To check an NTFS drive while Windows is running, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run chkdsk X: /scan, replacing X: with the drive letter. To repair file-system errors, run chkdsk X: /f. Save important data first: CHKDSK can correct logical file-system problems, but it cannot guarantee recovery or prove that a drive with recurring errors is healthy.
Before you run CHKDSK
- Back up important files. Microsoft advises backing up data on the affected drive before repair. If the drive seems to be failing or the files are especially valuable, prioritize preserving the data and consider recovery help before running an intensive repair.
- Use an elevated Command Prompt. CHKDSK requires membership in the local Administrators group or equivalent privileges. In Windows, search for Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator, and approve the prompt.
- Identify the target drive letter. Substitute the correct letter for
X:in each command below. CHKDSK applies to local disks, not a local drive letter redirected over a network.
Microsoft describes CHKDSK as checking “the file system and file system metadata of a volume for logical and physical errors.” Its command reference applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11, among other listed Windows products: Microsoft’s CHKDSK command reference.
Choose the right CHKDSK command
| Command | What it does | Does it repair? |
|---|---|---|
chkdsk X: |
Reports the volume’s status. | No. It does not fix errors. |
chkdsk X: /scan |
Performs an online scan of an NTFS volume. | Scans online; this is not the standard repair command. |
chkdsk X: /f |
Fixes file-system errors. | Yes. CHKDSK must lock the volume to make corrections. |
chkdsk X: /r |
Looks for bad sectors and attempts to recover readable information. | Includes /f, so it also attempts file-system repairs. It does not guarantee data recovery or repair physical drive damage. |
chkdsk X: /x |
Forces the volume to dismount if necessary. | Includes /f. Open handles to the volume become invalidated. |
chkdsk X: /spotfix |
Runs spot fixing on an NTFS volume. | Yes, for the spot-fix operation. |
For an initial NTFS check, use /scan. If you need to correct reported file-system errors, use /f. Reserve /r for cases where its additional bad-sector search and recovery attempt is appropriate; do not treat it as a routine way to repair a physically failing disk. Microsoft documents the switch behavior in its command reference.
Run a scan, then repair errors if needed
- Scan an NTFS volume: In the elevated Command Prompt, enter
chkdsk X: /scanand press Enter. For a status report without a repair parameter, usechkdsk X:. - Repair file-system errors: If errors need correction, enter
chkdsk X: /f. ReplaceX:with the target drive letter. - Schedule the repair if Windows cannot lock the volume: If the drive is in use, CHKDSK may display: “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)” Enter
Y, press Enter, and restart the computer to run the check. - Allow a boot-volume check to finish: If the affected volume is the one Windows starts from, the check may run during restart. Let it complete before interrupting or powering off the computer.
CHKDSK needs a lock to perform /f repairs. The /x option also dismounts the volume when needed and invalidates open handles, so do not add it casually to a command. Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance also recommends backing up the affected drive before repair: Guidance for Troubleshooting Data Corruption and Disk Errors.
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Understand the result
When CHKDSK finishes, consider its report alongside the symptoms you are seeing. Microsoft documents these exit codes:
- 0: No errors were found.
- 1: Errors were found and fixed.
- 2: Disk cleanup was performed, or cleanup was skipped because
/fwas not specified. - 3: The disk could not be checked, errors could not be fixed, or errors were not fixed because
/fwas not specified.
An exit code by itself is not proof that storage hardware is healthy. If errors return or symptoms continue, investigate the disk subsystem and hardware, storage connections, and relevant drivers or firmware. Recovery from backup may be necessary. Microsoft’s troubleshooting article discusses this escalation and includes the Event ID 55 wording: “The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please run the chkdsk utility on the volume.” See Microsoft’s data-corruption and disk-error guidance.
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