Solved: Repairing Disk Errors This Might Take an Hour to Complete

Repairing Disk Errors. This Might Take An Hour to Complete!

What to do if you are suffering from the error message “Repairing Disk Errors, This Might Take an hour to complete”? Don’t worry, this guide will walk you through exactly what this process means, what you should do in the moment, and how to use data recovery software to safeguard your files. Let’s get started.

What the Repairing Disk Errors Message Actually Means

When you see that message, it means Windows has launched a utility called CHKDSK (Check Disk). CHKDSK checks every sector and files to make sure they are in the right place and haven't been damaged after an improper shutdown, a system crash. It's looking for bad sectors and file system errors, attempting to repair them so your system can function normally again.

What Triggers the Repairing Disk Errors?

Here are the common triggers for automatic disk error checks:

• Improper System Shutdown: This is the most frequent cause, such as accidentally yanking the power cord, a sudden power outage, or a laptop battery dying completely.
• System File Corruption: Critical Windows operating system files can become damaged or corrupted, forcing a disk check to ensure stability.
• A Failing Hard Drive: A disk that is physically deteriorating and developing "bad sectors" (damaged storage areas) will often trigger automatic repairs.
• Interrupted Windows Updates: If a major system update is disrupted before it can finish, it can leave the file system in an unstable state, prompting a repair.
• Unexpected System Crashes: A sudden system freeze or a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) that forces a restart acts as a system trauma, similar to an improper shutdown.

How Long Does Repairing Disk Errors Take in Windows 10/11?

Let's be real—an hour is often an optimistic estimate. The process can take many hours, and here's why.

• Your hard drive contains billions of individual sectors. CHKDSK must read every single one of them.
• If it finds errors, it doesn't just note them; it tries to fix them, which is a much slower operation.
• Furthermore, if your drive is a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with spinning platters, the physical movement of the read/write head back and forth across the disk is inherently slower than the flash-based access of a Solid-State Drive (SSD).

So, when you see repairing disk errors might take over an hour to complete, it's often because you have a large, older HDD with a significant number of errors to fix.

What to Do When You See "Repairing Disk Errors This Might Take an Hour to Complete"

Here is how to fix the error message “Repairing Disk Errors. This Might Take an Hour to Complete”.

Way 1. Wait Patiently

The message "This might take an hour to complete" suggests it could take longer, especially if there are significant errors.

If the percentage is increasing, even slowly, that’s a good sign. Let it run, even if it takes all night. Interrupting a disk repair can corrupt the file system beyond repair, making data recovery much more difficult and expensive.

The only time you should consider interrupting it is if it's completely frozen (e.g., the percentage hasn't changed for over two hours, and the hard drive activity light on your PC is off and has been for a long time).

Way 2. Run Hardware Diagnostics

Shut down the computer, then turn it on again and immediately press the key to enter the startup or diagnostics menu (this is often ESC or F2, depending on your manufacturer).

Run a full hard drive test to check for hardware failures. If a failure is reported, you will likely need to replace the hard drive.

If you are using a HP computer, try this:

1. Press F2 repeatedly as the computer starts up.

2. This boots into a separate environment where you can run comprehensive hardware tests.

3. Select "Component Tests", then "Hard Drive," and run the "Quick Check" first, followed by the "Extensive Test".

This will tell you definitively if your hard drive is physically healthy or if it's the source of your problems.

Way 3. Perform an Automatic Repair

1. Create a bootable USB drive with Windows installation media on another computer.

2. Boot your computer from the USB drive by changing the boot order in the BIOS/UEFI settings.

3. Once the installation media loads, select "Troubleshoot", then "Advanced options", and finally "Startup Repair".

Way 4. Boot into Safe Mode

If your system is stuck in a loop, you need to break the cycle.

1. Force shut down the PC during boot three times in a row. On the fourth boot, it should launch the "Automatic Repair" screen.

2. Click "Advanced options" > "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings" > "Restart".

3. Then, press the 4 or F4 key to boot into Safe Mode.

4. This loads Windows with only the essential drivers, which can allow you to back up your data and run repairs without interference.

Way 5. Run SFC and DISM

1. Force your computer to shut down by holding the power button until it turns off.

2. Perform this power-off action twice.

3. On the third startup, Windows will automatically boot into the Recovery Environment.

4. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

5. Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. This command fixes the Windows image that SFC uses for repairs.

6. Try sfc /scannow to scan and repair protected system files.

Way 6. Reinstall Windows

1. Please create a bootable USB drive, and boot up your computer from the USB drive.

2. Choose language, time and currency format, and keyboar, etc, and hit Next.

3. Hit Install Now.

4. Choose your Windows version, and hit Next.

5. Select Upgrade: Install Windows and keep files, settings and applications, and hit Next.

6. Then follow the guide to complete.

Way 7. Replace Another Hard Drive

Listen to your hard drive—if it’s an HDD, you should hear it working (a consistent whirring or clicking). If it's gone silent, that's a bad sign.

Conversely, if you hear a repeated, rhythmic clicking (the "click of death"), that indicates a mechanical hardware failure, and the software repair cannot continue. Replace with a healthy hard drive.

Recover Your Files If Necessary

After a disk repair, please back up your important files to another safe location, like an external hard drive, another computer, etc. Besides, you should try a data recovery software to recover critical files if your system disk is corrupted and can’t be fixed. Thus, here comes the professional data recovery software MyRecover to rescue.

With MyRecover, you can enjoy:

Selective recovery. You can filter files by file name, file path, file size, and file type to find them quickly, then recover them all at once.

Highest recovery rate. Up to a 99% recovery rate helps you to find every possible file to maximize the recovery.

Powerful preview. You can preview the files before recovery to ensure they are intact and the right files to recover, instead of recovering unnecessary files.

500+ devices. MyRecover allows you to recover files from many devices, like internal disks, external hard drives, SD cards, USB flash drives, music players, video players, PS4/5, camera devices, etc.

Support all Windows systems. It supports Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, and Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012, 2008.

So, how to recover important files if you're still meeting the error “Repairing disk errors. This might take over an hour to complete” with MyRecover? Check the following easy guide:

1. Remove your problematic disk from your computer, and connect it to another working Windows computer. Download and install MyRecover on the working computer.

2. Launch MyRecover, then tap Disk Data Recovery, choose the problematic drive, and hit Scan.

3. Wait for it to complete and hit OK.

4. Choose the files you need, and hit Recover. Then choose a safe location to keep them. After recovery, you can check the recovered files in the destination.

Tips:✎...

Or you can create a bootable media to boot up your computer, then it will automatically show MyRecover instead of Windows, then recover files from the disk that shows the "Repairing disk errors. This might take an hour to complete".

You can recover a large number of files at once, just try and enjoy.

Moreover, you can recover files from unlimited computers within a company, which is helpful for administrators. Please upgrade to MyRecover Technician to enjoy.

FAQs

Q: Does this message mean my hard drive is dying?

A: Not always. It can be a one-time issue, but if it's frequent or scans are getting longer, it's a strong sign of physical failure. Back up your data and prepare to replace the drive.

Q: Can I recover files if the disk repair fails and Windows won't start?

A: Yes. Remove the drive and connect it to another working PC using a SATA-to-USB adapter. Then, use data recovery software from the working computer to scan and retrieve your files.

Q: How can I stop this from happening repeatedly on my Windows 10 PC?

A: To prevent the repair loop:

• Run an antivirus scan and sfc /scannow in Command Prompt (as Admin).
• Check your hard drive's health with a tool like CrystalDiskInfo.
• If the drive is healthy, ensure you always shut down properly and consider a UPS for power issues.