Run Chkdsk On External Drive [top] 〈2026 Edition〉

For deep repairs—especially for “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” errors—use Command Prompt.

Plug in your external drive and note its drive letter (e.g., E: ). run chkdsk on external drive

If you use the /r switch on a large external HDD (2TB+), it can take several hours. Do not unplug the drive while the process is running, as this can cause further corruption. Pro-Tip: When to run CHKDSK For deep repairs—especially for “The file or directory

This is the most powerful method because it allows you to use specific "switches" to fix different types of problems. Press the Windows Key and type cmd . Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator . Do not unplug the drive while the process

Repair-Volume -DriveLetter E -OfflineScanAndFix

Replace the letter E with the letter of your external drive.

: Similar to chkdsk, this process can take some time, depending on the drive size and issues found.