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Windows 7: Disk Check

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Disk Check
How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7
Published by Brink
09 Nov 2008

How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7

Published by

Information
This will show you how to run Check Disk or chkdsk in Windows 7 to check a selected hard disk for file system errors and bad
sectors on it.

Note
Running a check disk may take a bit depending on the size of the selected hard disk. For faster and better results, do not use
your computer while check disk is checking for errors.

You will have a choice to scan only, scan for and attempt to fix errors, scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, or scan
for and attempt to fix errors and recovery of bad sectors.
Tip
Solutions to Common Check Disk (chkdsk) Issues in Windows 7
The Chkdsk.exe program does not start correctly on a Windows 7-based computer
Incorrect free disk space displayed after running check disk

OPTION ONE
To Run Chkdsk from Drive's Properties Page
1. Open the Start Menu and click on the Computer button on the right dark side.
2. Right click the hard disk drive that you want to check, and click on Properties. (see screenshot below)

3. Click on the Tools tab, and click on the Check now button under Error-checking. (see screenshot below)

Brink

4. You will now see this window. Do the steps below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)

5. To Only Scan the Drive for Errors

NOTE: This will just give you a report if there are any drive errors or not, and will not attempt to fix them.
A) Leave both boxes unchecked and click on the Start button. (see screenshot below step 4)

6. To Only Scan and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors

NOTE: This scan attempts to find and repair physical errors on the hard disk itself, and it can take much longer to complete.
A) uncheck the Automatically fix file system errors box. (see screenshot below step 4)
B) Check the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors box.

7. To Only Scan and Automatically Attempt to Fix Errors

NOTE: This will automatically attempt to repair problems with files and folders that the scan detects.
A) Check the Automatically fix file system errors box. (see screenshot below step 4)
B) Uncheck the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors box.

8. To Scan and Automatically Attempt to Fix Errors and Recover Bad Sectors
NOTE: This will scan for both file errors and physical errors (steps 6 and 7). It will then attempt to repair problems with files and folders, and recover
physical errors.
A) Check the Automatically fix file system errors box. (see screenshot below step 4)
B) Check the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors box.

9. Click on the Start button, and do either step 10 or 11 below depending on if the drive is currently in use or not. (see screenshot below step 4)
10. If the selected hard disk is not in use, then you will see check disk start checking the disk now. (see screenshot below)

A) When the scan is complete, you will then see

results similar to this. Click on Close. (see screenshots below)

B) Click on OK. (see screenshot below step 3)

C) Stop, you're

done.

11. If the selected hard disk is in use, then click on the Schedule disk check button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the hard disk that you selected in step 2 is in use (for example, the C: drive or partition that contains Windows 7), you'll be prompted to
reschedule the disk check for the next time you restart your computer. Otherwise you will not see this window below.

A) Restart the computer.

B) During startup, you will only have 10 seconds to press a key to cancel the Disk Check from steps 7 or 8. (see screenshot below)
Warning
Once the Disk Check scan starts, DO NOT STOP the scan to prevent possible damage to the data on your hard drive.

C) When the scan is complete you will see a report similar to this below briefly before the computer automatically restarts.

OPTION TWO
To Run Chkdsk from Command Prompt

NOTE: The chkdsk command can be used on a FAT32 or NTFS formatted disk.

1. Open a elevated command prompt or a command prompt at startup.

2. In the command prompt, type in the following command below followed by one or more switches that you would like to use below with a space
between each switch and press Enter.
NOTE: For example, the most common command to run chkdsk on your C: drive is: chkdsk C: /F

chkdsk [drive letter]: [switches with space inbetween]

Switches that you can use in the command:

/F - Fixes errors on the disk. The disk must be locked. If chkdsk cannot lock the drive, a message appears that asks you if you
want to check the drive the next time you restart the computer. For example, on the C: drive.

/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.

/L:[size in KB] - Can only be used with a NTFS disk. Changes the chkdsk log file size to the number size in KB you type. If
you omit the size parameter, typing /L by itself will display the current chkdsk log file size. For example, to have the default
65536 KB log file for the C: drive, you would type: chkdsk C: /F /L:65536

/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 - Can only be used with a NTFS disk. Performs a less vigorous check of index entries, which reduces the amount of time
required to run chkdsk.

/C - Can only be used with a NTFS disk. Does not check cycles within the folder structure, which reduces the amount of time
required to run chkdsk.

/B - Can only be used with a NTFS disk. 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.

That's it,
Shawn

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How to Use Extended Disk Cleanup in Windows 7

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How to Disable "Do you want to scan and fix Removable Drive" Prompt in Windows

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04 Jun 2009

#1

Jaap Aal

By starting up my laptop with windows 7 build 7100 i always get step 12 & 13, what is the reason therefor? I don't like it:-)

Windows 7 RC / 32 bits
/ build 7100
9 posts
My System Specs
.

How to Fix Windows 7

helpcomp.com
Just Follow these 3 steps (Recommended)
04 Jun 2009

#2

Brink

Hello Jaap Aal, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You can do STEP TWO in the tutorial below to reset disk check and stop it from running all the time for you hopefully.
Chkdsk will Not Run at Startup in Vista - Vista Forums

64-bit Windows 8.1

Enterprise
53,912 posts

Hope this helps,

Shawn

Texas

My System Specs
05 Jun 2009

#3

Jaap Aal
Windows 7 RC / 32 bits
/ build 7100
9 posts

Thank you I'll try when I've got the time!!

My System Specs
05 Jun 2009

#4

Brink

Ok. Please let us know how it went for you.

64-bit Windows 8.1

Enterprise
53,912 posts
Texas
My System Specs
06 Jun 2009

#5

Jaap Aal

Sometimes it's much easier... Only took my windows 7 iso disc --> repair start up, and the problem is solved already

Windows 7 RC / 32 bits
/ build 7100
9 posts
My System Specs
06 Jun 2009

#6

Brink

Jaap Aal, I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

64-bit Windows 8.1

Enterprise
53,912 posts
Texas

My System Specs
12 Oct 2009

#7

VicVicVic
Windows 7 Professional
52 posts

I am planning to run disk check soon, with both the options to fix it and recover bad sectors checked. I have a 300GB hard drive with
173GB free. Any idea on how long it would take to run the complete disk check? Are we talking about an hour, three hours, eight hours?
I really have no idea. Thanks.

My System Specs
12 Oct 2009

#8

Brink

Hello Vic,
If nothing wrong is found on the drive, I would plan on at least around an hour. Longer if it finds anything and needs to fix it if able.

64-bit Windows 8.1

Enterprise
53,912 posts
Texas
My System Specs
13 Oct 2009

#9

VicVicVic
Windows 7 Professional
52 posts

Thanks. Is there any way I can look at the scan results if the scan completed and I was not there when it was done? I just want to
know if there are any problems with my hard drive.
I ran the scan last night an hour before I went to bed. In the one hour, it only completed 13 percent, so I figured it would run for many
more hours. I set the alarm to wake up four hours later, and when I did, I guess the scan had already completed because the screen just
showed my desktop (like after the computer has started up).

My System Specs
Page 1 of 12 1 2 3 11 > Last

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