Find out what CHKDSK did.
Repairs corrupted file allocation tables and misaligned directory paths.
Sometimes CHKDSK cannot complete its mission. Here are the most common failures and their solutions.
| Tool | Best For | Free? | |------|----------|-------| | | Fixing “RAW” drives with a GUI | Freemium | | HDD Regenerator | Physical bad sector repair (controversial but works sometimes) | No | | Macrorit Disk Scanner | Visually mapping bad sectors | Free version available | | Windows Deployment Tools (DISM) | Fixing corruption in Windows system files on external bootable drives | Yes | chkdsk on external drive fix
CHKDSK will scan and repair file system errors. It may take several minutes to hours depending on drive size and speed.
If the drive has severe corruption, use the flag instead:
If CHKDSK returns a message saying "Cannot open volume for direct access" or "The type of the file system is RAW," the drive's partition table may be severely damaged. In these cases, you might need professional data recovery software or a specialized partition repair tool. Find out what CHKDSK did
Close all open windows and applications. Temporarily disable your antivirus software. Alternatively, open Command Prompt and execute chkdsk E: /f /x to force a dismount of the drive, breaking any active third-party locks. Problem B: CHKDSK Hangs, Freezes, or Takes Days
To fix an external drive using on Windows, you must run the command with specific repair switches in an elevated Command Prompt. Step-by-Step CHKDSK Fix
If you only want to diagnose without making changes: Here are the most common failures and their solutions
Running (Check Disk) on an external drive is a standard way to fix file system errors, bad sectors, and drive corruption on Windows. How to Run CHKDSK on an External Drive
You receive an error stating, "Drive is not accessible. Access is denied" or "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable."
Press Enter: The process will begin. If the drive is currently in use, Windows may ask if you want to dismount the volume; type "Y" and press Enter. How to Run CHKDSK via Windows Interface (GUI)
| Command | Effect | |---------|--------| | chkdsk E: | Read-only check (no fixes) | | chkdsk E: /f | Fix file system errors | | chkdsk E: /r | Find bad sectors + recover data (implies /f ) | | chkdsk E: /x | Dismount drive before scan | | chkdsk E: /scan | Online scan (Windows 10/11 only) | | chkdsk E: /perf | Use more system resources for faster scan (use with /scan ) |