How to use Microsoft ScanDisk

ScanDisk can improve the performance of your hard drive and help maintain the Windows filesystem. Review the ScanDisk steps below for your version of Windows.

Windows 11

Method 1: Using the error checking tool

Follow these steps to scan your drive from the Windows File Explorer.

1. Open a File Explorer window by pressing Windows key+E on your keyboard.
2. In the File Explorer window, click This PC in the left navigation pane.
3. In the Devices and drives section on the right side of the window, right-click the drive you want to scan and select Properties.

4. In the Properties window, click the Tools tab.
5. In the Error checking section, click the Check button.

6. In the Error checking window, click Scan drive.

Depending on your system, the scan can take anywhere between 15 minutes and a few hours.

Method 2: Using SFC /SCANNOW

SFC (system file checker) is a command-line tool that scans for corrupted files and resources on your system. Follow these steps to scan your drive with SFC.

1. Press Windows key+X to open the Power User Tasks Menu.
2. Select Windows Terminal (Admin).

3. After the User Account Control prompt, click Yes.
4. In the Windows Terminal window, click the down arrow at the top of the window, to the right of the Administrator: Windows PowerShell tab.
5. In the drop-down menu, select Command Prompt to change the Windows Terminal to a command prompt instead of PowerShell.

6. At the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Windows 10

Method 1: Using the error checking tool

Follow these steps to scan your drive from the Windows File Explorer.

1. Open a File Explorer window by pressing Windows key+E on your keyboard.
2. In the File Explorer window, click This PC in the left navigation pane.
3. In the Devices and Drives section on the right side of the window, right-click the drive you want to scan and select Properties.

4. In the Properties window, click the Tools tab.
5. Under Error checking, click Check.

6. In the Error checking window, click Scan drive.

Depending on your system, the scan can take anywhere between 15 minutes and a few hours.

Method 2: Using SFC /SCANNOW

SFC (System File Checker) is a command line tool that scans for corrupted files and resources on your system. Follow these steps to scan your drive with SFC.

1. Press Windows key+X to open the Power User Tasks Menu.
2. Select Command Prompt (Admin).

3. In the User Account Control prompt, click Yes.
4. At the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Windows 8

To scan your hard disk for errors, we recommend following these steps.

1. Open a File Explorer window by pressing Windows key+E on your keyboard.
2. In the File Explorer window, click This PC in the left navigation pane.
3. Under Devices and Drives on the right side of the window, right-click the drive you want to scan and select Properties.
4. In the Properties window, click the Tools tab.
5. Click the Check button in the Error Checking section.
6. Click Scan Drive. If Windows needs to restart the computer to perform the scan, it lets you know.

Windows 7, Vista, XP, and 2000

To run ScanDisk, follow these steps.

1. Double-click My Computer.
2. Highlight a local hard drive by clicking it once.
3. Right-click the highlighted local drive and select Properties.
4. Click the Tools tab and click Check Now to check the drive for errors.
5. The computer needs to restart to run ScanDisk without getting interrupted.

Windows 95 and 98

To run ScanDisk from Windows 95 and 98, follow the steps below.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Click the Run option, type ScanDisk in the Run box, then press Enter.
3. In the ScanDisk window, select the drive that you want to be checked.
4. Choose the Standard or Thorough option. We recommend you run a Standard scan first. If you encounter issues with ScanDisk using the Standard scan, run the Thorough scan instead.
5. Click start to begin ScanDisk.

Windows NT

Windows NT is not shipped with ScanDisk. However, various third-party companies offer utilities to verify your disk integrity.

Windows 3.x and MS-DOS

ScanDisk is available in MS-DOS versions 6.2 and later. If you are running MS-DOS 6.2 or 6.22 and would like to run ScanDisk, follow the steps below.

1. If you are in Windows 3.x, click File and then Exit to get to the MS-DOS prompt.
2. At an MS-DOS prompt, run:

CD \DOS

3. At the C:\DOS> prompt, run:

SCANDISK

CD \WINDOWS

SCANDISK