How To Run A Disk Check In Windows 10 Using The Command Prompt

How to run a Disk Check (chkdsk) using the Command Prompt in your Windows 10 computer.

You should periodically use the Check Disk tool to check the integrity of disks. Check Disk examines disks and can correct many types of common errors on FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS drives. One of the ways Check Disk locates errors is by comparing the vol¬ume bitmap with the disk sectors assigned to files in the file system. Check Disk can’t repair corrupted data within files that appear to be structurally intact, however. You can run Check Disk from the command line or through a graphical interface.

Running Check Disk from the Command Line

You can run Check Disk from an elevated command prompt or within other tools. At the elevated command prompt, you can test the integrity of drive C by typing the following command:
chkdsk C:

Check Disk then performs an analysis of the disk and returns a status message regarding any problems it encounters.Unless you specify further options, Check Disk won’t repair problems, however.To find and repair errors on drive C, use this command:
chkdsk /f C:

When you use this command, Check Disk performs an analysis of the disk and then repairs any errors it finds, provided that the disk isn’t in use. If the disk is in use, Check Disk displays a prompt that asks whether you want to schedule the disk to be checked the next time you restart the system. Click Yes to schedule this check.

This tutorial will apply for computers, laptops, desktops,and tablets running the Windows 10 operating system (Home, Professional, Enterprise, Education) from all supported hardware manufactures, like Dell, HP, Acer, Asus, Toshiba,Lenovo, and Samsung).

[cristianroca]

Man, you just saved 500gb of data that contained my 3 years of work that I have done for my own business... saying thank you is just not enough!
I wish you the same happiness that I have felt when I saw all my work back!

[steve]

I was ready to take my laptop to a technician when I found this video. After 3 weeks of being frustrated at my laptop this fixed my problem right away! THANK YOU!!!!

[SHONNER]

I had forgotten about the Run as Administrator part. Thanks!

[Habibibti]

Very helpful guide man. Thank you. I thought I was gonna be stuck for hours on repairing but fortunately it only took 5 seconds. Thanks man!

[UnArmedFilmsU]

Thank you man, extremely helpful and straight to the point.

[kspec]

thank you :) this actually also worked on a internal drive that was used in an external drive bay. it was telling me the drive needed to be formatted in order to be used.

[permanentsuffering]

my biggest problem was initiating the startup to do this in the first place, stuck at the 3f0 screen. once I did it, you saved my life!

[felicitysmoakandwillgraham]

This took me more than 1 hour. Just wanna share..

Thanks for the help with this vid!

[felicitysmoakandwillgraham]

I need help please. How do i know it is finished or it worked? I just entered y and there are some things it is showing me like the name of some movies on my usb and then the last line says

"/cargo <2017>.mp4 is cross-linked on allocation unit 5"

What should i do next? Help

[steve]

After hooking up my "lighted" mouse my computer went back doing what is was doing before I fixed it. Now when I run the scan it will not scan during startup. It will say you have 8 seconds to stop the scan and then starts up immediately. Any suggestions on how to make it scan? Thank you so much!

[fatiumuammar]

Even after two years very beneficial.

Thank you!

[michaut]

thanks a bunch :D I'm trying to see whether I should replace my drive or not and this is very helpful

[Sundv]

Couldn't find what I needed - how do I scan only a particular folder. What is the syntax?

[blackoutgaming]

So I'm trouble shooting everything due to a few blue screens and a passing PSU paperclip test...I followed everything in your video and when I restart it it loads for maybe a minute or 2 and it'll start but it doesn't advise me of anything but it always states " the type of the file is NTFS, cannot lock current drive" and right under it says that the volume is in use by another process when i have nothing open. please advise please and thank you.

[kttyuni.]

BRO THANK YOU SO MUCH, I WAS STUCK ON THIS THING FOR ALMOST 3 DAYS X

[ladybigs]

Thank you so much- this was quick and well explained.

[bzhhsjzjsnxjjxjzjz]

After I hit enter it says "the type of file system is raw"

[snsi]

I did chkdsk C: /f and so far it's at stage2

both stage1 and stage2 take a long time, it's been a whole day now, do you know how much longer this could take and also what to do after it's done?

[aleynademirkilic]

If you close the command prompt tab after selecting yes will it still work?

[abdulahadkhan]

Bro after pressing enter it's showing file system is NTFS and chkdsk can't run becz the volume is in use by another process. Help me i have little problem in my hard drive I have checked it by /hard disk validator/ app and there was one red dot showing damaged hard disk if u can help me. Plzzz help