Scan drive for errors notification in Windows 11 [Solved]

Hard drive is an asset for many people since it carries memories of a lifetime in the form of photos & videos, business-critical documents, important apps & contacts, etc.  No wonder a hard drive failure may turn catastrophic if not addressed immediately. One such error that indicates a hard drive failure is the ‘Scan hard drive for errors.’ Since the notification doesn’t specify the cause behind the error, finding a solution becomes complex. But don’t worry. You can fix this issue with the help of a few tricks mentioned in this post.

What is the ‘Scan Hard Drive for Errors’ Notification?

‘Scan hard drive for errors’ notification occurs while using your PC or rebooting your system. This notification also sometimes appears when you connect an external drive to the computer. Many users have reported that they followed the instructions to scan the drive for errors, but then they started receiving another error message – ‘Restart to repair drive errors.’

You may face multiple problems from denied access to your hard drive to system boot-up errors. Such errors can put your data at risk. Thankfully, you can recover hard drive data using professional data recovery software.

Let’s check out the methods in this blog.

How to Fix Scan Hard Drive for Errors Notification

#1 Perform CHKDSK Repair

CHKDSK (Check Disk) is a Windows system tool and command, which checks for logical and physical errors in the file system, and file system metadata of a drive volume or partition. You can scan the drives to find any potential errors. When this command is used with /x, /r, /f, or /b parameters, it fixes various drive errors.

You can run the CHKDSK command (1) through Command Prompt or (2) through File Explorer. The steps are mentioned below, perform them carefully.

Through Command Prompt Utility

You need administrator’s access to run chkdsk in the Command Prompt utility. To do so, follow the given steps:

• In the Search bar, type cmd and click Run as administrator.

• In the open Command Prompt window, type chkdsk C: and hit Enter. (Remember to replace C: with the drive volume letter you want to scan.)

• If you receive the message ‘the volume is in use by another process,’ the scan will automatically begin at the next startup.
• Once the command is executed, type CHKDSK /r C: to locate any bad sectors on the drive.

• Wait until the process is completed. Once done, close the Window and reboot your system. Now, check if you can access your hard drive without any problem.

Through File Explorer

If you don’t know how to work on CMD, perform CHKDSK repair through File Explorer. If you know which hard drive or drive partition is causing the issue, you can specifically run CHKDSK on it. Else, you can scan each drive separately. It’s a lengthy process, but it will detect the issue and try to resolve it. Follow the given steps:

• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer and go to This PC.
• Next, right-click on the drive you want to scan and click Properties.

• Go to the Tools tab to open it and click Check.

• On the next prompt, click Scan drive.

• The scanning process will initiate. Next, you’ll see the time the utility will take to scan the drive.
• Finally, you may find suggestions for fixing the errors on the drive (if any).

#2 Run SMART Test

You may also get the ‘scan drive for errors’ notification on a failing hard drive. To make sure, you may run a SMART test using CMD. On completion of the test, it will show the drive status as OK, Bad, and Unknown. The following steps will depend on the scan result.

To run the SMART test with CMD, follow the given steps:

• Open Command Prompt, run it as administrator, and type the following command and hit Enter.

wmic diskdrive get status

• If the status shows OK, nothing is wrong with the hard drive. The error may be occurring due to system issues. If the status is BAD or Unknown, the hard drive is faulty.

You can also use a dedicated SMART Drive Monitor that scans your drive and lets you know about its health, temperature, and other attributes. It also shows the bad sectors and hard drives’ chances of surviving the data recovery process.

#3 Run Malware Scan

If the CHKDSK and SMART scans don’t help find the cause behind the scan hard drive for bad errors, run a malware scan on your system. You can take the help of the Windows Defender Antivirus program, or if any third-party antivirus is installed on your system, proceed with that.

To run a malware scan with the Windows Defender Antivirus program, follow the given steps:

• Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I and go to Update & Security.
• Next, select Windows Security from the left and click Virus & threat protection from the right panel.

• On the next page, select Manage settings and turn on Real-time protection.

• Microsoft Defender Antivirus will automatically turn on.
• Also, remove malware from your system by following Virus & threat protection > Scan Options > Windows Defender Offline scan > Scan now.

• Once the scanning is done, reboot your system and check if you can access the drive now.

#5 Perform System Restore

As discussed earlier that the “Scan drive for errors” notification may be followed by Restart to repair drive errors message on system reboot. So, if all the above fixes seem to fail, perform System Restore. If it was kept ‘Turned On’ since the initial setup of your system, it must have created multiple restore points of all the changes made to your system. If the error occurs after installing an application, software, or Windows update, System Restore will help you restore your system to a working condition.

Follow the given steps to perform the System Restore:

• Locate and open the Search bar, type ‘Create a restore point’ and click Open.

• Next, the System Properties window will open. Move to the System Protection tab and click System Restore.

• On the next prompt, choose between the ‘Recommend restore’ point or ‘Choose a different restore point’ and then click Next.

• Click Scan for affected programs after choosing a restore point.

• A list of programs that will be affected will show on the screen.

• Further, click Close > Next > Finish.

• Finally, restart your PC/System and check if the error is now resolved.

You’re now aware of how to fix the scan drive for errors notification on your Windows 11 system. Although, it’s pretty important to remember that hard drives don’t run into any error instantly. They are more prone to failure or errors, while some minor issues are left unattended. Hence, keep track of your hard drive with a Drive Monitor that lets you know your current health, temperature, and other attributes and check the hard drive’s bad sectors. Nonetheless, it also tells you the chances of your hard drive surviving the data recovery process.

FAQ

1. Why do I keep getting drive errors?

Hard Drive errors may occur due to several logical and physical reasons. However, the most common causes include power outages, hardware failure, malware attacks, poor system maintenance, or human errors.

2. How long does error checking a drive take?

Error checking a drive using CHKDSK usually takes a couple of minutes. However, it depends on the drive size and the amount of data stored.

3. Will CHKDSK delete my files?

CHKDSK doesn’t directly delete your drive data. Instead, when used with the F and R attribute, it locates and marks the bad sectors on the drive, due to which Windows doesn’t read or store data from those sectors, eventually causing permanent data loss.

4. How do I recover data from the hard drive after the Restart to Repair Drive Error notification?

You can use a dedicated data recovery software, such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional that restores all types of files, folders, documents, emails, etc., from Windows systems and storage drives, such as HDD, SSD, USB drives, etc.  

Was this article helpful?

YES0

NO

About The Author

Mansi Verma

Mansi Verma is a Senior Technology Writer at Stellar®. She is a Tech enthusiast, holding over a decade of experience in technical writing. She writes guides, articles, blogs and tips on Data Recovery, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics. She loves providing DIY solutions to solve various Windows system related issues. In her spare time, she likes reading her favorite novels, and writing poetry. She is also an avid traveller.