Does CHKDSK Delete Files? How to Safely Repair Your Drive

Does CHKDSK Delete Files?

Are you planning to use the CHKDSK command to recover files, or have you encountered problems like CHKDSK deleting your files after execution? Don’t worry, you will learn about "does CHKDSK remove files" and safely recover files in an alternative way. Let’s find out more details in the following part.

What is CHKDSK?

CHKDSK (Short for Check Disk) is a Windows command that is designed to check the logical and physical errors in a local hard drive’s file system and file system metadata. You can use it on Windows 10, 11, and Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025. You can use it on FAT, FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS file systems. The CHKDSK syntax is:

chkdsk [volume] [path] [filename] [/f] [/v] [/r] [/x] [/i] [/c] [/l[:]] [/b] [/scan] [/forceofflinefix] [/perf] [/spotfix] [/sdcleanup] [/offlinescanandfix] [/freeorphanedchains] [/markclean] [/?]

• /f: Fixes errors on the disk
• /v: Displays the name of each file in every directory as the disk is checked.
• /r: Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. It includes the functionality of /f and analyzes the physical disk errors.

We only display the most commonly used parameters. For information on other parameters, please check Microsoft documents for more details.

If you use the CHKDSK command without parameters, it displays only the status of the volume and doesn't fix any errors.

Does CHKDSK Command Delete Files?

So, let's cut to the chase. After all that explanation, the burning question remains: Does CHKDSK delete files? The direct, honest answer is: It's not supposed to, but under very specific circumstances, it can lead to file loss. Its primary design is to protect data, not destroy it. However, in its mission to fix corruption and ensure the stability of the file system, it can make judgment calls that result in data being removed.

The dreaded "CHKDSK deleted my files" scenario usually stems from a few specific situations:

• Severe File System Corruption: If the catalog is a complete mess, CHKDSK's attempt to untangle it might involve clearing out corrupted entries, which are represented as files to you.
• Hardware Failure: If your hard drive is physically failing and has widespread bad sectors, CHKDSK might be unable to read data from those sectors, making it impossible to recover. The data in those sectors is essentially gone before CHKDSK even starts.
• Power Interruption: This is a big one. If the power goes out or the system crashes while CHKDSK is actively repairing the file system, it can leave the catalog in a half-repaired, inconsistent state, leading to missing files and folders.

Thus, it’s very important to back up your files before running CHKDSK command in case of data loss.

Where Does CHKDSK Put Recovered Files?

When CHKDSK recovers pieces of files, it doesn't put them back where they came from. Instead, it hides them in special folders on your drive with names like FOUND.000.

Inside these folders, the recovered data is saved as files with a .chk extension, like FILE0001.CHK. These files are useless on their own—they are just raw data fragments without their original names or file types. That's why some users report that they use CHKDSK and lose their files, and some of them show .chk files.

To retrieve your file, you need to identify the original file type (such as .jpg, .docx, or .pdf) and manually rename the .chk file to use that extension. Unfortunately, this rarely works well, as the recovered data is often incomplete or corrupted.

This is why CHKDSK is a poor tool for recovering lost files. For real data recovery, it’s better to use dedicated software before running CHKDSK.

Does CHKDSK Delete Corrupted Files?

CHKDSK's main job is to fix disk errors, not delete files. However, if it finds data that is so badly corrupted that it can't be repaired, it will often delete those specific damaged fragments to prevent them from causing more problems.

Does CHKDSK Fix Corrupted Files?

CHKDSK fixes the organization system of your drive (like fixing a library's catalog), not the actual files themselves.

If a file is corrupted, CHKDSK usually can't repair it. In fact, it often deletes severely corrupted files because it sees them as broken and unusable data that could cause errors.

For a corrupted file, your best hope is to restore it from a backup.

How Do I Know CHKDSK is Running?

In Command Prompt, if you ran CHKDSK from within Windows, text will scroll showing each stage and a percentage complete.

It can't run in the background while you use your computer normally. It will always take over your screen or freeze your system until it's done.

What to Do If CHKDSK Deleted My Files

Okay, so the worst has happened. You ran CHKDSK, the process finished, and now you're staring at an empty folder or missing files. Panic sets in. Take a deep breath. All is not lost. The first and most important rule is: Stop using the drive immediately. Please don't save new files, install programs, or download anything to that drive.

When a file is deleted, the space it occupied is merely marked as available for new data. The original data remains there until it is overwritten. Any new activity on the drive increases the risk of permanent overwriting.

Now, it’s time to use professional data recovery software to recover files easily.

Use Data Recovery Software to Recover Files

Regardless of the situation, whether CHKDSK deleted my files or recovered files before running CHKDSK, a reliable data recovery tool is necessary.

There are many data recovery tools available, but you need one that is robust, user-friendly, and capable of deep scanning to find files that have been misplaced or removed by system utilities. This is where a tool like MyRecover comes into play, offering a strong chance of retrieving your lost data.

With MyRecover, enjoy the following advantages:

Compatible with all Windows operating systems. The supported operating systems include Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, and Windows Server 2025/2022/2019/2016/2012/2008.

Recover files from any situation. You can recover files from a corrupted SD card, an emptied recycle bin, a formatted hard drive, a power outage situation, etc.

Recover unlimited data. It’s very friendly to recover a large number of files in the future.

Support almost all devices, including SD card, USB flash drive, external hard drive, local disk, camera, PS4/5, music player, HDD, SSD, and many more.

Any files recovery. You can recover documents, music, audio, videos, PDFs, photos, and others.

Therefore, how to recover deleted files easily on your computer with MyRecover, here is the simple guide:

1. Download the MyRecover software and install it on your computer.

2. Launch the application. You will see a list of all available drives. Select Deleted Files Recovery, hit Scan the drive you need to recover files.

3. Hit OK once done. Then select the files and folders, and hit Recover.

Tips:✎...

You can use filters like file type, path, or date to narrow down your search.

A preview feature allows you to check the contents of files like photos and documents before recovery.

4. Choose a location to save these recovered files and hit Select Folder to recover deleted files easily.

FAQs About CHKDSK

Q: Does CHKDSK F delete files or just fix errors?

A: The chkdsk /f command is designed to fix logical file system errors. Its goal is not to delete files. However, in the process of repairing severe corruption, it may be forced to clear out file system entries that point to unrecoverable data.

Q: Does CHKDSK remove files from a healthy drive?

A: Absolutely not. On a truly healthy drive with a perfectly intact file system, CHKDSK has nothing to "fix" or "clean up." It will scan, find no errors, and report that everything is fine.

Q: I ran CHKDSK, and now my files are gone, but the drive shows less free space. What gives?

A: This is a classic and confusing situation. Your files are gone, but space is still taken because CHKDSK converted corrupt data into hidden .chk files. These are unnamed data fragments stored in a FOUND.000 folder. They are not your original usable files.

The End

Until now, you might have had a clear idea about "does CHKDSK delete files". And if CHKDSK deleted your files, it’s highly recommended to try MyRecover to recover files easily. Besides, you can also recover files from a crashed computer, a formatted SSD, and so on. So, why not give it a try now?