CHKDSK Not Working on Windows 11/10/8/7? Fix It Now!

Updated By

Tracy King 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

5 Ways to Fix CHKDSK Not Working in Windows 10/8/7:

Method 1: Use CHKDSK Instead of Third-Party Software
Method 2: Run System Restore
Method 3: Fix Registry Data
Method 4: Disable Hybrid Boot in Windows 10
Method 5: Repair autochk.exe

The Disk Check utility, or CHKDSK when you use it in command form, is usually associated with hard disk drives. It's designed to scan your hard drive for and fix problems. CHKDSK works in two main instances: one is to scan the integrity of the file system and attempt to fix any logical file system errors it finds; the other is to look for bad sectors and either repair soft bad sectors or mark hard bad sectors so they're no longer used. Most of the time, CHKDSK is effective. However, there may be instances when you see CHKDSK not working on Windows 10, 8, or 7.

If you're having trouble running CHKDSK or the CHKDSK command, or if you can't fix errors on your hard drive, USB flash drive, or memory card, continue reading and try each method.

How to Fix CHKDSK Not Working in Windows 11/10/8/7 [5 Ways]

Is your computer, hard drive partition, or storage device also stuck on the CHKDSK checking process and unable to fix any issues? Are you unable to run a startup disk check on your PC with the scheduled CHKDSK command? Don't worry! There are powerful and effective methods that can help you easily resolve the CHKDSK not working issue in Windows 10/8/7.

Method 1: Fix the CHKDSK Not Working Error with Alternative Software

When CHKDSK fails to work on your PC hard drive, partition, or storage device, you can turn to alternative software for CHKDSK. Here, you might like to try a highly recommended free alternative to CHKDSK – AOMEI Partition Assistant, which can help you check and fix internal errors on Windows system, hard disk partitions, and external storage devices for free.

Download the Partition Master tool for free and use it to perform a CHKDSK check on your storage device or partition drive by following these steps:

Step 1: Right-click on the problematic partition.

Step 2: Select Tools > Check File System.

Step 3. Choose whether or not to hide the partition.

< strong > Step 4. In the "Check File System" window, select the option to "Attempt repair if errors are found."

Click "Start" to begin checking your partition for errors.

Method 2: Run System Restore to Fix the CHKDSK Not Working Issue

When you're unable to run CHKDSK through the cmd command on your computer, you can attempt to resolve the issue by performing a System Restore, which will revert your system to a previous state or point in time. Follow this guide to address the problem now:

For Windows 10/8 users:

1. Open the Control Panel, then click on the System and Security tab, and then click System. 2. In the System Properties window, click on the System Protection tab, then click on System Restore. 3. When the System Restore window appears, click Next, then choose the restore point you want to use to fix the CHKDSK unable to run error. 4. Confirm your chosen restore point in the Confirm your restore point window, then click Finish. 5. Click Yes to start the System Restore immediately.

Note: Once the System Restore process begins, it cannot be interrupted. If you have important personal files stored on the system drive, back them up before you begin.

For Windows 7 users:

1. Go to **Start** > **All Programs** > **Accessories** > **System Tools**. 2. Click on **System Restore** and then click **Next**. 3. Select the restore point you want to use to fix the CHKDSK unable to run error and click **Next**. 4. In the 'Confirm Restore Point' window, click **Finish** to start the System Restore process and click **Yes** to begin restoring your system to its previous state.

After the System Restore process is finished, restart your computer to save all changes. Afterwards, you can run the CHKDSK command to check and fix system or internal errors on your computer's hard drive, partition, or storage device.

Method 3: Fix Registry Entries to Solve the CHKDSK Not Running Error

1. Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box, type 'regedit.exe', and then press Enter to open the Registry Editor. 2. Navigate to the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session ManagerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager. 3. In the right pane, double-click on the BootExecute string value and ensure that its Value data is set to 'autocheck autochk*'.

