Hi, I am using Beta for Windows 2.9.0.10 64bit. After many weeks of use, I now get an unclosable pop up that reads: The file or directory \ is corrupt and unreadable. Please run the Chkdsk utility.
I actually did run chkdsk on my Windows 10 Surface PC and found no errors.The application seems to have no functional issues in spite of this popup. I can save and see all entries in my scriv file.
FYI: I do have Scrivener 2 on the same machine but have not used it since I downloaded the beta for 3.
Just thought I would post this in case it might be of use. Screen shot attached.
Where is the Scrivener Beta installed? In the default folder or in one you’ve specified?
You say you also have an older version of Scrivener installed. Is that in the same folder or a different one?
Have you tried uninstalling the beta, deleting any leftover files/folders (except your project of course) and reinstalling?
Scrivener 2 is in C/Program Files (x86). Scrivener Beta 3 is in a folder I created in C/ Program Files called Scrivener-3.
This configuration has been in place for many many weeks but only in the last week did the PopUp pop up.
I have not and probably will not uninstall the Beta at this time. I’m writing a time critical piece and am scared I might mess something up that I can’t fix. I do know one should not put such faith in a Beta, but I really don’t want to fall back to Scrivener 2.
I think I read in the notes to Beta users that the Scrivener 3 files are NOT backward compatible to Scrivener 2, so I have copied the critical content to Word file but use Scrivener 3 for project work.
Also, there seem to be no issues with the functionality of Scrivener 3, just the bothersome presence of the unclosable Error window.
BTW: I have never opened Scrivener 2 and 3 at the same time, have been through many restarts and still get the popup. I may just research how to use Windows (10) Task Manager to close the pesky bugger of a window.
Thanks.
Unfortunately it looks as though this error commonly denotes an issue with your hard drive, rather than with the program being run. I would suggest reinstalling the beta in a different folder and seeing if that helps with the issue - however, I understand your reluctance to do so.
Thanks. I did run scandisk on the drive but no errors were found.
I look forward to installing the final release of Scrivener 3 and uninstalling version 2 to see if that stops the error window.
That I ran v.3 for weeks without an error window, however, does suggest it is some negative change on my device rather than the Beta.
If I do find some fix or more info I will post again. Thanks all. cmc
I’ll repeat what others have said; this looks like a disk error message. Scrivener does back up your writing. However, given this error, I would (outside Scrivener) copy the writing directory(ies) to another medium (thumbdrive, Google drive, dropbox, or other; just somewhere the coming disk problems won’t break them).
I don’t either.
Scandisk & chkdsk don’t find everything.
The problem I see with that error message is that it mentions “” – which is the root directory, as I recall. That’s why I’m suggesting make a backup of your writing files. More than one, even.
I understand you don’t want to muck with things, and I’d agree with that; if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? But “is corrupt” is a bad news message, so at the very least back stuff up before the box breaks on you.
Thank you RWFRANZ. Good advice. I will heed it. A different PC I owned ate its own C; Drive a few years ago, and though I did not lose files, reconstruction was a nightmare that cost me time, hair and peace of mind. I find myself using the new Scrivener 3 for more and more and so best protect its contents at least six ways from Sunday if not the full nine. Thanks again.
I tried a few things regarding this Error Message that won’t go away when a Scrivener 3 file is open on my W10 Surface device:
If I open Scrivener 2 and a Scrivener 2 file, I do NOT get the Error Message.
If I then close S2 and open S3 I do not get the message until I open a Scrivener 3 file or open a Scrivener 2 file in Scrivener 3…
No other apps on my device cause an error message to appear.
BTW: running Office 365 and not much else.
(Other than the standard Windows updates there has been only one “major” change that was made to my PC around the time the problem “popped up” which was the uninstalling Duet, a display related app that allowed one to use an Apple tablet as a second or third screen. Prior to uninstalling Duet, I was unable to use remote control PC applications such as Teamviewer and iDrive Remote PC.)
I have used several onboard Windows tools to check the SSD drive for errors plus a Seagate utility. No errors have been found.
Could be that there are no errors, I’ve heard Windows is notorious for using one message to stand in for a different problem. Could be a sharing violation or mishandled call due to having Scrivener 2 and 3 installed at the same time, BUT I guess there are many folks who are configured this way and do not have this pesky popup plaguing their PC.
I did take the back up advice offered earlier and now have all backups and files in Dropbox.
Any thoughts will be appreciated. Can’t hardly even wait til Scriverner 3 is released so i can upgrade and uninstall Scrivener 2. Hopefully that will fix the situation.
