Quick Fix: Windows Can't Repair Drive

Updated by the author on

Sherly 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

1. Method 1: Use a Professional Hard Drive Repair Tool 2. Method 2: Run CHKDSK 3. Method 3: Run SFC 4. Method 4: Perform a Clean Boot 5. Method 5: Run Startup Repair

Seeing the error message “Windows can't fix this drive” when checking a recently inserted hard drive, USB drive, SD card, or any other storage device can be frustrating. This prevents users from being able to use the device for storage. Although Windows has a few tools to fix such errors, they don't always work. Some reasons that may cause this error include:

• Damaged file system
• Bad sectors
• Insecure ejection

If due to the diversity and dynamics of such issues, Windows is unable to fix the drive, it is recommended to use a third-party software to repair your USB/SD card/external hard drive.

How to Fix "Windows Can't Repair Drive Errors"

This article will outline several methods to fix the "Windows can't repair drive" error. These fixes target different causes of the issue, so try them all to resolve the error.

Method 1: Use a Professional Hard Drive Repair Tool

For example, a third-party software like Partition Master Professional can fix multiple errors. It is equipped with the “Check File System” feature that can automatically check and fix file system errors on your drives, SD cards, and USB drives.

Despite all the advanced features, Partition Master has an intuitive user interface. It is compatible with all versions of Windows, from the latest Windows 11 to the oldest Windows XP.

Step 1: Launch Partition Master on your computer. Then, right-click the disk and select “Advanced” > “Check File System” on the partition that you want to check.

Select "Check Partition":

(2) In the Check File System window, select the Try to repair errors if found option, and then click Start.

Step 3: The program will now scan the partition's file system on the disk. When it's done, click "Finish".

Finish the check The partition check is complete

Additionally, the tool comes with various hard drive repair and maintenance utilities. You can download Partition Master and try using its "Disk Surface Test" or "Check Disk Health" feature. These functions will scan your computer's hard drive or SSD deeply and provide an overview of the drive's health status.

Method 2: Run CHKDSK

CHKDSK is a command-line utility in Windows that can check for and attempt to fix errors on a drive. Here's how to use it to fix this error:

Step 1. Right-click the Windows Start icon and open Terminal (Admin).

Step 2: Next, paste the command below and press Enter (replace the first “f” with the letter of the drive you want to scan):

Step 3: The "Check Disk" tool will scan your drive and attempt to fix it, or recommend steps you can take to repair the drive.

If none of these work for you, consider something else. Before you do, please share this article. It helps us reach more people and solve their everyday tech problems.

Method 3: Run SFC

As the name implies, the System File Checker (SFC) scans and checks system files for corruption and other issues, and repairs them. Here's how to use it to fix the "Windows can't repair drive errors":

Step 1: Right-click the Windows Start icon on the taskbar, and from the menu, open Terminal (Admin).

Step 2: Paste the command below and press Enter.

Step 3: SFC will scan your system files for any issues and try to fix them for you. Please note that the scanning process may take some time as it is a comprehensive deep scan of your system.

Method 4: Perform a clean boot

A clean boot is when you start Windows with the minimum number of services and startup applications running. This helps identify problems that aren't caused by services or apps. Here's how to do it:

Step 1. Press Windows+R to open the "Run" dialog box. Type in msconfig, and press Enter.

Step 2: In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab and check the box for "Hide all Microsoft services."

Step 3: Click "Disable all." This will disable all non-Microsoft services from starting up.

Step 4. Next, open Task Manager and disable all startup apps.

Step 5: Turn off your computer and then turn it back on to complete the clean boot.

There's only one thing left to do; the issue might have been resolved for you already! If not, check the last one and share this article.

Method 5: Run Startup Repair

The Startup Repair in Windows can fix boot issues and sometimes repair problems with the Windows hard drive. Here's how to run it:

Step 1: Open the Settings app, go to System, and then choose Reset.

Step 2: Go to the Recovery section and click on Advanced startup, then hit the Restart now button.

Step 3. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair from the Advanced Startup options.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the “Startup Repair.” Your computer will automatically restart when the repair is finished.

Conclusion

This article teaches you how to fix a drive that Windows can't repair. Built-in Windows tools might not cut it; in this case, we highly recommend using a powerful third-party application, such as Partition Manager. You can also try running CHKDSK and SFC, performing a clean boot, or running a startup repair to fix the issue with Windows not being able to repair your drive.

"FAQ: Windows Unable to Fix Common USB/SD Card Issues"

While we strive to answer all Windows-related questions, we don't fix drive errors. Some questions remain unanswered. You can find answers to them here.

Why Can't Windows Fix My Hard Drive?

Severe file system corruption, large bad sectors on the drive, or a virus or malware infection could prevent Windows from fixing your drive. In such cases, it is highly recommended to use powerful tools, such as Partition Manager, to fix the drive.

2. How can I fix and repair my C drive?

You can check and repair the C drive using CHKDSK or SFC in the Windows Command Prompt. Since the C drive contains all of your system files and the Windows installation, it's a good idea to back up important data before you do this, just in case something goes wrong.

< strong > 3. How to fix a hard drive in Safe Mode?

To repair the drive in Safe Mode, first access it by repeatedly pressing the F8 key while booting up, and then selecting Safe Mode from the startup menu. Now, in Safe Mode, open an Elevated Command Prompt and run the CHKDSK and SFC commands to check the drive and fix any errors.