How to Stop Chkdsk /R

Run chkdsk/r as part of a periodic computer maintenance routine.

You can run chkdsk/r from the Windows command line or from Windows Explorer. Chkdsk is a utility that looks for errors on your hard drive and attempts to repair them. Some hard drive errors occur when your computer crashes unexpectedly. Windows may also run chkdsk when it reboots from a crash or discovers that problems could exist on the hard drive. The chkdisk operation can take minutes or even hours, depending on the size and condition of the hard drive. If you want to stop chkdsk from running, disable it using the Windows Command window.

Instructions

1. Click your Windows "Start" menu on the task bar and select "Run." Windows will display the Run window.

2. Type "cmd" and press "Enter" to open the Windows Command Window.

3. Type the following command in the Command Window:

   chkntfs /x c:

   The letter "c" represents your "C" drive. If you want to stop chkdsk from running on a different drive, replace "c" with the letter of that drive.

4. Press "Enter." Windows will run the chkntfs command and stop chkdsk from running when Windows boots.

Tips & Warnings

• To make the chkdsk program run normally again, use the "d" parameter instead of the "x" parameter in the chkntfs command. For example, if you want chkdsk to examine your "C" drive, type "chkntfs /d c" (without the parentheses) in the Command Window. You do not have to wait for Windows to run the chkdsk program when it boots. You can run chkdsk/r at anytime from the Command Window when you want to check your hard drive for errors.

References

• Microsoft: Windows XP - Chkdsk
• Microsoft: Chkntfs.exe: What You Can Use It for
• Microsoft: How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP

Resources

• Informit: Checking Your Hard Disk for Errors