CHKDSK Commands: A Complete Guide
Table of Contents
How CHKDSK Works
How to Run Check Disk
To run CHKDSK, follow these steps:
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press
Windows + Xand select Command Prompt (Admin). - Run the CHKDSK Command: In the Command Prompt window, type the desired CHKDSK command with appropriate parameters, for example:
chkdsk C: /f (replace “C:” with your target drive letter).
- Reboot the Computer: If scanning the system drive (C:), CHKDSK will schedule the scan for the next reboot. Press
Yto confirm.
Complete List of CHKDSK Commands and Parameters
Here is a detailed list of all CHKDSK commands you can use:
Parameter | Description |
| Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon), mount point, or volume name. |
| Use with file allocation table (FAT) and FAT32 only. Specifies the location and name of a file or set of files that you want chkdsk to check for fragmentation. You can use the wildcard characters ? and * to specify multiple files. |
/f | Fixes errors on the disk. The disk must be locked. If chkdsk can’t lock the drive, a message appears that asks you if you want to check the drive the next time you restart the computer. |
/v | Displays the name of each file in every directory as the disk is checked. |
/r | Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. The disk must be locked. /r includes the functionality of /f, with the additional analysis of physical disk errors. |
/x | Forces the volume to dismount first, if necessary. All open handles to the drive are invalidated. /x also includes the functionality of /f. |
/i | Use with NTFS only. Performs a less vigorous check of index entries, which reduces the amount of time required to run chkdsk. |
/c | Use with NTFS only. Doesn’t check cycles within the folder structure, which reduces the amount of time required to run chkdsk. |
/l[: | Use with NTFS only. Changes the log file size to the size you type. If you omit the size parameter, /l displays the current size. |
/b | Use with NTFS only. Clears the list of bad clusters on the volume and rescans all allocated and free clusters for errors. /b includes the functionality of /r. Use this parameter after imaging a volume to a new hard disk drive. |
/scan | Use with NTFS only. Runs an online scan on the volume. |
/forceofflinefix | Use with NTFS only (must be used with /scan). Bypass all online repair; all defects found are queued for offline repair (for example, |
/perf | Use with NTFS only (must be used with /scan). Uses more system resources to complete a scan as fast as possible. This might have a negative performance impact on other tasks running on the system. |
/spotfix | Use with NTFS only. Runs spot fixing on the volume. |
/sdcleanup | Use with NTFS only. Garbage collect unneeded security descriptor data (implies /f). |
/offlinescanandfix | Runs an offline scan and fix on the volume. |
/freeorphanedchains | Use with FAT/FAT32/exFAT only. Frees any orphaned cluster chains instead of recovering their contents. |
/markclean | Use with FAT/FAT32/exFAT only. Marks the volume clean if no corruption was detected, even if /f wasn’t specified. |
/? | Displays help at the command prompt. |
How to Choose the Right Command
Depending on the issue you’re facing with your hard drive, you can choose different combinations of these parameters to optimize the repair process.
- For basic disk repairs: Use
/fto fix errors on the disk. - For bad sector recovery: Use
/rto recover readable data from bad sectors and fix file system errors. - To perform a more thorough check: Use
/ralong with/xto dismount the drive before scanning. - To speed up the scan: Use
/iwith NTFS to reduce the check time or/perfto allocate more system resources for faster scanning. - For offline repairs: Use
/offlinescanandfixto scan and fix the volume when it’s not actively used.
Benefits of Using CHKDSK Commands
- Repair file system errors: Check Disk can fix corruption in file systems.
- Recover data from bad sectors: The
/roption recovers readable information from bad sectors. - Improved performance: Regular use of Check Disk can keep your hard drive in optimal working condition.
Limitations of CHKDSK
- Data loss: In some cases, Check Disk can delete files if they are located in bad sectors or corrupt areas of the disk.
- Time-consuming: Depending on the size of your drive and the parameters you use, the scan process can be time-consuming.
Conclusion
CHKDSK commands are valuable tools for maintaining and repairing your hard drive. They can check and fix file system errors, recover data from bad sectors, and help optimize the overall performance of your system. However, if your data is already lost or Check Disk is unable to access a corrupted partition, you will need a specialized data recovery tool.
If CHKDSK cannot repair your drive or if data is lost, Magic Data Recovery is your reliable solution. It can recover files even if your partition is corrupted, and Check Disk failed to fix the issues. Download Magic Data Recovery now to safely restore your data and regain access to your files.
Supports Windows 7/8/10/11 and Windows Server
FAQs About CHKDSK Commands
1. Which is better, CHKDSK r or f?
2. How to run a CHKDSK repair?
3. How do I repair corrupted files with CHKDSK?
4. How to recover CHKDSK deleted files?
5. Should I run SFC or DISM?
6. How to repair a slow hard disk?
