Home Guides How To's How To Perform Disk Check?

How To Perform Disk Check? [Mac, Windows & Linux]

We explain methods for Windows, Linux, and MacOS.

March 19, 2023

Understanding how to perform a disk check on your computer is crucial in detecting and fixing hard drive issues. By conducting regular scans, you can keep your disk and operating system safe from various errors.

Key Takeaways

Running a disk scan on your computer can keep your data safe from bugs, resolve disk errors, and prevent disk data loss.
On Windows, you can perform a disk check using the chkdsk [Disk’s Letter]: /f command in the Command Prompt.
Mac users can go to Disk Utility and perform a disk check using the First Aid feature.

What Does It Mean To Perform Disk Check On Your PC?

When you perform a disk check on your computer, the system scans the hard drives for errors, bad sectors, inaccurate data, and other irregularities that may harm its operation. The scan will find and solve problems within the system’s disks or prompt the user to fix them. Therefore, the process helps keep your disk data safe and intact while aiding your computer’s hassle-free functioning.

How To Perform Disk Check?

Each operating system, be it Windows, macOS, or Linux, has its method of carrying out a disk check that you will find in this section.

Also Read: How Do USB Hubs Work?

Windows

There are two ways to execute a disk check in Windows; you can either do it from the Command Prompt or the Disk’s Properties.

Command Prompt

Open the Command Prompt by searching cmd on the Taskbar’s Search Panel.

Command Prompt – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Enter chkdsk [Disk’s Letter]: /f to scan the disk. For example, if you wish to scan Local Disk D, the code would be chkdsk D: /f.
Disk Check – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Let the scanning complete.

Disk Properties

Click on This PC from the Desktop.

This PC – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Right-Click on the Disk you want to scan.
Pick Properties from the mini-menu.
Properties – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Go to the Tools tab.
Under the Error Checking section, hit the Check button.
Disk Check – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Select Scan Drive from the dialog box.
Scan Drive – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Allow the scanning to finish.

MacOS

Running a First Aid scan on your macOS PC analyzes its disks for potential errors and mishaps that could be causing different issues on your computer.

Click on the Finder button.
Finder – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Open Applications.
Select Utilities to expand the options.
Pick Disk Utility.

Applications – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Highlight the disk you wish to scan from the left panel.
Now, press the First Aid button on the top bar.
First Aid – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Hit the blue button, Run.
Run – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Confirm with Continue to begin scanning.
Continue – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
The system will now scan the disk for errors and irregularities.
Running First Aid – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Also Read: Explained: How To Reset RGB LED Controller?

Linux

Like Windows, you need to enter a certain command code in the Terminal window on your Linux computer to run a disk error check.

Press the Apps symbol on the left bar.
Apps – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Open Terminal.

Terminal – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Execute the command, sudo fsck /dev/sdb.
You will see the scan results once the disk check is complete.
Linux Code

When Should You Perform Disk Check?

Running a disk scan periodically helps maintain the drive’s health by diagnosing and repairing any potential errors that may be developing. Therefore, we advise scanning your system’s disks at least once a month. On the other hand, you should consider performing a disk check when;

Your system crashes or shuts down abruptly.
The computer displays signs of instability, and you detect slower operation than usual.
You have updated the operating system or installed a new one on your computer.
You made changes to the default settings of your PC.
You cannot save new files on your disks.

Also Read: Fixed: Unable To Recover Your PC, System Drive Too Small

What Are The Benefits Of Running A Disk Check?

Performing a disk check is a vital maintenance step to keep your disks safe from threats. The troubleshooting method has many benefits for your hard disks; for instance, it identifies and resolves corrupt files, inaccurate cache data, or bad sectors within your disk. As a result, you can eliminate various system or disk errors while improving your PC’s overall stability and performance.

In addition, it can help prevent data loss by identifying disk faults early before they damage your computer or disk. Additionally, running regular disk scans also prolongs the life and health of your hard disks by preventing foreseeable problems.