The 'A disk error occurred during a read operation' error can block access to critical files and affect overall system performance. This article investigates the common causes of this error and outlines effective solutions to resolve it. Follow these methods to ensure your disks return to proper working condition.
Somehow my quick access folder got disappeared from File Explorer and now when I try to pin my folders again. There's showing "a disk error occurred during a read operation". I don't know what should I do. Please anyone help. I'm afraid that my laptop is ruined. I'm first time using a laptop.
- Question from Trishul
If you're trying to pin folders to Quick Access in Windows and suddenly encounter the "A disk error occurred during a read operation" message, it can be both frustrating and confusing. This issue typically arises when Windows fails to access or read the data on a drive, preventing it from pinning or accessing the folder.+
This error typically indicates a physical issue with the drive, a corrupted file system, or a conflict between the system's settings and the data. Understanding the root cause of this error is the first step in fixing it and ensuring your data is safe.
The "A disk error occurred during a read operation" error message can happen in several situations. Here are the most common causes:
📁Corrupted file system
If the file system of your drive becomes corrupted, it can lead to issues when trying to access or read files from the disk. This could happen due to improper shutdowns, power outages, or software crashes.
💽Hard drive failure
If your hard drive is experiencing physical damage or failure, it may not be able to properly read or write data, which can cause errors during read operations.
💾Disk fragmentation
In some cases, the disk may be fragmented, making it harder for the operating system to read data from the drive. This can slow down performance and cause access errors.
📌Malware or viruses
Malware can corrupt files, damage system resources, or interfere with regular operations like reading data, leading to disk errors.
⌨️Driver issues
Outdated or corrupt drivers for your hard drive or storage controller may cause conflicts, resulting in errors when trying to access or read from the disk.
🔌Faulty connections
If there are issues with the connection to the drive (e.g., loose cables or damaged ports), the system might not be able to access the data correctly, leading to errors.
In this section, we'll walk you through 7 effective solutions depending on the causes of the error. You can choose the most suitable method based on your actual situation. Let's explore them one by one.
If the drive you’re trying to access is an external hard drive or USB drive, make sure the connection is secure. A loose or damaged connection can cause the "A disk error occurred during a read operation" error.
If you suspect the issue is hardware-related, use disk health diagnostic tools to check for physical damage to the hard drive or external device. If the drive is making beeping noises, or if it frequently disconnects and reconnects, the issue may be caused by physical damage. Besides using the proprietary tools from your hard drive’s brand, Windows also offers built-in methods to check disk health.
Step 1. Locate Command Prompt in the Start menu and right click on it, then choose "Run as administrator".
Step 2. Enter the following command "wmic diskdrive get status" and hit the "Enter" key.
If the scan result shows "Bad", it indicates your disk may have a fault. Alternatively, if the hard drive is showing physical signs of damage, it may be necessary to replace it.
The CHKDSK (Check Disk) utility is built into Windows and is designed to fix common file system errors on your hard drive. It is a simple and effective method to repair minor disk errors and fix the "a disk error occurred during a read operation" issue.
Step 1. Open Command Prompt and run it as administrator.
Step 2. Type "chkdsk G: /f /r" and press "Enter" to let the utility scan the drive for issues. If it finds any, CHKDSK will automatically fix them.
Step 3. After the scan is complete, restart your system to check if the error persists.
Outdated or corrupted drivers may cause read errors when accessing the disk. Correct drivers ensure proper communication between Windows and your disk, helping to resolve read/write errors.
Step 1. Press "Win" + "X" and select "Device Manager" to open it.
Step 2. Expand "Disk drives" and right click on the failed hard drive, then choose "Update driver".
Step 3. Click "Search automatically for updated driver software" to start the process.
If updating the driver doesn’t work or there is no update, you can select "Uninstall device" to brefresh the connection. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver automatically after restarting your computer.
Malware can sometimes cause errors like "A disk error occurred during a read operation" by corrupting files or interfering with system operations. You can use Windows Defender or another trusted antivirus program to scan for and remove these malicious programs to restore your hard drive to working normal.
Step 1. Locate the failed hard drive in File Explorer.
Step 2. Right click on it and choose "Scan with Microsoft Defender" from the context menu. This will perform a quick scan for the drive.
Step 3. If any malware is detected, follow the instructions to remove or quarantine it.
Step 4. After the quick scan is finished, you can choose "Full scan" under the "Scan options" to execute a comprehensive scan for the whole system.
If the disk is failing, or if the persistent error "a disk error occurred during a read operation" persists cannot be fixed, this could be due to file system being corrupted. Reformatting removes errors related to the file system, creating a fresh, readable structure. However, all data on the disk will be erased.
Step 1. Press "Win" + "X" and choose "Disk Management" to open it.
Step 2. Locate the hard drive from the lists and right click on it, then choose "Format".
Step 3. Select a Windows supported file system like NTFS and check the "Perform a quick format" option to start the process.
If the error is beyond repair or the hard drive is damaged physically, replacing it is the only solution. Connect a brand-new hard drive to the computer to check if the error still persists.
If there is data on the hard drive or you’re unable to access important files due to the "A disk error occurred during a read operation" error, recovering the data from it before discarding the drive directly should be your top priority. MyRecover is a powerful data recovery tool that can recover files from deleted partitions, formatted hard drives, or corrupted SD cards. It also supports to restore over 1000 file formats, such as documents, photos, and videos, audios, archives, etc.
Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from Microsoft Store or its official site, avoid installing it on the drive with lost files.
Step 2. Run the program and select the drive to scan for lost files, then click "Scan".
Step 3. After the scan is completed, you can choose the files you attempt to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".
Step 4. Save the recovered files to a safe location (not the original one).
Once the process is done, the message "Files have been recovered successfully" will pop up. Then, you can access the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or the "Browse" button.
The "A disk error occurred during a read operation" error can be caused by various factors. By following the steps outlined above, you can fix the error and recover your data. If you’re unable to access files directly, MyRecover provides a professional solution to recover your data and ensure that you don’t lose any important documents.
If you require unlimited recovery quota and file content previews before restoration, MyRecover Professional edition offers these advanced features to meet all your data recovery needs. It even allows to retrieve data from unbootable system.