Some tasks are particularly slow in Windows, regardless of version. Disk defragmentation is one of the first that comes to mind, but checking with CHKDSK is another classic example. In fact, there are times when CHKDSK gets stuck on a percentage, refusing to advance. Today we're going to share a series of recommendations to make using CHKDSK a more tolerable experience.
Why Do We Still Use CHKDSK?
The answer is simple. Windows still relies on NTFS (and FAT32 in special cases), so none of its technical quirks have disappeared. Turning off the computer improperly (or suffering a spontaneous power cut) remains as risky as ever, and to that we must add another fundamental detail: storage drives break, and some suffer from their "old age" more intensely than others.
CHKDSK is just the first line of defense, but in recent editions of Windows it can exhibit quite poor performance, or get stuck directly. Many users have turned to the Web to find out what to do when CHKDSK gets stuck on a percentage, and today we're going to make a series of recommendations to get out of that trap, or at least try to make CHKDSK go a little faster. However... the first one is not going to please you.
What to Do When CHKDSK Gets Stuck
Wait
It seems like a bad joke, but it's actually a design issue. Microsoft itself explains:
"If you use chkdsk /f on a very large disk or a disk with a very large number of files (for example, millions of files), chkdsk /f may take a long time to complete."
In other words, repairing with CHKDSK on large disks is an exercise in patience. If you have a one-terabyte disk filled to 90 percent that needs a CHKDSK scan, don't expect instant results. If it also holds millions of small files inside, its work will be even slower. The most frequent question is "how long?", and the best educated estimates suggest between 3 and 7 hours, depending on the capacity and overall health of the disk.
Clean the Disk
"Less is more" in the Windows universe, and if you can clean any trace of junk before performing a CHKDSK operation, the better it will be for the entire computer. Open the "Disk Cleanup" tool, also known as cleanmgr.exe, select all items, specify the cleanup of system files (it will elevate privileges), and let it run. Note: This may take a couple of hours.
Run SFC
Running System File Checker, more popular under its acronym SFC, is basically the "go-to" recommendation in official Microsoft forums whenever someone has a problem with the operating system. The idea is to eliminate any potential corruption in critical files, so you'll need to open a system console with elevated privileges and use the command "SFC /scannow".
Run DISM
DISM stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management, an integrated tool in Windows that allows us to perform various maintenance and configuration tasks. One of those tasks is to verify the integrity of the operating system and clean up any redundant modules. The recommended command for those cases where CHKDSK gets stuck is "Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth". As you might imagine, this also takes its time.
Use the /spotfix, /i, and /c switches in CHKDSK
This is only valid for NTFS drives. In general terms, the most important CHKDSK commands are /f (which orders the repair of errors) and /r (which includes /f but also looks for bad sectors and tries to recover information). However, there are the /i and /c switches, which tell CHKDSK to perform tests that are not as thorough on indexes and folder structure. The /spotfix command is even more interesting, as it activates specific error repair. In other words, it focuses on the number of corruptions, not the number of files.
In Summary
Nobody likes to see CHKDSK stuck on a percentage, but it's not the end of the world either. With the combination of commands and recommendations we've presented here, it's very likely you'll be able to leave this problem behind. Now, don't forget: If the hard drive or SSD has physical damage or SMART alerts, no CHKDSK is worth it. The only path is to back up files as soon as possible and replace the unit. Don't gamble with your data. Good luck!
