Does CHKDSK delete files?

CHKDSK itself doesn't intentionally delete personal files. It can convert unreadable file fragments into .chk files in a 'found.000' folder, which effectively removes them from their original location. Back up important data before running /f or /r if you can.

How long does chkdsk /r take?

It depends on drive size and health: minutes on a small healthy SSD, several hours on a large mechanical hard drive with many bad sectors.

Can I stop chkdsk once it starts?

You can force a reboot to interrupt it, but this risks leaving the file system in a worse state. Let it finish unless the system is truly unresponsive.

Is chkdsk the same as Check Disk in the GUI?

Yes. Right-clicking a drive in File Explorer, choosing Properties > Tools > Check, runs the same chkdsk engine through a graphical wrapper.

CHKDSK: The Check Disk Utility in Windows

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CHKDSK (Check Disk) is the built-in Windows command-line utility that scans a drive's file system and, optionally, its physical sectors for errors. This hub covers its syntax, switches, and related troubleshooting guides.

Updated August 9, 2026 · PC Utility Hub Editorial Team

What CHKDSK does

CHKDSK verifies the logical integrity of a file system (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT) by checking directory entries, security descriptors, and cluster allocation. With the /r switch it also scans the physical disk surface for bad sectors and attempts to recover readable data from damaged areas before marking them unusable.

On a healthy drive, running chkdsk without switches performs a read-only report: it lists file system errors it finds but does not fix anything unless you add /f or /r.

Basic syntax

Run these from an elevated Command Prompt (Windows Terminal running as Administrator). Replace C: with the drive letter you want to check.

chkdsk
chkdsk C:
chkdsk C: /f
chkdsk C: /r
chkdsk C: /f /r
chkdsk C: /scan
chkdsk C: /spotfix

Key switches

Switch	Effect
/f	Fixes file system errors found on the volume.
/r	Locates bad sectors and recovers readable data; implies /f.
/x	Forces the volume to dismount first, if necessary; implies /f.
/scan	Runs an online scan on NTFS volumes without dismounting.
/spotfix	Applies targeted fixes to an NTFS volume that /scan flagged, with a brief offline period.
/b	Re-evaluates bad clusters on NTFS (used with /r on Windows 8+).

Why it usually needs a reboot

Windows can't lock the system drive while it's in use, so chkdsk /f or /r on the boot volume schedules the check for the next restart instead of running immediately. Answer 'Y' when prompted, then restart; the scan runs before Windows fully loads, in a blue console-style screen showing five stages.

For non-system drives (a second internal disk or external drive with no open files), chkdsk /f can often run immediately without a reboot.

Reading the results in Event Viewer

1Open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc).
2Expand Windows Logs > Application.
3Filter by source 'Wininit' (chkdsk logs its results under this source after a scheduled boot-time scan).
4Open the most recent event with Event ID 1001 or 26226 to read the full chkdsk report, including bad sector counts and files recovered.

CHKDSK on SSDs

SSDs have no moving parts, so 'bad sectors' in the mechanical sense don't apply, but the NAND flash controller can still develop failing blocks and the file system layer can still get corrupted after a crash or power loss. Running chkdsk /scan or /f on an SSD is safe and useful; avoid running it obsessively, since NTFS repair passes cause writes, and SSDs have finite write endurance. /r is rarely needed on an SSD since bad-sector remapping is handled by the drive's own controller.

When to use SFC or DISM instead

CHKDSK fixes file system and disk-level problems. It does not repair damaged or missing Windows system files — that's the job of System File Checker (sfc /scannow) and DISM. If Windows is unstable, apps crash, or Windows Update fails but the drive itself checks out clean, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth first, then sfc /scannow. See the System File Checker guide for the full workflow.

Run chkdsk first if you suspect disk corruption (crashes tied to file access, CRC errors, drive making noise); run SFC/DISM if the OS itself feels broken but files open fine.

Frequently asked questions

Does CHKDSK delete files?: CHKDSK itself doesn't intentionally delete personal files. It can convert unreadable file fragments into .chk files in a 'found.000' folder, which effectively removes them from their original location. Back up important data before running /f or /r if you can.
How long does chkdsk /r take?: It depends on drive size and health: minutes on a small healthy SSD, several hours on a large mechanical hard drive with many bad sectors.
Can I stop chkdsk once it starts?: You can force a reboot to interrupt it, but this risks leaving the file system in a worse state. Let it finish unless the system is truly unresponsive.
Is chkdsk the same as Check Disk in the GUI?: Yes. Right-clicking a drive in File Explorer, choosing Properties > Tools > Check, runs the same chkdsk engine through a graphical wrapper.