no search box in external hard drive windows 10

This means that you don’t have to run the command chkdsk /f /r.Ĭhkdsk /r is one of the most valuable check disk commands, because it can alert you to parts of your hard drive that are starting to malfunction. It automatically runs chkdsk /f as part of this process to correct errors on your disk as well. Windows will run CHKDSK right after it’s restarted.Ĭhkdsk /r finds and attempts to repair corrupted portions of your hard drive. The drive with Windows on it (usually C) will ask you to restart before CHKDSK can run. For example, to repair the D drive, enter chkdsk D: /f. To run CHKDSK on a different drive, type chkdsk : /f, replacing with the letter of the drive you want to scan. These commands will automatically run on the active drive shown next to your cursor. Running this command also runs /f.Ĭhkdsk /v shows the path and name of all files while running a check. It’s just a diagnostic and doesn’t try to fix anything.Ĭhkdsk /f fixes any structural issues with the file system and directory, correcting inconsistencies between the two.Ĭhkdsk /r searches for corrupted parts of the physical hard drive (while also running chkdsk /f) and tries to recover the data there to put it in a part of the drive that isn’t damaged.Ĭhkdsk /x dismounts a drive so that it can be checked and fixed.

Here’s an overview of the CHKDSK commands:Ĭhkdsk cross-references the directory of files with the file system to verify that they match. If your results tell you that “No further action is required,” you won’t need to use any other commands this time. The chkdsk command will search the disk drive for issues, but it won't fix any of them. You can choose different CHKDSK parameters to pinpoint specific problems. If so, you’ll likely need to work through the steps for repairing a drive in Windows 10 or troubleshooting CHKDSK.

But repeated failure to complete is a sign that something may be seriously wrong. If it fails to complete, try canceling the scan and running CHKDSK again. If possible, let the CHKDSK scan finish before resuming other processes. Bear in mind that your computer will run slowly while CHKDSK is working. How long does CHKDSK take?ĬHKDSK can take between 20 minutes and several hours to complete, depending on the age and capacity of your hardware. And get rid of unnecessary apps on your PC to help it run faster, smoother, and longer.

If you think your computer’s performance is lagging, test your PC’s battery life. Hard drive problems are one reason why PCs get slower over time. CHKDSK lets you check a hard drive for errors in Windows 10 or 11, specifically the kind of errors that arise when files aren't where they're supposed to be.

No search box in external hard drive windows 10