CHKDSK Cannot Open Volume for Direct Access Error[SK1]  [4 Methods]

Running chkdsk on the SD card throws a "Cannot open volume for direct access" error.

-Superuser

Check Disk or CHKDSK is a built-in Windows utility that checks various storage drives, such as hard disks, micro SD cards, USB drives, external hard drives, etc., for errors and repairs them.

However, even CHKDSK can cause problems while running a scan to fix disk errors on your system. Sometimes, the CHKDSK utility is unable to access the drive you want to scan, and you might get an error message: 'CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access.' This occurs due to antivirus software interference, corruption, or bad sectors on the drive.

Let’s learn everything you need to know to resolve the 'CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access’ error message.

Why does the 'CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access’ error occur?

CHKDSK is run via command prompt to check for drive errors with the command:

chkdsk [drive letter]: /f

Here, the drive letter represents the drive you want to scan and /f instructs CHKDSK to correct errors when it finds them.

However, when CHKDSK utility is unable to access the drive or volume in question to perform the check and repair the drive, causing "cannot open volume for direct access" error to appear. There can be numerous reasons why ‘CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access.’ Some of them are:

• System processes lock the drive: Some Windows system services or processes may occupy the disk, which CHKDSK checks, preventing CHKDSK from accessing it.
• Third-party software conflicts: Some third-party applications, such as antivirus software or disk management tools, can interfere with CHKDSK.
• Hard drive errors: Bad sectors, failing hardware, or a physically damaged drive can be the reason why CHKDSK may not be able to access the disk.
• Corrupt file system: The disk's file system may be damaged or corrupted, preventing CHKDSK from recognizing it.

How do we fix the ‘CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access’ error?

There are several methods to fix the issue of 'cannot open volume for direct access' while running the CHKDSK command on Command Prompt.

1. Perform CHKDSK in the Clean Boot Environment

A clean boot starts your Windows with a limited set of startup programs, drivers, and applications necessary for the operation. Running CHKDSK in a clean boot environment can help prevent interference from other programs, which may be causing the 'CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access' error.

Follow these simple steps to perform a clean boot:

• Log into your computer as an administrator. If you are the only user, log in using your account credentials.
• Press WINDOWS + R and type msconfig. Press Enter.

• The System Configuration windows will open. Now, go to the Services tab.
• Check the box beside – Hide all Microsoft services options.
• Click the 'Disable all' button.

• Click on the Startup tab beside Services under the System Configuration Window.
• Click Open Task Manager.

• Click to open the Startup tab, right-click on each item in the list, and then Disable them.

• Go back to the Startup tab in the System Configuration dialog box.

• Click OK and choose to restart your PC.
• Once your PC restarts, rerun the CHKDSK command to see if the error has been resolved. If the issue does not appear, enable all the disabled services again.

2. Disable Any Third-party Services That May Lock the Partition

Sometimes, third-party applications installed on our computers can interfere with CHKDSK, preventing it from accessing the drive, which can result in error 'CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access'. If you have third-party services on your system, you can disable it. Doing so should fix the issue. Here's how to disable third-party Services:

• Press WINDOWS + R to open the Run utility.
• Type services.msc and press Enter.

• You’ll see the services window. Locate the third-party application that you find suspicious.

• Right-click on that specific service and select Properties.

• Change the Startup type to Disabled for any third-party applications and click OK.

• Exit from Services and reboot the computer. Now try to rerun CHKDSK to see if the error 'cannot open volume for direct access' disappears.

3. Uninstall Any Third Party Software

Sometimes, third-party software, like antivirus software, can lock the disk that is checked by CHKDSK, causing a 'cannot open volume for direct access' error to occur. In such a situation, you have to uninstall the third-party software to fix the issue.

• Press the Windows + X keys together and click App & Features to launch it.
• Click on the software that is causing the problem and select Uninstall.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall the software and restart your PC.

This fixes the error ‘cannot open volume for direct error’ caused due to third-party software locking the drive.

4. Format Corrupted or Damaged External Drive /SD Card

This solution mainly focuses on resolving the ‘CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access' error for USB drives, SD cards, external hard drives, and more. If the error is not solved even after trying the above-mentioned fixes, your drive might be corrupted or damaged.

You must format the drive to fix the issue in such a situation. However, before formatting the drive, be sure to take a backup of the data stored on the other device. Here's how to format the SD card or USB drive:

Steps to format SD Card via Windows 11 File Explorer

• Connect your SD card to your Windows system via a card reader.
• Go to My Computer and select your SD card.

• Right-click on your SD card and click Format.

• A format window will appear. Specify the file system and set a volume label for your SD card. Moreover, select Format options and click Start.

• Windows will start the formatting process for your SD card.

How to Recover Data from Formatted Drive?

If you format an SD card or USB drive without saving its data, you can recover the lost data using reliable Windows data recovery software. Stellar Data Recovery for Windows can help restore data, including photos, videos, and offline documents, from formatted SD cards, USB drives, or external drives.

Its user-friendly UI and powerful data recovery algorithms help you recover data from many data loss scenarios, including accidental deletion, drive formatting, corruption, disk errors, system errors, and more.

Here’s how you can use this software to restore data from a formatted partition

• Download, install, and run Stellar Data Recovery software on your Windows PC.
• Then, select the files you wish to recover. You can choose ‘All Data’ or specific file types from the options and click 'Next.’

• Select the formatted drive partition listed under 'Connected Drives,' turn on the 'Deep Scan' toggle switch at the bottom-left, and then click the 'Scan’ button.

• After the scan, select the files you wish to save.

• Click the ‘Recover’ button, select location, and then click ‘Start Saving.’ That’s it!

Conclusion

The 'CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access' issue often arises from third-party software interference, drives locked by system processes, or corrupted hard drives. To resolve the problem, you can turn off third-party services or software or perform a clean boot. Different users prefer different solutions to resolve the CHKDSK issue, but the final goal is to let Windows 11 run smoothly and safely.

A closing tip : Always maintain data backups to avoid data loss in case of hardware failure.