors, so If XP suggests you run the chkdsk utility, that is what you should do.
The stuff in the C:\System Volume Information folder contains information about your System Restore Points. It is normally a hidden system folder that you generally should not be poking around in if you think that someday System Restore might help you.
If the stuff in the SVI folder is somehow afflicted and you don't care about System Restore Points (like me), then you can just whack all that stuff in the folder, but that may leave you with your chkdsk problem.
What is your installed Service Pack and what is the Service Pack of your genuine bootable XP installation CD?
Has your system suffered a power interruption, aborted restart or ungraceful shutdown recently? Things like that can cause corruption in the NT File System (NTFS).
If you have Service Pack 3 installed and you do not have a genuine bootable XP installation CD that is also Service Pack 3 (most people don't), you will not be doing a Repair Install. If you try, XP should tell you about the mismatch, but if you have already
tried it somehow, who knows what shape your system is in now.
Even if you have a genuine bootable XP installation CD with the same SP as your installed SP, attempting a Repair Install will not fix a potentially corrupted file system and is not the same as running chkdsk - and if XP is suggesting you run chkdsk, trying
to repair the installation when the file system is afflicted could make things worse.
Since we really don't know much about your system, we could go back and forth guessing about things and how to run chkdsk or you can create a Hiren's Boot CD and run the chkdsk from there.
There is a potential for data loss from chkdsk, but I have never seen it. From the Hiren's Boot CD you can also easily copy any of your critical personal files you need off to an external drive if you have one.
Here's how to make a Hiren's Boot CD and run the chkdsk:
Make yourself a Hiren's Boot CD which you can download from here:
http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete bit it is worth it. Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.
Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD. You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.
In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it, but I have never used it and prefer to use ImgBurn.
If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program:
http://www.imgburn.com/
When installing ImgBurn, DO NOT install anything from UniBlue or the Ask toolbar (never install the ASK toolbar for anything).
Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:
http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61
It would be a good idea to test your new bootable CD on a computer that is working.
You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.
These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load. If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.
When booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options. Choose the Mini XP option. Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already
used to using.
One way to check the disk for errors is to open My Computer and right click your afflicted drive and choose Properties, Tools, Error-checking, Check Now... put a check mark in both the boxes and then Start.
Sometimes that doesn't work, so you can also click Start, Run and in the box enter:
cmd
Click OK to open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command (assuming XP is installed on your C drive)
chkdsk c: /r
This disk checking can take a long time (perhaps several to many hours) depending on the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what the disk checking finds to do.
Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find.
It may take a long time for chkdsk to complete or it may appear to be 'stuck'. Be patient. If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing something. Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is still making progress. It may even appear
to go backwards sometimes.
You may have to run the chkdsk /r it more than once.
