Major chkdsk Bug in Windows 7 RTM
As most of you know, Windows 7 is expected to hit technet and MSDN by August 6th to a 
much anticipated welcome. However, this particlar issue looks strangely out of place and makes you wonder how exactly this passed through validation:
To Reproduce:
- Run an elevated CMD prompt
- Run CHKDSK <drive letter:> /r
- With task manager open, you should see your memory quickly gobbled away in the chkdsk.exe process until it either stops at or around 90% or it maxes completely out and crashes the computer.
**Update**
I was told that this is by design in Windows 7 because the OS is capable and uses more memory. According to my source, because they intended to speed up chkdsk , they did so through using more memory. However, it could be a bug somewhere in OS or a driver bug but seeing as it happens across a wide range of setups, it doesn’t seem to be 3rd party related. This is the information I have been told by my MS contact. I can also verify this issue goes all the way back to Build 7201.
Without further adieu, Exhibit A:
hey, i like this wallpaper , where i can download it? : )
Can’t seem to replicate this error. Maybe it’s the hardware that it’s being run on.
Thanks for this interesting piece of information!
I used it as source for an article in my (german) IT-Blog:
http://www.gieseke-buch.de/?p=347
Not replicable.
http://www.sevenforums.com/news/19372-critical-showstopper-bug-windows-7-rtm.html
@Antman
Nix that. Replicable indeed.
Uhoh…
UPDATE:
After emailing back and forth with the VP Sinofsky, it was found that the chkdsk /r tool is not at fault here. It was simply a chipset controller issue. Please update you chipset drivers to the current driver from your motherboard manufacturer. I did mine, and this fixed the issue. Yes it still uses alot of physical memory, because your checking for physical damage, and errors on the Harddrive your testing. I’m currently completed the chkdsk scan with no BSOD’s or computer sluggishness. Feel free to do this and try it for yourselves. Again, there is no Bug.
Thanks all.
According to my MS Source, I was told that this is by design in Windows 7 because the OS is capable and uses more memory. According to my source, because they intended to speed up chkdsk , they did so through using more memory. However, it could be a bug somewhere in OS or a driver bug but seeing as it happens across a wide range of setups, it doesn’t seem to be 3rd party related.
This has been submitted to the filesystem team though for more investigation.
This is not an OS bug, but rather a fault in the generic controller driver specifically since MS can’t include all motherboard manufacturers controller drivers on the install disc. Simply update the chipset drivers, including your controller drivers and your chkdsk /r will complete without BSOD’s or system slowdowns. Hopefully, all motherboard manufacturers have the current drivers avaiable on there respective websites.
If its a controller driver how do you explain that it happens across , Intel, Nvidia, and any other maker’s. I just stated i talked to an MS Program Manager of Windows 7 and he informed me it likely isn’t a chipset issue.
I think if you have enough ram it doesn’t crash. On my Windows 7 x64 RTM chkdsk rapidly uses up +2gb memory and stops at 3.06gb usage (76%) out of 4 gb with the computer still running smoothly.
Chkdsk just finished and returned my memory back to normal o.o
Hey, where do I get build 7600??
The MS website is only offering build 7100 for download………..
Is build 7600 the newest one???
What’s that little cow icon in the system tray notification area?
Hey bovine thts ad-muncher. A program that munches ads. The best program I have seen to munch ads/banners.
@ 852258 – The 7600 build is the leaked RTM build that was signed off from MS. It can also be available via Technet/MSDN tomorrow.
@ bovine – the little cow is Admuncher
Windows 7 RC here. 1,5Gb of RAM. Checkin error with ‘/r’ option through explorer. It takes 800 Mb in a few seconds. I cancel the operation and qafter 30 seconds it free the 800Mb without problem.
@Ryan Price
It happens cross platform because it’s the generic device driver. Unless you manually install the driver for the specific controller on each system, it’ll use the generic MS one. If the problem’s in the driver, then you’ll see it regardless of make/model without installing the proper driver.
I tried in a 2Gb of ram Celeron, memory usage elevated to about 1.5Gb but the system did not crash nor slowed down think this is by design as steven stated
Steven Sinofsky :
… but that was resolved by design since we actually did design it to use more memory. But the design was to use more memory on purpose to speed things up, but never unbounded — we requset the available memory and operate within that leaving at least 50M of physical memory. Our assumption was that using /r means your disk is such that you would prefer to get the repair done and over with rather than keep working.
This is not a critical bug, since its seldomly use and /r mostly used on old hard disk that just about to kill itself
Lol, but W7 seems a bad KDE/Gnome desktop…Really was expecting for something better…
@Ryan Price
If its a controller driver how do you explain that it happens across , Intel, Nvidia, and any other maker’s.
Well, the previous post implies that it’s when you use the generic (ie. MS supplied) chipset driver instead of the manufacturer supplied/specific ones. So the bug is in that.
The manufacturers one still do it and this is on an Intel chipset with 9.0 drivers installed..so this isnt a bug in the driver..its the actual process.
If MS would actually let some competent programmers LOOK AT “their” code, they could have it fixed in hours. That’s why the OS model is now the only way to develop software and operating systems. “Security” throuh obscurity doesn’t work any more.
I had the same problem when i had to upgrade from vista to windows 7 home, igot the blue screen of death shortly after installation.Is there some kind of fix or patch,PLEASE!!!