CHKDSK gets a workout

[Caged Anger]

And by god if it didn't work! I couldn't access this client's HDD before i ran the chkdsk with the drive hooked up via USB adapter. This is only a portion of what it printed out to screen, its sad I couldn't get the full thing because it was quite impressive.

Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76613) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76615) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76615) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76617) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76617) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76619) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76619) into directory file 76589.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76654) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeQD3D.qtr (76654) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76655) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76655) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76657) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76657) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76659) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76659) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76661) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76661) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76663) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76663) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76665) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76665) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76667) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76667) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76669) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76669) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76671) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76671) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76673) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76673) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76675) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76675) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76677) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76677) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76679) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76679) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76681) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76681) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76683) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76683) into directory file 76653.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76686) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeStreaming.qtr (76686) into directory file 7668
5.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76687) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76687) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76690) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76690) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76693) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76693) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76696) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76696) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76699) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76699) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76702) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76702) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76705) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76705) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76708) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76708) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76711) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76711) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76714) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76714) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76717) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76717) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76720) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76720) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76723) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76723) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76726) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76726) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76729) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76729) into directory file 76685.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76733) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeStreamingAuthoring.qtr (76733) into directory
file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76734) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76734) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76736) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76736) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76738) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76738) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76740) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76740) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76742) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76742) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76744) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76744) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76746) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76746) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76748) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76748) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76750) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76750) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76752) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76752) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76754) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76754) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76756) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76756) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76758) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76758) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76760) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76760) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76762) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76762) into directory file 76732.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76765) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeStreamingExtras.qtr (76765) into directory fil
e 76764.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76766) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76766) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76768) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76768) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76770) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76770) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76772) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76772) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76774) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76774) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76776) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76776) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76778) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76778) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76780) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76780) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76782) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76782) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76784) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76784) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76786) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76786) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76788) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76788) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76790) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76790) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76792) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76792) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76794) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76794) into directory file 76764.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76797) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeVR.qtr (76797) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76798) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76798) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76800) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76800) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76802) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76802) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76804) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76804) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76806) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76806) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76808) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76808) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76810) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76810) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76812) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76812) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76814) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76814) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76816) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76816) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76818) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76818) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76820) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76820) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76822) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76822) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76824) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76824) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76826) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76826) into directory file 76796.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76829) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeVRAuthoring.qtr (76829) into directory file 76
828.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76830) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76830) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76832) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76832) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76834) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76834) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76836) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76836) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76838) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76838) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76840) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76840) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76842) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76842) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76844) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76844) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76846) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76846) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76848) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76848) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76850) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76850) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76852) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76852) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76854) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76854) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76856) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76856) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76858) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76858) into directory file 76828.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.DLL (76861) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeWebHelper.dll (76861) into directory file 7686
0.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.QTR (76862) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTimeWebHelper.qtr (76862) into directory file 7686
0.
Recovering orphaned file da.lproj (76863) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file DAACFD~1.LPR (76863) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file de.lproj (76866) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file DEACF5~1.LPR (76866) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file en.lproj (76869) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ENBEFF~1.LPR (76869) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file es.lproj (76872) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ESCEF9~1.LPR (76872) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file fi.lproj (76875) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file FIB00E~1.LPR (76875) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file fr.lproj (76878) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file FRC008~1.LPR (76878) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file it.lproj (76881) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ITC604~1.LPR (76881) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ja.lproj (76884) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file JAA80E~1.LPR (76884) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ko.lproj (76887) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file KOBA02~1.LPR (76887) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file nb.lproj (76890) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file NBA018~1.LPR (76890) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file nl.lproj (76893) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file NLB014~1.LPR (76893) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ru.lproj (76896) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file RUC816~1.LPR (76896) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file sv.lproj (76899) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file SVCA10~1.LPR (76899) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file zh_CN.lproj (76902) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_CN~1.LPR (76902) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file zh_TW.lproj (76905) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file ZH_TW~1.LPR (76905) into directory file 76860.
Recovering orphaned file QUICKT~1.LNK (76915) into directory file 9805.
Recovering orphaned file QuickTime Player.lnk (76915) into directory file 9805.
Creating quota file.
Inserting an index entry into index $I30 of file 11.
Creating index $O for file 21.
Creating index $Q for file 21.
Inserting default quota record into index $Q in file 21.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 5)...
Cleaning up 26 unused index entries from index $SII of file 9.
Cleaning up 26 unused index entries from index $SDH of file 9.
Cleaning up 26 unused security descriptors.
Fixing mirror copy of the security descriptors data stream.
Security descriptor verification completed.
Inserting data attribute into file 0.
Inserting data attribute into file 8.
CHKDSK is verifying file data (stage 4 of 5)...
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 617
of name \WINDOWS\system32\country.sys.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 1529
of name \WINDOWS\system32\ntdos.sys.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 1555
of name \WINDOWS\system32\ntvdmd.dll.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 3446
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E~1\NT5IIS.CAT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 3449
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E~1\DAJAVAC.CAT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 3450
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E~1\DX3.CAT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 3459
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E~1\HPCRDP.CAT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 7130
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CONFIG.NT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 10218
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E~1\ich4core.CAT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 10244
of name \WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E~1\ich4usb.CAT.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 11083
of name \PROGRA~1\Symantec\S32EVNT1.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 11110
of name \PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCALL~1.EXE.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 11122
of name \PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\ALUNOT~1.EXE.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 11132
of name \PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LuPreCon.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12201
of name \PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\System\Mapi\1033\CONTAB32.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12774
of name \PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\OUTLACCT.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12775
of name \PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\OUTLCM.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12882
of name \PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\1033\OUTLCMR.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12883
of name \PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\1033\OUTLLIBR.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12908
of name \PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\SENDTO.DLL.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 12909
of name \PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\MSOUTL.OLB.
Windows replaced bad clusters in file 13225
of name \PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\Proof\MSGR3EN.LEX.
97 percent completed.
Free space verification is complete.
Correcting errors in the Master File Table (MFT) mirror.
Correcting errors in the Bad Clusters File.
Correcting errors in the master file table's (MFT) DATA attribute.
Correcting errors in the master file table's (MFT) BITMAP attribute.
Correcting errors in the Volume Bitmap.
Windows has made corrections to the file system.

[Goober]

Daaaaammmmnnnn! Just how does a drive get that screwed up in the first place?

[Caged Anger]

dunno, but there isn't a bad sector registered on the thing

dell diagnostics came back with failed reading and confidence tests. I attribute this to the FS structure being essentially collapsed. I have no doubt that if I run the tests again on Monday, the drive will pass.

I also ran HDAT2, an incredable disk checking utility that is included with the UBCD pack. It came back clean, nothing wrong.
I also ran Seatools as the drive is a Seagate Certified Refurb, the extended tests came back clean.
There is also an older version of Western Digital's Digital Lifeguard tools that works on any HDD, report is clean.

And even after all those repairs, even CHKDSK came back with a 0 bad sector count.

I have a few theories as to the cause, but I'll never know for sure. It doesn't seem like the work of a virus. Perhaps as the disk was a refurb, it wasn't properly formatted from the get go and just got worse with time. When i pulled the drive out, there was only screws holding the drive tray in place, the drive was not actually screwed to the try...perhaps subtle vibrations caused the HDD head to incorrectly write the sectors?

Then there is my favorite theory...the client somehow set it down on some sort of magnet. Some of those fridge magents can be pretty strong, not to mention the novelty magnetic rocks sold in some stores. Or maybe even an electrical cord spiraled up underneath the computer....although those are shielded i think....hmmm, many possibilities.