Can disk error be fixed?

Disk errors can often be frustrating and concerning, but the good news is that in many cases these errors can be fixed. There are a number of troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve common disk errors on your own before resorting to professional data recovery services.

What Causes Disk Errors?

There are several potential causes of disk errors:

Bad sectors – Over time, parts of a hard disk can go bad and develop errors that prevent data from being read or written. These are known as “bad sectors”.

Mechanical failure – The mechanical components inside a hard disk that read and write data can fail over time, leading to read/write failures.
Corrupted system files – Important system files like the partition table or boot sector can become corrupted and cause drive errors.
Improperly disconnected drives – If an external hard drive is disconnected improperly while data is being written, it can lead to corruption issues.

Viruses and malware – Viruses and other malware can infect system files and cause widespread disk problems.
Driver conflicts – Outdated, corrupt or incompatible drivers can cause issues with disks being detected and accessed properly.

Common Disk Error Messages

There are a number of common disk error messages you may encounter:

“Disk read error” – This typically indicates that the operating system cannot read data from part of the disk due to corruption, bad sectors, or mechanical failure.
“Sector not found” – This points to bad sectors where data cannot be found or read from anymore.
“Cyclic redundancy check” (CRC) – This suggests data corruption has been detected on the disk when reading or writing.

“Invalid boot disk” – You may see this if the system cannot read the boot sector or partition table properly at startup.
“Disk not formatted” – This usually means the operating system cannot recognize the file system on the disk, often due to corruption or disconnected drives.
“Hard drive not detected” – If your BIOS cannot detect the hard drive at bootup, there may be an issue with the drive electronics, cables, or connections.

Troubleshooting Disk Errors

If you encounter disk errors, there are a number of basic troubleshooting steps you can take:

Restart your computer – In some cases, restarting may resolve intermittent errors related to driver issues or corrupted memory.
Check connections – Ensure all power and data cables are properly connected for your hard drive and reboot.

Update drivers – Update outdated, incompatible or buggy drivers related to your disk drives or controller.
Run CHKDSK – CHKDSK scans and repairs corrupt filesystem issues and bad sectors.
Check SMART status – Use SMART tools to check overall hard drive health and errors.

Try a new SATA cable – If you suspect a faulty SATA cable, swap it out for a new one.
Format the drive – As a last resort, you can attempt to format over any filesystem errors.

If these basic steps do not resolve the disk errors, you may need to try more advanced troubleshooting or contact a data recovery service. But in some cases, these simple fixes can get your drive working again.

Using CHKDSK to Fix Filesystem Errors

One of the most common and effective tools for fixing certain disk errors is CHKDSK, which stands for “Check Disk”. Here’s how to use CHKDSK:

Open the Command Prompt as Administrator.
Type “chkdsk X: /f” where X is the letter of the drive you want to scan.

This performs a full scan checking for filesystem errors and bad sectors, automatically repairing any issues found.
You may need to schedule a scan on reboot if the disk is currently in use.
CHKDSK can help fix boot sector issues, cross linked files, bad sectors, lost clusters, directory errors, invalid filenames, and filesystem corruption.

WARNING: Running CHKDSK can result in some data loss if it finds unrepairable corruption. So it’s advisable to backup your data first.

Sample CHKDSK Output

C:\>chkdsk C: /f 

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
  56480 file records processed.
File verification completed.
  507 large file records processed.
  0 bad file records processed.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
  55185 reparse records processed.
Index verification completed.
  0 unindexed files scanned.
  0 unindexed files recovered.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Security descriptor verification completed.
  27372 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
  3598752 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.

Stage 4: Looking for bad clusters in user file data ...
  27335 files processed.
File data verification completed.

Stage 5: Looking for bad, free clusters ...
  74647 clusters processed.
Free space verification is complete.

Windows has checked the file system and found no problems.
 465442368 KB total disk space.
 31709396 KB in 263033 files.
    20960 KB in 27373 indexes.
         0 KB in bad sectors.
    55536 KB in use by the system.
     65536 KB occupied by the log file.
 417816812 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
116361092 total allocation units on disk.
104455203 allocation units available on disk.

C:\>

Using S.M.A.R.T. To Identify Failing Drives

S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a monitoring system built into hard drives that acts as an early warning for pending drive issues. S.M.A.R.T. checks various drive attributes over time that correlate with likelihood of failure, and flags drives that may be deteriorating.

You can use S.M.A.R.T. tools to identify and monitor at-risk drives before they fail completely. This allows you to take preventative action like replacing the drive.

To check S.M.A.R.T. data:

On Windows, download a tool like HD Sentinel.
On Mac, use the built-in Disk Utility.

On Linux, use smartctl command or GSmartControl GUI.
Check the overall S.M.A.R.T. status for any errors or warnings.
View the raw S.M.A.R.T. attribute values for changes over time.

Monitor critical attributes like “Reallocated Sectors Count” for deterioration.

While S.M.A.R.T. can help predict drive problems, it does not provide a full guarantee drives will not fail unexpectedly in some cases.

