Thread: "The drive where Windows is installed is locked.Unlock the drive and try again."

I've tried SFC/SCANNOW in MS-DOS but got the following message:

"Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service".

I'm in trouble.

If I click on "Re-image your computer" -- "Advanced" -- "Add Drivers" -- "OK", I can see my computer files.
But of course, I don't have an image of my computer.

If I try to use System Restore, I get the following message:

"To use System Restore, you must specify which Windows installation to restore.
Restart this computer, select an operating system, and then select System Restore"

I'm just dreaming about arguing whether it's good or bad not to have the Start Button.

I have found that A LOT of Windows 8 users are having the same problem "with locked drive".
There is a web-site, "How to fix:
"The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."
Fix - The drive where Windows is installed is locked

My problem is that when I get into MS-DOS mode, it says, X:\>Sources.
How to switch to C: drive. I forgot DOS commands.

If I try to run CHKDSK, I get the following message:

"Errors detected in the uppercase file.

Windows has checked the file system and found problems.

...

Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50.



If I run CHKDSK/F, I get the following:

"Cannot lock current drive, Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected."



Why did I upgrade the most stable Windows 7 to Windows 8?

Did you ugprade or do a full install? Upgrades frequently have problems.
Joe

Some of the command lines I'm seeing are missing spaces in them...

sfc /scannow

CHKDSK /f/r

You might, also, try:

Command Prompt, Run as Admin

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

Hit ENTER

After that finishes...

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Hit ENTER

Reboot

Cheers,
Drew

Hello zmechys;

Please try this;
Open CMD w/Admin privileges, then copy/paste what I have here in bold; chkdsk C: /f /r /x
and it should work.
I'm sort of coming in here blind as I was trying to read up on your other thread and this one at the same time.

How did you install/upgrade Windows 8 in the first place, DVD, download or a thumb drive?
What type of drive are/did you install to, IDE, SATA or SSD

"To use System Restore, you must specify which Windows installation to restore.
Restart this computer, select an operating system, and then select System Restore"

This would indicate that something did go wrong with the update to Windows 8 as it's referring to another OS which should not be there.
You may also want to have a look here; Improved CHKDSK Utility in Windows 8 w/Tutorial

If nothing here has helped, then you may need to do a "Clean Install" instead of the upgrade option and by using the "Clean Install" method you can completely wipe the drive and start anew.

Keep us in the loop

Don

I would say you are at a stage, unfortunately, of needing to reinstall. Repair options are not going to work.
Start over and do a Custom (Clean) install with a format as part of the install. On the screen after you choose Custom Install, you will see a link to Advanced (Disk) Options. Click on this. On the next screen, highlight your Win 8 installation and choose Format. After the Format completes the installation will continue.
If you have any data, which you really need to save first, download and run a "Live" cd. I would recommend "knoppix" as being extremely user friendly, with a very simple access to your ruined Windows 8 folders.