How to Fix “Restart to Repair Drive Errors” on Windows 10/11

Encountering the “Restart to repair drive errors” message on your Windows 10 or 11 computer can be a frustrating experience. This error typically indicates an issue with your hard drive or file system, and it can prevent your computer from booting up properly. Fortunately, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve this problem. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the various methods to fix the “Restart to repair drive errors” issue on your Windows device.

Hard Reboot the Computer

The first step in resolving the “Restart to repair drive errors” issue is to perform a hard reboot of your computer. This can sometimes clear any temporary glitches or issues that may be causing the error. To do this, simply turn off your computer and wait for a few seconds before turning it back on. This simple step may be enough to resolve the problem and allow your computer to boot up without the error message.

Perform Command-Line ChkDsk in Safe Mode

If the hard reboot doesn’t work, you can try running the chkdsk command-line tool in Safe Mode. This tool can scan your hard drive for errors and attempt to fix them. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Type “cmd” (without quotes) in the Start menu search bar and right-click on “Command Prompt” to select “Run as administrator”.
2. In the Command Prompt, type “chkdsk /f /r /x” (without quotes) and press Enter. This will scan your C: drive for errors and attempt to repair them.
3. If the chkdsk command asks you to schedule the volume to be checked the next time you restart your computer, type “y” and press Enter.
4. Restart your computer and let the chkdsk process run. This may take some time, depending on the size of your hard drive and the number of errors found.

After the chkdsk process is complete, check if the “Restart to repair drive errors” message has been resolved.

Uninstall Recent Windows Update (if applicable)

If the “Restart to repair drive errors” message appeared after a recent Windows update, it’s possible that the update may have caused the issue. In this case, you can try uninstalling the recent update to see if that resolves the problem. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and search for “Control Panel”.
2. Click on “Programs” and then “View installed updates”.
3. Locate the most recent Windows update and right-click on it, then select “Uninstall”.
4. Restart your computer and check if the “Restart to repair drive errors” message has been resolved.

If the issue persists after uninstalling the recent update, you can try performing a system restore to a previous point in time when the computer was working correctly.

Cancel ChkDsk Using Command Prompt

If the chkdsk process is taking too long or you need to interrupt it for any reason, you can cancel the process using the Command Prompt. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator (as described in the previous step).
2. Type “chkdsk /c” (without quotes) and press Enter. This will cancel the chkdsk process.
3. Restart your computer and check if the “Restart to repair drive errors” message has been resolved.

If the issue persists, you can try running chkdsk again or explore other troubleshooting methods.

Run CHKDSK on an External Drive (if applicable)

If the “Restart to repair drive errors” message is related to a specific drive, you can try running the chkdsk command on an external drive to see if the issue is isolated to the internal drive. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Connect an external hard drive to your computer.
2. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator (as described earlier).
3. Type “chkdsk X: /f /r /x” (without quotes, replacing “X” with the drive letter of your external drive) and press Enter.
4. Let the chkdsk process run on the external drive and check if the “Restart to repair drive errors” message is still present on your internal drive.

If the issue is specific to your internal drive, you may need to consider replacing the drive or seeking professional help.

Use Alternative Disk Error Checking Software

If the built-in chkdsk tool is not resolving the “Restart to repair drive errors” issue, you can try using alternative disk error checking software. Some popular options include:

• EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
• TestDisk
• Recuva

These tools can provide more advanced disk error checking and repair capabilities, which may be able to identify and fix the underlying issue causing the “Restart to repair drive errors” message.

Perform Automatic Startup Repair

If the previous methods have not resolved the issue, you can try running the Automatic Startup Repair tool. This tool is designed to diagnose and fix various startup-related problems, including the “Restart to repair drive errors” message. To use this tool, follow these steps:

1. Create a Windows 10 or 11 installation media (USB or DVD).
2. Boot your computer from the installation media.
3. When the installation process starts, click on “Repair your computer” in the bottom-left corner.
4. Select “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options”.
5. Choose “Startup Repair” and let the tool run its diagnostic and repair process.
6. Restart your computer and check if the “Restart to repair drive errors” message has been resolved.

If the Automatic Startup Repair tool is unable to fix the issue, you may need to consider performing a system restore or a clean reinstallation of Windows.