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3 Ways to Run CHKDSK Utility to Repair Disk Errors on Windows 11

Quick Tips
  • Right-click a system drive in File Explorer to open its Properties, select Tools, click ‘Check’, and select ‘Scan drive’ to initiate a CHKDSK Scan.
  • Run CHKDSK Utility on Windows 11 from the Automatic Repair screen > Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Command Prompt, and execute the CHKDSK command.

Method 1: Run Check Disk Utility From File Explorer

File Explorer provides an easy way to run the Check Disk Utility on your selected system drive to repair its errors. Here’s what you need to follow:

Step 1: Press the Windows + E shortcut to open File Explorer, select This PC from the sidebar, and right-click a system drive to open its Properties.

1 Select Properties

Step 2: Navigate to the Tools tab, and click Check under ‘Error Checking’.

3 Click On Check

Step 3: Approve the UAC prompt and click Scan drive to commence the CHKDSK scan.

4 Click On Scan Drive

Step 4: Wait for the scan to finish. If it detects any disk errors, it’ll ask you to reboot Windows to fix it.

Method 2: Using Command Prompt

If you prefer the old-school method of executing commands, the Command Prompt app can help you run the CHKDSK Utility on Windows 11 to repair disk errors.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, search Command Prompt, and click Run as administrator.

5 Open Command Prompt

Step 2: Paste the below command in the console and press Enter to scan your C: drive for issues and fix them.

chkdsk c: /r /scan /perf
6 CHKDSK

Step 3: To run the CHKDSK Utility on a different drive (say D: drive), replace ‘c:’ in the above command with your desired drive letter. For example,

chkdsk d: /r /scan /perf

Method 3: Use Advanced Startup Options to Run Check Disk Utility

Can’t boot your computer to see the desktop? Fret not, you can run the CHKDSK Utility on Windows 11 via Advanced Startup Options. Here’s how:

Step 1: Press the Power button to boot your PC. When the Windows logo appears, press and hold the Power button to force it to shut down.

Step 2: Repeat the above step at least three times until you see the Automatic Repair screen, and click Advanced options.

8 Automatic Repair

Step 3: Select Troubleshoot on the next screen.

9 Select Troubleshoot

Step 4: Click Advanced options and select Command Prompt.

Step 5: Type the following command in the console and press Enter to scan and fix your system drive issues. Let’s take the C: drive for instance.

chkdsk /f C:
12 Chkdsk command from Advance Startup Options

Step 6: Wait for the scan to complete and reboot your PC.

FAQs

Can you run the CHKDSK command on an external drive?

Yes. Replace the drive letter in the CHKDSK command with the exact drive letter of your external disk and execute it in the Command Prompt console.

Does CHKDSK Utility fix corrupt files?

No. CHKDSK Utility in Windows 11 is designed to fix file system errors such as bad sectors but can’t fix the contents of a corrupted file.

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Last updated on 02 August, 2024

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