SMS Rchelp.sys File Prevents Chkdsk.exe from Running

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This article was previously published under Q308238

SYMPTOMS

When you start your Microsoft Windows NT-based workstation that is running Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0 with SMS Remote Control installed, you may receive the following error message:

Cannot open volume for direct access

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The preceding error message may occur when a disk check (Chkdsk.exe) that is scheduled to run during startup is unable to run. The SMS Remote Control Helper Driver (Rchelp.sys) evaluates the currently-installed video drivers, and then writes their contents to the <systemroot>\system32\Viddrv.rch file on reboot so that the video accelerator driver can attempt to load the correct driver. The process of writing this file places a lock that prevents Chkdsk.exe from gaining exclusive access to the disk. Because Chkdsk.exe does not have exclusive access to the disk, Chkdsk.exe cannot run.

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RESOLUTION

Service Pack Information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

288239 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/288239/EN-US/ ) How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack

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Hotfix Information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support)

Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language. The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

  Date       Time   Version         Size       File name           Platform 
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------
  06-Oct-00  23:00                         65  Compverremctrl.ini  Alpha
  06-Oct-00  23:00  4.00.1493.2234     26,480  Rchelp.sys          Alpha
  06-Oct-00  23:00  2.0.92.08       1,686,036  Remctrl.exe         Alpha

  06-Oct-00  23:00                         65  Compverremctrl.ini  Intel
  06-Oct-00  23:00  4.00.1493.2234     16,544  Rchelp.sys          Intel
  06-Oct-00  23:00  2.0.148.00      1,352,209  Remctrl.exe         Intel

The English post-SMS 2.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3) version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

  Date       Time   Version         Size       File name           Platform 
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------
  01-Mar-01  23:05                         65  Compverremctrl.ini  Alpha
  01-Mar-01  23:05  4.00.1493.3225     26,480  Rchelp.sys          Alpha
  01-Mar-01  23:05  2.0.92.09       1,681,799  Remctrl.exe         Alpha

  01-Mar-01  23:05                         65  Compverremctrl.ini  Intel
  01-Mar-01  23:05  4.00.1493.3225     16,544  Rchelp.sys          Intel
  01-Mar-01  23:05  2.0.92.09       1,354,289  Remctrl.exe         Intel

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 5.

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MORE INFORMATION

To install the hotfix, use one of the following methods on the SMS site server and on each of the SMS Administrator consoles.

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Method 1: How to Use the Hotfix Installer

NOTE: You can use this method only on Intel-based computers.

Copy the hotfix folder structure to a share on your network. Note that Q308238.exe is an SMS Installer file that updates specific files on your site server.
Log on to the site server by using an account with administrative privileges.
Run Q308238.exe, and then follow the instructions in the wizard. You can run the file in quiet mode by using the /s switch.

NOTE: The default Client Configuration Installation Manager (CCIM) polling interval is 23 hours. Because of this, it may take up to 23 hours for the hotfix files to be propagated to the client computers. To propagate the hotfix in a smaller amount of time, create a software distribution for the Setevnt.exe or Cliutils.exe resource kit tool, and then use the appropriate parameter or parameters to start a CCIM work cycle. For information about the correct syntax to use with these tools, view the resource kit documentation.

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Method 2: How to Manually Install the Hotfix on the Site Server

To manually install the hotfix on the site server:

Stop the SMS_EXECUTIVE and the SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER services.
Replace the Remctrl.exe file in the SMS_root\Inboxes\Clicomp.src\Remctrl\Platform folder with the version of the file that you obtain from the hotfix.
Replace the Compver.ini file in the SMS_root\Inboxes\Clicomp.src\Remctrl folder with the version of the file that you obtain from the hotfix. Note that you must rename the CompverRemctrl.ini file to Compver.ini.
Start the SMS_EXECUTIVE and the SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER services.

NOTE: The default CCIM polling interval is 23 hours. Because of this, it may take up to 23 hours for the hotfix files to be propagated to the client computers. To propagate the hotfix in a smaller amount of time, create a software distribution for the Setevnt.exe or Cliutils.exe resource kit tool, and then use the appropriate parameter or parameters to start a CCIM work cycle. For information about the correct syntax to use with these tools, view the resource kit documentation.

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