Run CHKDSK Command on Windows 10

Check Disk Utility a useful troubleshooting Utility Specially designed to scan and fix disk Drive Error. Here is how to repair errors on a computer hard drive with help of CHKDSK command.

Check Disk (chkdsk) command also known as Microsoft check disk utility is a built-in Windows utility designed to scan and repair disk errors on your computer’s hard drive. Disk errors can occur due to various reasons, such as sudden power outages, system crashes, or bad sectors on the disk. Sometimes you may notice the computer freezes frequently or Unable to locate any files and folders Or even the system crashes with different bluescreen errors these are symptoms of disk drive error. If left unchecked, these errors can lead to data corruption and potential data loss. In this article, we will guide you through the process of using the Check Disk Utility to fix disk errors and ensure the stability and reliability of your computer’s storage.

 

Run Check Disk Utility on Windows 10

CHKDSK Utility basically Scans and makes sure that the disk is healthy by inspecting the physical structure of the disk. It repairs problems related to lost clusters, bad sectors, directory errors, and cross-linked files. Also check the disk for Corruption in the file or folder structure (That can occur due to which system crashes or freezes, power glitches or incorrectly turning off the computer etc).

How to run CHKDSK on Windows 10

To Run Check Disk Utility Open the Command prompt as administrator.

  • Press Windows key + S type cmd, right-click on the command prompt select run as administrator,
  • Next, type Command CHKDSK And hit the enter key to execute the command.
  • Or you can Type The Command With Specific Drive letter. For Ex: CHKDSK C:

The utility will start scanning the drive for errors. It may take some time, depending on the size and health of your disk.

Run CHKDSK Command on Windows 10

But running the CHKDSK command will only display the disk’s status, This will run Chkdsk in a Read-Only mode and display the status of the current drive means won’t fix any errors present on the volume. You Can Add Some Extra parameters with check disk commandto tell CHKDSK utility to fix the Errors.

CHKDSK Help command

Typing chkdsk /? and hitting Enter will give you its parameters or switches.

CHKDSK Help command

/f  Fixes errors detected.

/r  Identifies Bad Sectors and attempts recovery of information.

/v  Displays list of every file in every directory, on FAT32. On NTFS, is displays the cleanup messages.

The following are valid on NTFS volumes only.

/c  Skips the checking of cycles within the folder structure.

/I  Performs a simpler check of index entries.

/x  Forces the volume to dismount. Also invalidates all open file handles. This should be avoided in Desktop Editions of Windows, because of the possibility of data loss/corruption.

/l[:size]  It changes the size of the file that logs NTFS transactions. This option too, like the above one, is intended for server administrators ONLY.

Do note that, when you boot to the Windows Recovery Environment, Only two switches may be available.

/p  It performs an exhaustive check of the current disk

/r  It repairs possible damage on the current disk.

The following switches work in Windows 10, Windows 8 on NTFS volumes only:

/scan Run the online scan

/forceofflinefix Bypass online repair and queue defects for offline repair. Needs to be used along with /scan.

/perf  Perform the scan as fast as possible.

/spotfix  Perform spot repair in offline mode.

/offlinescanandfix Run the offline scan and perform fixes.

/sdcclean Garbage collection.

These switches are supported by Windows 10 on FAT/FAT32/exFAT volumes only:

/freeorphanedchains Free up any orphaned cluster chains

/markclean Mark the volume clean if no corruption is detected.

Check And Fix Drive Errors with CHKDSK

Now To Scan And Fix Disk Drive Errors Again Open the command prompt As an administrator, Type Command Bellow and hit the enter key to execute the command.

CHKDSK /f /r /x

You might get a message that says the disk is in use, and you need to schedule the scan for the next restart. Type “Y” and press Enter.

Check Disk Command

The Check Disk Command Explained:

The Command CHKDSK is for Check The Disk Drive Errors.

C: Is the Drive letter which you want check for errors.

/f  Fixes errors if detected,

/r  Identifies Bad Sectors and attempts recovery of information.

/x  Forces the volume to dismount.

Also invalidates all open file handles. This should be avoided in Desktop Editions of Windows, because of the possibility of data loss/corruption.

Note that CHKDSK needs to be able to lock the drive, meaning that it cannot be used to examine the system’s boot drive if the computer is in use. If your target drive is an external or non-boot internal disk, the CHKDSK process will begin as soon as we enter the command above. If, however, the target drive is a boot disk, the system will ask you if you’d like to run the command before the next boot. Type “yes” (or “y”), restart the computer.

Now close the Command prompt And Restart windows, The CHKDSK Utility Will load and check disk Drive errors, Bad Sectors before the operating system loads. If found any disk Errors, the utility will fix them itself if possible.

Scanning And Repairing Drive

This scanning and repair process can take a long time, especially when performed on larger drives. Wait until 100% complete the Scanning and repairing process. After That windows Restart and Start normally. That’s all you have successfully Repaired your Disk Drive Errors.

Conclusion

In Short words, you can use Command CHKDSK /F /R /X to Scan And Fix Disk Drive Errors in Windows 10.

The Check Disk Utility is a powerful tool for detecting and fixing disk errors in Windows. By running regular disk checks, you can ensure that your hard drive remains in good health and avoid potential data loss. Remember to back up important data before running Check Disk or making any significant changes to your disk. If the utility detects any hardware-related issues, it’s essential to consult a professional technician or replace the faulty hardware promptly.

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Robeg
I am Robeg founder of this blog. My qualification. completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). With a strong background in computer applications love write articles on Microsoft Windows (11, 10, etc.) Cybersecurity, WordPress and more.