What I believe is happening is called a check disk.
check disk is a program that runs before windows Loads, to check the health of the Hard Disk Drive.(HDD)
I have attempted to attach a picture of a windows vista check disk.
What you are talking about is verifying files, indexes, security descriptors....etc...
This happens under two conditions. When a user schedules it as part of the regular maintenance of his/her computer(I did this to my Windows drive just last night), or as an automatically triggered event if windows was not shutdown properly.
Windows usually does not shut down properly for a couple of reasons, but the majority of the time it was as power loss that lasted long enough to stop the HDD platters from spinning. This essentially kills the operating system. As a long time tech. I have had a few clients tell me that they used to fix their own computers by just pulling the plug until it acted properly. This always makes me cringe, because bad habits can lead to a very poor performing computer.
I will tell you that if you catch it at just the right time as the computer is starting up, you can just like prompted press "esc" key on the keyboard to bypass the check disk.
I do not however recommend doing this. Besides checking the Health of your Hard drive, check disk also checks to make sure all of the files on your drive are in the proper location.
I will give you a real life scenario to illustrate why you should not bypass this. Imagine If you were to walk into a room full of file cabinets, and locate a drawer with a file you want. You would then go to the desk in that room, and sit down and read the papers in that file. If when you were done with that file you were to just fling the folder off the desk in frustration, while papers fly everywhere and walk out of the room; that would be like windows getting shut down improperly. So think of check disk as the secretary or cleaning staff that comes in makes sure all the files are intact, and the floor is free of clutter. If you keep bypassing the check disk then the room would get really cluttered, and in time possibly unusable without a fresh start. On the other hand if you were to wait for the computer to shut down properly it would be quite the opposite. It would be like putting the papers neatly back into the file, and putting the files you used back into the filing cabinets; before shutting the lights off, closing & Locking the door behind you.
So the advice is to let it happen, and to make sure you are shutting down properly. I know and understand that running vista can lock during updates. This might cause you to hold down the power button until the computer shuts off. But that could also cause the check disk to trigger. I also understand that patience is something you might not always have in a mobile situation with a laptop. by the way most 17" laptops are notoriously Power hungry, and cannot last long without being plugged in. I have a friend with a 17" gaming laptop that cannot go much more than 45 mt. without being plugged in. So maybe you are leaving the computer overnight unplugged, and that could cause windows to shut down improperly. With patience and understanding you will find reason.
~Lee-nuxor~
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