S.M.A.R.T. Status – OK

S.M.A.R.T. Status – Failing

Repairing Disk Errors Using the Command Prompt

The Command Prompt provides access to several utilities that can fix certain disk problems. Here are some common uses:

BOOTREC

The “bootrec” tool can repair boot sector issues that prevent booting into Windows. Common uses include:

# Fix Master Boot Record
bootrec /fixmbr 

# Rebuild Boot Configuration
bootrec /rebuildbcd

# Fix Boot Sector
bootrec /fixboot

# Scan OS for errors
bootrec /scanos

DISKPART

The “diskpart” utility allows changing partition properties, reformatting, and fixing GUID partition tables.

# Enter diskpart 
diskpart

# List disks
list disk 

# Select disk X
select disk X

# Clean - Remove partitions
clean

# Convert to GPT 
convert gpt

# Create new partition
create partition primary

# Format filesystem 
format fs=ntfs quick

# Assign letter
assign letter=X

SFC / DISM

SFC scans Windows system files and DISM can repair corrupted files.

# Scan system files
sfc /scannow

# Repair from install media 
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

CHKDSK

As explained earlier, CHKDSK checks filesystems for errors.

chkdsk X: /f

Replacing a Failing or Failed Hard Drive

If your hard drive has completely failed or is showing severe errors/degradation, replacement may be the only option. Here is the general process for replacing a failing internal hard drive:

Backup important data – Retrieve any important data possible before complete failure.

Purchase replacement drive – Get a new SATA hard drive of equal or larger capacity.
Install drive – Physically install the new drive into the computer.
Partition drive – Create a new partition layout on the empty drive.

Format filesystem – Format the new partition with NTFS or other filesystem.
Assign drive letter – Give the new partition a drive letter.
Migrate data – Copy data from old drive using disk cloning tools.

Swap boot order – Change BIOS settings to boot from the new drive.

For external hard drives, it’s a simpler process of plugging in and formatting the new replacement drive, then copying data over. Make sure you have a full backup before replacing any drive showing signs of failure.

When To Use Professional Drive Recovery

In some severe cases of hard drive failure, professional data recovery services may be needed. Consider drive recovery if:

The drive does not show up in BIOS or your operating system at all.
CHKDSK, S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics, or other tools report extreme errors.
Mechanical sounds like scraping, clicking or grinding are heard from the drive.

You’ve attempted drive repairs without success.
The drive has been physically damaged in some way.
Critical data is needed from the drive urgently.

Professional recovery has a higher chance of salvaging data in these extreme situations. However, it can be expensive starting at several hundred dollars or more.

Professional Data Recovery Process

If you need professional recovery, here is what you can expect:

Diagnostic evaluation – The drive is evaluated to determine the failure and options.

Quote for services – You’ll receive a quote for the cost if recovery is possible.
Approve quote – You’ll need to approve the quote before recovery work starts.
Data extraction – Your drive is worked on to copy recoverable data.

Data return – The recovered data is provided back on a new drive.

Recovering data from a drive with severe physical damage can increase the complexity and cost significantly. But professional recovery gives you the best chance for critical file retrieval.

Preventing Disk Errors

You can help prevent disk errors by:

Using reputable hard drive brands for critical data.
Handling drives gently and not shocking/dropping them.
Having proper airflow around drives to prevent overheating.

Keeping drives away from liquids, dust, debris that could enter the enclosure.
Performing regular backups so drive failures are not catastrophic.
Monitoring drive health metrics with tools like S.M.A.R.T.

Retiring drives that are older or showing signs of deterioration.

No drive will last forever, but taking proper care and precautions can maximize lifespan and avoid disasters from sudden failures.

Recovering Lost Data From a Damaged Disk

If important files have already been lost due to disk damage or errors, recovery may still be possible depending on the specifics of your situation. Here are some tips:

Stop using the drive – Prevent overwriting deleted data by not using the drive with issues.
Use recovery software – Apps like Recuva can restore deleted files if space was not overwritten.
Remove the drive – On an internal drive, remove it and connect via SATA adapter externally to try recovery.

Image the drive – Make a full byte-for-byte image backup of the damaged drive for recovery efforts.
Scan for lost partitions – Lost or deleted partitions can be scanned for with tools like TestDisk.
Repair filesystem errors – CHKDSK can recover data from drives with filesystem issues.

Try data recovery specialists – For critical, complex cases, professionals have the expertise.

The more damage or errors a drive has, the lower the chances may be for full data recovery. But taking quick action as soon as disk problems are noticed gives you the best shot.

Conclusion

Disk errors can arise frequently from bad sectors, mechanical failure, corruption, or physical damage. But many common disk problems are repairable through troubleshooting steps like CHKDSK, S.M.A.R.T. checks, driver updates, or even replacing cables. For more severe cases, data recovery specialists have advanced tools to retrieve critical files in scenarios where DIY options don’t work.

Catching disk errors early before data loss gives you the best chance for recovery. Monitor drive health proactively and understand the various options available when problems do occur. With the right information and preparation, most disk errors can be fixed effectively. Just don’t wait until failure is imminent before taking action.