What Is "Run Chkdsk F"?

Chkdsk is a software utility, included with all versions of the Windows operating system, which checks–and, optionally, corrects–errors on the hard disk drive of a computer. Selecting "Start," "Run" and typing “chkdsk /F” requests chkdsk to check and fix errors on the current disk drive.

Cross-linked Files

Cross-linked files are one type of disk error that chkdsk /F can correct. Cross-linked files are entries in the File Allocation Table that point to the same disk cluster. The FAT tells Windows which parts of a hard disk drive contain files and which are free for use. Cross-linked files are usually created if a software application crashes or Windows is shut down improperly.

Chkdsk Syntax

Chkdsk can be run in various modes, each of which checks a disk and displays a status report. Chkdsk can be run without parameters to check the current disk. The general syntax is "chkdsk [drive:] [[path] filename] [/F] [/V]," where all the items in brackets are optional. The "/V" flag displays the full pathname of every file checked.

Chkdsk Limitations

Chkdsk /F can be run on very large disk drives–70 GB or larger–but may take several days, during which the computer is unavailable, to complete.

References

• Computer Hope: Microsoft DOS Chkdsk Command
• PC Guide: File Allocation Tables
• Microsoft: Chkdsk