How to Fix 'Repairing Disk Errors' on Windows

Let's look at different methods to fix disk problems on your Windows device.

1. Get Started With These Basic Fixing Methods

When your Windows computer starts showing drive errors, you can take some initial steps before moving on to more advanced solutions. Here's what you should do:

1. Wait for an hour to pass : Sometimes, the simplest solution is to wait. If this is the first time you've encountered this error message in a while (if applicable), wait an hour and the error should resolve on its own, allowing your computer to restart normally.
2. Check the drive for physical damage : If your drive is physically damaged, this can lead to this error constantly appearing. Check your drive for any damage.
3. Revert to an earlier point in time with a system restore point: System Restore undoes recent system changes without affecting your files. If the error started appearing recently, try and see if that fixes the problem.

If the solutions above didn't work for you, it's time to start with advanced troubleshooting methods.

2. Run the Startup Repair utility

The Startup Repair tool is a built-in Windows feature that fixes problems that prevent your computer from starting properly. This tool can be a lifesaver if your system keeps crashing on startup.

Note : Once the repair process begins, avoid interrupting or shutting down your computer. Doing so may further damage Windows.

3. Run the SFC and CHKDSK tools

If the startup fix tool doesn't work, it's time to use the Command Prompt to run the System File Checker and CHKDSK tools.

The System File Checker (SFC) tool checks your computer for any corrupted system files and then tries to fix them. Most of the time, this solves drive failure and other boot problems on Windows.

Note : If these commands help, make sure Windows' built-in tools to fix corrupted system files.

4. Update Disk Controller Driver

"Disk Controller Driver" often appears under various names, such as "Standard SATA AHCI Controller". This is the Windows driver that establishes communication between the operating system and the hard drive. If the Disk Controller Driver is outdated, it can lead to drive-related errors.

Follow these steps to update the Disk Controller Driver on your PC:

1. Press Win + X and click Device Manager from the menu.

2. Expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers category . Right click on your Disk Controller Driver (in our example Standard SATA AHCI Controller ) and select Update driver .

3. Select Search automatically for drivers > Search for updated drivers on Windows Update . Windows will then search for necessary updates for your Disk Controller Driver.

4. When it installs the driver update, restart the computer. If the black screen error does not appear, it means your problem is solved.

5. Try a third-party drive repair tool

Sometimes the built-in Windows tools for troubleshooting just don't work. So you have to depend on third party tools to deal with the problem. The article will use a free tool called Macrorit Partition Expert for this tutorial.

Note : Third-party drive repair tools are not a surefire fix. Sometimes they work, but other times also create more problems with the system. So, before using any tools, create a restore point on Windows for backup.

Here's how to use the Macrorit Partition Expert tool on Windows:

1. Download the tool from the Macrorit website and install the application.

2. Click dm.exe to run Macrorit Partition Expert.

3. On the application window, select your current Windows drive or volume. For example, in this case it is in Disk 0 .

4. Once selected, click Check Volume from the left sidebar.

5. Select Fix found errors , Try to fix found bad sectors and click OK.

Macrorit Partition Expert will now analyze your selected drive to check for any bad sectors and try to fix them.

6. Factory Reset Windows

If none of the fixes help, your last resort is to reinstall the Windows operating system. This will erase all data from your computer, so make sure to back up the important ones.

Once you've backed up your files, see how to factory reset Windows. Once the reinstall is complete, you should have a "clean" device to work with and restore all backed up files.

David Pac

Update 08 August 2023