When CHKDSK freezes at Stage 4, it indicates a problem with the disk scanning process, which can leave you stuck for hours. This guide walks you through each solution, offering clear steps to help unfreeze CHKDSK and allow you to complete the disk check process successfully.
CHKDSK is stuck at stage 4, 19% what to do?
I ran the CHKDSK /f /r /x command on my external hard drive because it started slowing down. I saw it recommended online. Now it’s stuck on stage 4 out of 5 for hours, and nothing’s happening. The drive’s pretty big, around 2TB. Should I be worried, or is this normal for a drive this size? What can I do to fix it without losing data?
- Question from Kent
CHKDSK (Check Disk) is a built-in utility in Windows that scans and repairs file system errors, bad sectors, and other issues related to disk drives. When your hard drive gets slower or lagging, you may run CHKDSK command to check and repair bad sectors or corrupted file system.
However, many users experience an issue where CHKDSK becomes stuck on stage 4 (Looking for bad clustiers) of its scanning process. This can be frustrating, especially when it seems like the process is frozen or taking an unreasonably long time to complete.
The CHKDSK process consists of 5 stages, with Stage 4 dedicated to looking for bad clusters. During this stage, CHKDSK will inspect every sector on the hard drive and attempt to read them, checking for hardware issues or damage. If CHKDSK gets stuck on Stage 4, it may be due to a large number of bad sectors or severe hard drive damage. There are several reasons why CHKDSK might get stuck on "Looking for bad clusters" stage:
📂Corrupted File System: A severely corrupted file system can cause CHKDSK to struggle while scanning and repairing files.
🔔Bad Sectors: If the hard drive has numerous bad sectors or physical damage, CHKDSK may take longer to identify them or fail to progress beyond a certain point.
💽Large Disk Size: Running CHKDSK on a large hard drive, particularly if there are many files, can lead to extended scanning times.
✂️Overloaded Disk: A nearly full disk or a disk with insufficient free space for CHKDSK to perform repairs can also cause delays.
🛠️Software Conflicts: Antivirus software, other disk utilities, or ongoing background processes might interfere with CHKDSK’s functioning.
⚙️Hardware Issues: Physical damage to the drive or cable connection can cause read/write errors that lead to CHKDSK stalling.
Understanding these potential causes will help you troubleshoot the issue more effectively. However, before jumping to fixes, it’s important to recover any critical data from your hard drive to avoid potential loss. If CHKDSK fails to repair the bad sectors on your hard drive, some data stored on the drive may become inaccessible. Further repair attempts could result in permanent data loss.
MyRecover can help recover lost data from hard drives, even in cases the drive is inaccessible. This dedicated data recovery tool will scan your drive for lost or inaccessible files and allow you to recover them to a separate, safe location. It allows to recover 1000+ file types, including documents, photos, videos, audio, archives, and Outlook data files.
Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer (Windows supported) from Microsoft Store, avoid installing it on the drive with lost files.
Step 2. Launch the app and select the drive where the lost files were stored to scan, then click "Scan" to search for recoverable files.
Step 3. After the scan completes, you can choose the files you attempt to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".
Start with MyRecover Free to recover up to 500MB of data at no cost. For users who need more like unlimited recovery, the ability to preview files before restoring, MyRecover Professional edition is the ideal choice, offering a complete recovery solution.
Step 4. Select a secure folder to save the recovered files.
Once the process is done, you'll see the message "Files have been recovered successfully". Then, you can verify the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or the "Browse" button.
Now that your data security is guaranteed, it’s time to resolve the issue of CHKDSK getting stuck on Stage 4. This section provides several effective solutions to help you successfully complete the disk check. Let's dive into the detailed steps.
Generally speaking, CHKDSK can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to complete, especially for large-capacity hard drives, which require even more time. In some cases, CHKDSK may seem stuck, but it's actually still processing large amounts of data. Check if the drive's indicator light is blinking or flashing. If it is, the disk might still be working. In such cases, you might need to wait longer, particularly on large drives or ones with lots of errors.
If you run CHKDSK with both the /f and /r parameters when scanning a hard drive with bad sectors, this will also cause CHKDSK to spend more time on Stage 4, making it look like the process is stuck. The /f parameter only fixes file system errors, while /r additionally scans for and repairs bad sectors, as well as attempts to recover data from them.
Step 1. Press "Ctrl" + "C" to stop the CHKDSK and press "y" to confirm.
Step 2. Hold the power button to restart your computer and run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 3. Enter the following command "chkdsk D: /f" and press "Enter" key to check if the error still persists.
Safe Mode only loads the drivers and services essential for the operating system to run. Running CHKDSK in Safe Mode may help bypass background processes or drivers that might be causing conflicts. Here's how:
Step 1. Go to "Settings" > "Update & Security" > "Recovery". Under "Advanced startup" section, click "Restart now" to enter WinRE.
Step 2. Select "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings" and click "Restart".
Step 3. When the computer reboots, press F4 or F5 to enter Safe Mode.
Step 4. Once in Safe Mode, run the CHKDSK command again.
If CHKDSK still gets stuck on Stage 4, you can also use a low-risk alternative command to repair the volume. This command scans the drive for file system errors and returns diagnostic results to facilitate the repair process.
Step 1. Press "Win" + "X" and choose "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" to open it.
Step 2. Enter the following command "Repair-Volume H[DriveLetter]-scan" and hit the "Enter" key. Replace “D” with your actual drive letter.
Step 3. If this command returns the message "Error found", you can run "Repair-Volume H -OfflineScanAndFix" to repair the drive.
Sometimes CHKDSK may struggle with large amounts of temporary files or cluttered data. Running Disk Cleanup helps free up space and remove unnecessary files that could be interfering with the process.
Step 1. Type "Disk Cleanup" in the Start menu and open it.
Step 2. Select the drive on which CHKDSK is stuck on stage 4 to clean.
Step 3. Choose the files you want to delete and click "OK" to clean the disk.
Sometimes, corruption of the CHKDSK system component itself can also cause CHKDSK to get stuck. Running DISM (Deployment Imaging Service and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) can help repair corrupted system files that may be affecting CHKDSK.
Step 1. Locate Command Prompt in the Start menu, right click on it and choose "Run as administrator".
Step 2. Enter the command "dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth" and hit the "Enter" key.
Step 3. After the DISM command finishes, type "sfc /scannow" to repair them.
Defragmenting your hard drive can help improve read/write speeds and resolve issues that may cause CHKDSK to stuck on Stage 4. Run the built-in Defragment and Optimize Drives tool:
Step 1. Find the hard drive in File Explorer and right click on it, then choose "Properties" from the context menu.
Step 2. Under the "Tools" tab, click "Optimize".
Step 3. Select the drive you want to defragment and click "Optimize".
After trying the methods above, if CHKDSK still gets stuck, it may be because your disk has suffered physical damage. Continuing to use it could lead to a higher risk of further data loss. After recovering your data with MyRecover, you can replace it with a brand-new hard drive.
Dealing with CHKDSK stuck on stage 4 is frustrating, but it’s not always a sign of permanent failure. With careful steps, like running CHKDSK in Safe Mode, and clearing up disk space, you can often resolve the issue. However, if your data is at risk, using MyRecover for data recovery is an excellent choice. It can help recover lost files even after a system crash. Always prioritize your data before attempting any risky fixes or drastic measures like formatting your drive.