CHKDSK– Windows 7 & 8

CHKDSK in Windows 7 - image NTLDR-BOOTMGR-GRUB

The steps to run this utility in Windows 7 are similar to those of Windows Vista.

From Command Prompt

If you can’t boot into Windows 7 to run chkdsk, download Easy Recovery Essentials – our recovery disk for Windows 7 – and run Automated Repair or Command Prompt directly. You can burn EasyRE on CDs, DVDs or USBs.

If you can boot into Windows 7, run the utility from Command Prompt directly:

Click Start
Type cmd at the Search program and files search box
Right-click on cmd.exe
Click Run as Administrator
Type in your Administrator password
When cmd.exe opens, type the command:
```
chkdsk
```
Press Enter
You can run the tool with more parameters, like this:
```
chkdsk c: /r
```
This will check the drive for errors and will automatically try to fix any found errors.
If you receive the “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process.” message, type Y to restart the computer and let the utility to run a scan at the next boot of your PC
After you typed Y, close the Command Prompt
Restart the computer by going to Start > Shutdown > Restart
At the next boot, the check disk utility will automatically run a scan

From My Computer

The check disk utility can also be ran from My Computer to check for errors on your hard disk.

To do so, follow these instructions:

Right-click on the Start icon
Click Open Windows Explorer
On the left side of the window, click Computer
At the Hard Disk Drives section, right-click on the volume you want to check for errors
Click Properties
Go to the Tools Tab
At the Error-checking section click Check now
You can now run the check disk utility: select Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors to let the utility attempt to repair any hard drive errors found
Click Start

If the volume you want to check is in use, e.g. C:/ where Windows Vista is installed, you may receive the following error message:

Windows can't check the disk while it's in use

Do you want to check for hard disk errors the next time you start your computer?

Schedule disk check | Cancel

If so, follow these steps:

Click Schedule disk check
Exit any open programs
Restart your computer
Your computer will now restart and automatically boot and the utility will perform a scan automatically

If you receive the “Do you want to dismount this volume first?” message, follow the steps below. This message appears if the volume you want to checked is locked, even if it’s not in use (e.g. the C:/ drive):

Windows can't check the disk while it's in use

Do you want to dismount this volume first? Note: All opened handles to this volume will become invalid.

Force a dismount | Cancel

If so, follow these steps:

Click Force a dismount
A scan will automatically start now

From the installation disc

If you don’t have the installation disc to run chkdsk, download Easy Recovery Essentials – our recovery disk for Windows 7 – and run Automated Repair or Command Prompt directly. You can burn EasyRE on CDs, DVDs or USBs.

Follow these steps:

Insert the original Windows disc
Restart your PC and boot from the disc
Click Repair your computer
Choose the operating system from the list
Click Next
Choose Command Prompt
When it opens, type the command:
```
chkdsk /f /r
```
Press Enter

CHKDSK in Windows 8 or 8.1

Windows 8 or 8.1 users can run this utility by choosing any of the following methods:

From Command Prompt
From My Computer
From installation disc

From Command Prompt

If you can’t boot into Windows 8/8.1 to run chkdsk, download Easy Recovery Essentials – our recovery disk for Windows 8/8.1 – and run Automated Repair or Command Prompt directly. You can burn EasyRE on CDs, DVDs or USBs.

To run it from Command Prompt, here are the instructions:

Log into Windows 8/8.1
Press the Windows and C key to open the Charm bar
Select Search
Type-in cmd
Right-click on Command Prompt from the search results list
Click Run as administrator
Log in as an Administrator
When Command Prompt launches, type the command:
```
chkdsk C: /f /r /x
```
The parameters for this command are:

/f option will attempt to fix any found errors

/r option will locate for bad sectors and recovery any readable information

/x option will force the volume you’re about to check to be dismounted before the utility begins a scan

If the C: drive is in use, type Y to run a scan at your PC’s next restart. If so, exit Command Prompt and restart the computer.

From My Computer

To run the check disk utility from Computer (My Computer), follow these steps:

Boot into Windows 8/8.1
Double-click on Computer (My Computer) to open it
Select the drive you want to run a check on, e.g. C:\
Right-click on the drive
Click Properties
Go to the Tools tab
Select Check, at the Error checking section

If you receive the following message, click Scan drive to begin the scan:

You don't need to scan this drive

We haven't found any errors on this drive. You can still scan the drive for errors if you want.

Scan Drive

You can keep using the drive during the scan. If errors are found, you can decide if you want to fix them. Depending on the results of this scan, the utility will report the results:
- If no errors were found, you’ll see this message:
```
Your drive was successfully scanned
Windows successfully scanned the drive. No errors were found.
```
- If errors were found, you’ll see this message instead:
```
Restart your computer to repair file system. You can restart right away or schedule the error fixing on next restart.
```

From the installation disc

If you don’t have the installation disc to run chkdsk, download Easy Recovery Essentials – our recovery disk for Windows 8/8.1 – and run Automated Repair or Command Prompt directly. You can burn EasyRE on CDs, DVDs or USBs.

If you can’t boot into Windows 8/8.1 to run Command Prompt, you can use the original Windows 8/8.1 installation disc to run Command Prompt from there.

To do so, follow these instructions:

Insert the installation disc
Restart your computer
Press any key to boot from the disc, at the “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…” message
Choose your keyboard layout
Select your language, time and a keyboard method
Click Next
Click Repair your computer

At the Choose an option screen, click Troubleshoot
At the Troubleshoot screen, click Advanced options
At the Advanced options screen, click Command Prompt
When Command Prompt launches, type the command:
```
chkdsk C: /f /x /r
```
Press Enter