Article ID: 913502 - Last Review: March 3, 2006 - Revision: 1.2

Error message when you try to start a Windows XP-based computer: "Autocheck program not found"

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SYMPTOMS

When you start a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer, you may receive the following error message:

Autocheck program not found

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CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Autochk.exe file is corrupted or missing.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

Insert the Windows XP startup disk, and then close the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP window if it appears.
Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER.
copy drive letter:\i386\autochk.exe %WINDIR%\system32

Note The drive letter placeholder represents the drive, such as "D:", that is running the Windows XP startup disk.
Type Y when you receive the following message:
Overwrite C:\WINDOWS\system32\autochk.exe? (Yes/No/All):
Remove the Windows XP startup disk, and then restart the computer.

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WARNING The Chkdsk (Chkdsk.exe) command-line utility may incorrectly identify and delete security settings on a Windows XP-based computer that does not have the latest security updates installed from the following Microsoft Web site:

http://update.microsoft.com (http://update.microsoft.com)

For more information about this problem, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

831374 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831374/ ) The CHKDSK utility incorrectly identifies and deletes in-use security descriptors in Windows XP

831375 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831375/ ) The CHKDSK utility incorrectly identifies and deletes in-use security descriptors in Windows 2000

The Autochk (Autochk.exe) utility is a version of Chkdsk. For more information about Autochk, see the Windows XP Professional Resource Kit. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457122.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457122.aspx)

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