How to fix scan drive for errors issue on Windows

Hard Drive errors are the most frustrating and one of the scariest errors you can encounter on your PC, so these methods help you fix the Scan Drive for Errors notification on Windows.

One of the most frustrating and scary issues is facing errors with your hard drive. The Scan Drive for Errors notification is sent to us by the security and maintenance aspect of Windows. However, this notification doesn’t imply the exact problem, so finding the root of this issue can be a bit of a hassle. There are many Windows Errors we come across regularly, but if windows detect a hardware problem, that can typically be a matter of concern.

As we keep everything stored and saved on a hard drive, the risk of losing both personal and work files can be crucial. And suppose the notification is accurate, and your hard drive dies. In that case, recovering the data from it can be a pain and cost you a couple of dollars, as data recovery is highly costly nowadays.

So this article will guide you on how to fix the scan drive for errors notification on Windows.

Fix Scan Drive for Errors Notification – Run CHKDSK

The first method is our go-to method to fix these errors by running the CHKDSK application. It is one of the fastest ways to fix scan drive for errors notification. This application scans all the drives for potential errors to locate the exact issue for this notification popup. If Windows finds any errors, CHKDSK automatically fixes them without involving you in finding the problem and then fixing it. There are two ways you can run CHKDSK.

How to run CHKDSK using CMD?

You can run CHKDSK using the Command Prompt on Windows. You need to first open Run by pressing the Win+R Key. Once the dialog box opens, type CMD and the command prompt window will open once you hit Enter.

Now type the following chkdsk x: just beside system32. The x indicates the Drive Initial you want to scan for. For example, if we are scanning for the Drive D, we must write chkdsk D: Wait for the scan to complete, and if you get an error message that the Volume is in use by another process, you don’t need to worry as the scan will be scheduled next time you restart your PC.

So once that is done, type the following command chkdsk /r x: where X indicates the Drive initials. This will check for all the bad sectors in the drive. Dont forget to do this step to get an idea of what could have gone wrong. Once done, close the CMD and check if the problem persists.

How to run CHKDSK using File Explorer?

If some don’t want to run CHKDSK using CMD, you can do it by accessing File Explorer. With the File Explorer process, you won’t be able to understand which drive is potentially causing the issue plus, the process is lengthy, but rest assured that if the problems are found, they will be resolved.

To use the File Explorer method, you must first open My PC, right-click on the drive you want to check, and hit the properties. When the dialog box opens, click on the Tools Section and the Check button under the Error Checking. As said, the scan takes a little bit of time, so be patient. It might take more than an hour, and once it is done, it will suggest a fix if it finds one.

How to Check Disk for errors by running a SMART Test

The Scan Drive for Errors might also pop up if you have a failing drive. To discover errors, you can run a Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Test (SMART). This again has to run using CMD. The SMART notifies us if the drive is bad, unknown or okay. Once you have the SMART test report, you can plan your next move to fix the drive.

So to run a SMART Test. First, you have to open CMD as an administrator. Once it opens, you have to type in the following command wmic diskdrive get status just best system32 and press Enter. Once your process is complete, check the status to see if it is okay. If it comes as a bad or unknown, there might be a hardware issue. Or if you are getting Ok Status, then it is a software bug or issue which is making that notification popup.

Try checking for Viruses and Malware

If CHKDSK and SMART Test didn’t find any error, it’s time to scan the entire System for viruses or malware. For that, you need to have an antivirus installed. I use Kaspersky Total Security, and it is one of the best. I have been using it for more than ten years, and it has been fantastic.

To scan your System for Viruses or Malware, you have to open your Antivirus software and click on the Full Scan option to run a full system scan. The scan can take a couple of hours; if it finds anything, it will either quarantine it or delete it. The steps are pretty straightforward, and once you open up an antivirus program, you can quickly scan your System.

Using the system restore method

The last method that we can suggest doing is System Restore. You can create a system restore point; as the name suggests, these restore points help you restore your windows exactly like before, just in case anything goes wrong. Either the issue you are facing is because of an app or an update that got corrupted.

So to do a system restore, first you will have to type Create a Restore Point on the Windows Search, and once it opens, click on the System protection tab and under there, you will find the System Restore button. Click on the list of available restore points and make sure you select the latest one, and then hit Next. Now follow the instructions; your system will be restored, and the Scan Drive for Errors notification will be gone.

So this was all about fixing the scan drive for error notifications on Windows. If you think we have missed out on anything, let us know in the comments below.

That’s all, folks!

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