CHKDSK errors in volume bitmap

I have a problem on one of my computers running Windows XP Pro w/SP2. It has an NTFS partition. When running chkdsk on the c drive I would get an error message at the end of the scan "Correcting errors in the volume bitmap. Windows found problems with the file system. Run chkdsk with the /f (fix) option to correct these." So I did that. It said that the drive couldnot be locked do you want to schedule it at the next system startup. I selected yes. So then I reboot the computer & chkdsk runs & then reboots to windows without giveing me any error messages. Then I run chkdsk again (from within windows) and I still have the same errors. I have all the latest updates installed. No viruses, or spyware/adware What gives, what am I doing wrong?

This is a quote directly from the MS Online Support Service re: the "Correcting errors in the volume bitmap..." message:

This problem occurs because when Chkdsk is run against an NTFS volume, Chkdsk.exe may report that security descriptors are in the database that are no longer referenced by any file or folder, and that it is removing them. However, Chkdsk.exe just reclaims the unused security descriptors as a housekeeping activity, and is not actually fixing any kind of problem.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows. Fortunately, this error message is an informational message, and can be safely ignored.

Click to expand...

Even still, I think I'd suggest running the HDD manufacturer's diagnostic utility on the drive in question. You could also run the chkntfs c: command from the command prompt, and see if the "dirty bit" has been set on the volume. If it hasn't been set, then chances are there isn't a problem with the volume.

I tried running chkntfs c: like you said. And I got back this message: c: is not dirty. So I guess that means the "dirty bit" hasn't been set yet. The reason that I found this error in the first place was that I tried to run a boot time defragmatation of the drive with my defrag program Perfect Disk. When I had had Perfect Disk analyze the drive, the metadata was very fragmented. So I set a boot time defrag pass for the next reboot. When I rebooted Perfect Disk tried to run, but gave an error message that it couldn't because there was a problem on the drive. I will go ahead & run the drives manufacture disk (WD). Only thing that I'm worried about with it is that I may loose data if it tries to fix the problem. Any advice?

About the only thing I can suggest is to backup as much data as possible before running the utility.

Ok, I'll do that. Thanks for the help!

WD's drive utilitites don't try to fix problems. It has quick test, thorough test, write zeros (destroy data wipe the drive) and setting the udma speed, that's about it.

Any other ideas other than the dreaded reinstall?