How To Scan Disk Windows

In older Windows variations from MS-DOS 6.2 to Windows 98, the MS-DOS command SCANDISK was used to verify for and restore disks. It might verify the File Allocation Table (FAT), file system construction and linkage, FAT drive metadata in addition to the bodily sectors or clusters on the disk.

Since Windows XP, the working system wanted NTFS-formatted disks. So, this older course of is already out of date and Microsoft changed it with the newer CHKDSK command or program. It can carry out the identical scan and restore course of for all sorts of disks/drives and more.

You can run this app by means of the graphical interface or using a command-line interface like Command Prompt.

Using the Graphical User Interface

Windows supplies an choice to verify a disk or drive in its properties. It is the default method you possibly can run this course of by means of a graphical interface. However, this course of cannot carry out a hardware-level scan. It solely checks the file system construction, linkage, and data in addition to safety descriptors on the disk.

1. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer and go to This PC.
2. Right-click on the disk/drive that you simply want to scan or verify.
3. Select Properties after which go to the Tools tab.
   
4. Click on Check beneath Error checking after which Scan drive.
   
5. If it detects any errors, choose Repair Drive to aim to repair them. 
6. After that, you possibly can click on on Show Details if you would like more particulars on the errors that the method discovered and repaired. It reveals the restore log contained in the Event Viewer.

Using Command Prompt

Another method you possibly can scan or verify a disk on Windows is through the use of the CHKDSK command. Unlike with the above course of, you get many choices whereas using this command-line methodology. It is as a result of you should use completely different optionally available flags together with the command to verify a drive and particular person flags specify completely different choices.

• /f – It checks the disk or drive for logical errors equivalent to file system construction errors, issues in file identify index and linkage, and points with safety descriptors and information attributes.
• /r – Along with all the things that /f does, /r additionally checks for dangerous sectors or clusters within the used in addition to free area on the drive. If it detects such clusters, it marks them as unavailable in order that no processes or information will use these corrupt clusters.
• /x – Attempts to dismount the drive to stop learn/write operations on the drive. This method, different processes gained’t have an effect on the CHKDSK scan and vice versa.
• /? – Describes the CHKDSK command, reveals the syntax, and lists all flags together with their description.
  

You additionally must specify a disk whereas using the command. Otherwise, it can verify the system drive (normally C:).

1. Open Run by urgent Windows key + R.
2. Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the Elevated Command Prompt.
3. Enter the command chkdsk /f E: whereas changing E: with the precise drive letter. If you need to carry out a deeper disk scan, use the command chkdsk /r E: as a substitute.
   
4. Confirm the prompts and await the method to complete. If you need to scan your system drive or any drive that’s at present in use, you might must restart your PC.

You may also use this command on the Windows Recovery Environment’s Command Prompt. However, the drive letters will probably be briefly reassigned on this case. So, you should decide the drive letter first. The full course of is as follows:

1. Boot into Advanced Startup.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced choices > Command Prompt.
   
3. Enter the instructions under:
   • diskpart
   • listing quantity (verify the drive letter for the drive you want to scan by checking the scale)
   • exit
   • chkdsk /r D: (you should use another drive letter or flag/s relying in your want)