Resolve Vista Scan and Fix Error When Plugging in IPOD or other Devices

by Mark Flavin on February 24, 2008

Vista is just too smart for its own good. I spoke with a member friday evening that said after setting up Vista home premium his computer would give him an error to Scan and Fix his IPOD. However when he would plug his IPOD into his wife’s Windows XP machine there was no error.

error_ipod.jpg

I was able to recreate the error by forcibly ejecting my own ipod from a Windows XP machine. The reason for the error is that his IPOD was formatted FAT32 on Windows XP; this can affect thumbdrives, cameras, smart cards. What happens is the device was not properly dismounted by Windows XP and there is an archival bit set that Vista needs to reset before it will stop reporting there is an error.

At this point if you don’t read anything else read this: don’t click the “Scan and Fix” button.

Instead open up a command line prompt by clicking on the windows logo key and then clicking on the command prompt icon:

cmd_start.jpg

At the command prompt type the following command.

chkdsk (device drive letter): /f

for instance my ipod was mounted at drive l so I typed

chkdsk l : /f

cmd1.JPG

Once the chkdsk process is completed you should not see the “Scan & Fix” dialog for your ipod or other device again.

- Mark Flavin

{ 3 trackbacks }

Vista Scan and Fix Error for USB devices | The Tech Talk Blog
May 6, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Zeroization › Scan and Fix Annoyance
June 10, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Vista Scan and Fix Error for USB devices » Test Talk
September 26, 2009 at 12:57 pm

{ 152 comments… read them below or add one }

Bryan February 4, 2010 at 6:56 pm

Mine will come up with the scan fix, i typed in the command and it will come up with the fat32 but will not but then it says “cannot read boot sector” Any ideas?

I can not open itunes when my ipod is plugged in. I also can not properly disconnect the ipod becuase it says that it is in use. I have throw other Ipods on this computer and it works fine. I also went to the apple store and of course my ipod worked fine there on both there mac and windows XP, I am running windows 7. Any help would be much appreciated

John February 7, 2010 at 10:09 pm

Yes, make sure that disk usage is enable. Otherwise, itunes unmounts the driver letter from windows

Leave a Comment

Previous post: Using Dual Monitors Try UltraMon

Next post: Southern California Regional MLS Coming This Year – It’s About Time