Thanks all.
The new beta will be released by 12/15, so you’ll be forced to download and reinstall at that time. Prior to installing the next version, you might want to uninstall the old beta first, clean up the old beta directories, etc., to ensure a fresh install. Hopefully your popup goes away!
Yeah, it is highly inadvisable to store all of your backups and live projects in one place. This is an “All your eggs in one basket” “shooting yourself in the foot” scenario. Dropbox accounts can be inadvertently deleted and then you lose everything. If you want to keep everything in the cloud, put your live projects in DropBox and your zipped backups in OneDrive or pretty much anywhere else but DropBox. :mrgreen:
Thanks for the sage advice. Makes me wonder just how clueless I am though. Why would I think Dropbox is bullet proof. Anyway, I am changing storage and backup pointers and scheme to utilize OneDrive.
One question, what steps are you suggesting exactly when you say “clean up beta directories?”
Thanks. Looks like xmas comes on 12/15.
Thanks for the sage advice. Makes me wonder just how clueless I am though. Why would I think Dropbox is bullet proof. Anyway, I am changing storage and backup pointers and scheme to utilize OneDrive.
One question, what steps are you suggesting exactly when you say “clean up beta directories?”
Thanks. Looks like xmas comes on 12/15.
Just in case you got the impression that I was saying DropBox is bad, that wasn’t my intent. Operationally, DropBox is my fav of the cloud services I use (GoogleDrive, iCloud, OneDrive). I was just emphasizing your live projects and your zipped backups should be kept in different cloud services. I store live projects on DropBox (because I sync with iOS Scrivener) and zipped backups on OneDrive, and that’s worked really well for me.
Good!
After you’ve uninstalled the old beta, go to the folder in Program Files where you had installed the beta and confirm that nothing was left behind by the uninstall. This is not critical, just suggesting an extra check, because you are seeing this odd error message.
The few times I’ve forgotten to do this, I’ve been bitten by it later.
Also, it’s possible to install Scriv 3 and Scriv 2 (1.9.x) in the same directory, but that led to strange behavior, and I reinstalled both, in separate directories.
I didn’t think you were dissing DropBox. Your comment however reminded me that the awesome DropBox has as much chance of failing as any other element of the computing world. Though over many years it has been ROCK steady, stable and useful for me.
I am using DropBox and OneNote for different parts of Scrivener file storage and backup.
I am wondering if it made any difference or would make a difference that I installed Scrivener 2 in C:\ProgramFiles (x86) and Scrivener 3 in a folder I created in C;\ProgramFiles.
It sounds like there will be compatability between Scrivener 3 and iOS versions. That will be awesome.
Nah, I did the same and that’s probably what most if not all folks do. (64-bit programs go in Program Files, 32-bit programs go in Program Files (x86))
What do you mean by compatibility? Asking because the iOS version is already compatible with both Win v1.9 (and Mac v3), in that I can write in Scrivener in Win 1.9, sync to DropBox, and then continue writing in Scrivener on iOS, sync, and then carry on in Win 1.9, etc.
I referred to compatibility because, as per my thread, I use Scrivener on Windows only, so I was wondering about file/ interchange compatibility between Scriverner 3 and the iOS version of Scrivener 3. I noted that the previous poster referred to MAC and iOS, not Windows and iOS.
Obviously I would love to be able to use Scrivener 3 on my iPAD Pro interchangeably with my Surface with no file compatibility or conversion issues. I wonder if that will be the case.
As I mentioned in my previous post, iOS Scrivener is currently compatible with Windows Scrivener 1.9, and has been since iOS Scrivener was released. I’ve been using both to work the same projects. So you don’t have to wait to use the iOS version, if that’s on your Christmas list. You can sync your projects, via DropBox only, on your iPad Pro and your Surface, and you can do it now
And so you don’t have to wonder, Windows Scrivener v3 will also be compatible with iOS Scrivener–as the beta is now. Many people are using the Beta and iOS Scrivener productively.
Operationally, DropBox is my fav of the cloud services I use (GoogleDrive, iCloud, OneDrive). I was just emphasizing your live projects and your zipped backups should be kept in different cloud services. 
I store live projects on DropBox (because I sync with iOS Scrivener) and zipped backups on OneDrive, and that’s worked really well for me.
Asking because the iOS version is already compatible with both Win v1.9 (and Mac v3), in that I can write in Scrivener in Win 1.9, sync to DropBox, and then continue writing in Scrivener on iOS, sync, and then carry on in Win 1.9, etc.