6 Methods To Fix CHKDSK Cannot Continue In Read-only Mode

CHKDSK is a command-line utility for Windows users to check and fix problematic drive errors. However, when you run CHKDSK, it might prompt you with the error message saying that “CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode”. Usually, the CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode issue is caused by a variety of reasons that involve the following:

1. The disk comprises a read-only file system.
2. The disk might be affected by malware or viruses.
3. A corrupted hard drive.
4. When the running process or program is using the target drive.
5. When the disk cannot be edited or written or the target hard drive is read-only.
6. Missing or corrupted system files.

Below we discuss 6 methods to help you fix CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode error in Windows 10. Check the details of each method.

Methods to Fix the CHKDSK Read-only mode Error

Method 1: Schedule Disk Check Upon Restart

When CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode because you are trying to scan the system partition or a drive that is currently used by a program, the best fix is to schedule a CHKDSK on reboot.

1. Hit Win + X and choose Command Prompt (admin).
2. In the command prompt, type in chkdsk /r c: then hit Enter (Replace the ‘c’ with the alphabet of the drive you want to scan.)
3. Then you will be asked an option to schedule the disk check upon the next reboot. Type Y to select yes.
4. Perform a reboot of your PC and the disk check should automatically run to scan and fix any error within your disk.

Method 2: Remove Write Protection

1. You can remove the write protection by modifying the attribute via Registry.
2. Press the Win + R key to open the Run box, then input regedit and hit Enter.to choose the best match in the Windows search box.
3. Once enter the Registry Editor, locate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.
4. Double-click the WriteProtect key and change the value from 1 to 0.
5. Then you can run CHKDSK in cmd again to see if the error disappears.

Method 3: Run CHKDSK in Recovery Mode

Instead of running the disk check on reboot, you can choose to run in recovery mode by following these steps:

1. Hold shift on your keyboard, press the Power icon in the start menu and select Restart.
2. A pop-up box will be launched. From this pop-up box, select Troubleshoot > Advanced.
3. Look for Command Prompt and click it.
4. After your PC restart, type the following in the command line (change your drive name according to the drive you want to scan):
   Chkdsk d:
   Chkdsk d: /f
   Chkdsk d: /f
   Chkdsk d: /r

Method 4: Run Virus Scan

It’s also advised that you open Windows Defender or installed third-party antivirus software to perform a malware/virus scan for the drive, in case the hard disk is infected by malware or virus.

Method 5: Close All Programs and Files

A program currently uses the disk you are trying to scan. If this is the case, you can close all programs, processes and files that might be using or accessing the target drive. You can do it through the task manager as follows,

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc buttons together to open Task Manager.
2. Check the list for any suspicious processes and right-click on it. From the list of options select End task to force stop the program.

Method 6: Format the Drive

1. Press the Win + R keys to the open Run box and then input diskmgmt.msc and hit Enter.
2. Choose the target partition and right-click it to select Format….
3. Set Volume label, File system and Allocation unit size and check Perform a quick format, then click OK.
4. Read the warning and click OK to continue.

Conclusion

Regarding the topic that CHKDSK Cannot Continue in Read-only Mode, we come up with 6 methods to help you get rid of CHKDSK read-only mode. All methods are easy to apply, so keep patient and try each of the six until your problem was completely fixed.