Method 4: Disable Hybrid Boot in Windows 10 to Fix CHKDSK Not Working Properly

If you have Hybrid Boot enabled and you're using Windows 10, CHKDSK might not work correctly and you'll have to disable it:

1. Click the "Start" button, then type CMD in the search box and hit Enter to open Command Prompt. 2. Type powercfg /h off, then press Enter to disable the hybrid boot feature in Windows 10. 3. Restart your computer for all changes in the Windows system to take effect, and you should now be able to use the CMD and CHKDSK commands again.

Method 5: Fix the autochk.exe to Address CHKDSK Not Running Issue

1. Launch File Explorer, click on "This PC," and access the C:\Windows.old folder. 2. Right-click on the autochk.exe file > Properties, and change the ownership to your account. 3. Copy the autochk.exe file to the C:\Windows\System32 folder and replace the existing one. 4. Alternatively, try copying the autochk.exe file from an older version of Windows to the problematic computer and replace the current file. 5. Restart your computer to apply all changes.

That's it, folks! These are the effective ways to fix the CHKDSK not running error. If you found this guide helpful, don't forget to share it with others who might need it.

Why isn't CHKDSK working properly?

Why does CHKDSK sometimes not work as expected? First, let's start with the basics of a successful disk check in Windows 10.

1. Are you running as an administrator? 2. Could the high disk usage on your computer be causing CHKDSK to hang or freeze? 3. Is CHKDSK unable to run altogether, or is the command 'chkdsk /f' (or 'chkdsk /r') not working specifically? 4. Did CHKDSK return any specific error messages?

• The disk check could not be performed on this volume because it is write protected.
• The file system type is RAW. CHKDSK does not support RAW drives.
• This type of file system is NTFS. Errors detected. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.
• ...

Typical error messages related to CHKDSK not working are usually easier to resolve. If you can't run CHKDSK and receive an exact error message like the examples, click the link to find the corresponding fix. If your situation isn't shown here, don't worry. Try the five general troubleshooting methods for when CHKDSK isn't working in Windows 11/10/8/7, outlined above.

What can you do if CHKDSK won't run?

Since CHKDSK is a legitimate disk checking utility that can scan and fix file system corruption and bad sectors on hard drives, it's essential to know the basic tricks to resolve issues where CHKDSK is not working as expected. On this page, you've learned more than five ways to deal with the problem of CHKDSK /f or chkdsk /r not working. I hope at least one of these methods has helped you resolve the issue of being unable to run a disk check.

Furthermore, sometimes CHKDSK might work, but the process takes too long to complete. For those who have been waiting for hours and chkdsk is still stuck at 10%, 11%, 12%, or 32%, you need to take further action.

Step 1. Run AOMEI Partition Assistant to clean up junk files.

Step 2. Run sfc /scannow to run the System File Checker.

Step 3. Run the command Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the Windows image.

Step 4: Force a restart and run CHKDSK.

In addition, you can use it as an alternative to CHKDSK to check the health of your hard disk, scan for a corrupted file system, run a surface test, and fix bad sectors.

Frequently Asked Questions About "CHKDSK Cannot Run"

< strong > What do you do if CHKDSK won't run?

If CHKDSK can't run, you might be able to stop it from running:

Restart your Windows computer and press Esc or Enter while booting to stop CHKDSK from running. Run the Disk Cleanup tool on your computer to get rid of junk files. In the Command Prompt, type `sfc /scannow` to run the System File Checker. Reboot your PC again and use Esc/Enter to exit CHKDSK during startup. Enter the command: `Dism / Online / Cleanup-Image / RestoreHealth`.

2. Why is CHKDSK not progressing?

Outdated or incompatible drivers, damaged hard drives, and RAW formatted drives can cause the CHKDSK process to hang. You can resolve a stuck CHKDSK with SFC/DISK commands, defragmentation, disk cleanup, and other methods.

3. Can CHKDSK fix bad sectors?

Bad sectors are areas on a hard drive that can no longer store information. By scanning the hard drive and providing a report, CHKDSK can fix errors in files.