Complete CHK File Recovery Solution

CHK files are fragmentary files generated by Windows tools like Chkdsk or Scandisk to save corrupt data. If you have many .CHK files in the found.000 folder, here are four ways to recover CHK files using manual methods, CMD commands, professional full version CHK File Recovery software, and utilities.

• 1. Try using a reliable file recovery software 
• 2. Use UnCHK or similar tools
• 3. Run CMD to change the CHK file extension
• 4. Manually change the CHK file extension to restore the file

What is a .CHK file?

A CHK file refers to a fragment of a corrupted or damaged file, data, image, or other document on a Windows computer with the ".chk" file extension. Typically, CHK files are generated by the Windows operating system due to hard disk or storage device issues, interrupted file transfers, improper operations, or virus infections.

When Windows detects an issue with the file system on your hard drive or storage device, it runs Check Disk to fix the file system. After this, Windows creates a Found.000 folder and saves all the corrupted data and file fragments as CHK files.

Can I delete CHK files?

Yes, in most cases, the FOUND.000 folder with .chk files is stored on the affected storage device. For example, if you had an issue while transferring files from a USB device to your computer, you might find a FOUND.000 folder with CHK files. If CHK files appear on the system drive, they might be fragments of some recovered files from Drive C.

Please note that sometimes CHK files might be hidden. You can use the Windows File Explorer to show hidden files and delete these hidden CHK files.

However, be cautious while planning to delete CHK files. If your files and data are safe, you can remove them from the device. But if your files are lost and only these CHK files exist on the disk, do not delete them.

If you're wondering how to recover CHK files on your device, read on. We've provided four reliable CHK file recovery methods that you can use to restore data from .CHK files.

1. Recover .Chk Files Using File Recovery Software

Applies to: Users at all levels

If you accidentally deleted CHK files, or you're left with CHK files only on your device, then a reliable file recovery tool would be your best bet. Here, Data Recovery Wizard and its original recovery feature can help you automatically restore deleted CHK files with simple clicks.

Do not save any new files to the drive, and then try to recover the files by following these steps:

Step 1: Choose a location and start scanning

Launch the Data Recovery Wizard tool and hover the mouse over the partition/drive where the deleted files were stored. Click “Scan” to look for the lost files.

Step 2. Choose the files you want to restore

Once the scan is finished, select the deleted files you want to recover. You can click on the Filter button to display only the type of file you want. If you remember the name of the file, you can also search for it in the “Search for files or folders” box – this is the quickest way to find your target file.

Step 3: Preview and recover the deleted files

Preview the recoverable files. Then, select the files you want to restore and click "Recover" to save them to a new location that's different from where the data was originally lost.

# 2. Using UnCHK for Chk File Recovery

Applies to: All levels

Third-party tools like UnCHK can help you open CHK files and recover lost files in a straightforward manner. UnCHK is a free utility that scans the contents of CHK files and identifies whether they belong to known file types, such as audio files, videos, images, archives, executable files, and documents. It can also be used to partially restore files from CHK files.

# 3. Run CMD to Change CHK File Extension for CHK File Recovery

Applies to: Experienced computer users

Experienced administrators can use CMD commands to change the CHK file extension on a device, restoring all CHK files on it to a recognizable format.

Bear in mind that this method will change all existing CHK files to the same format. In other words, if the files on the disk were saved using the same file system, try the following steps to restore your files from CHK files:

Step 1: Right-click the Start menu, choose Search, then type in Command Prompt. Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Type cd/ and press Enter.

• cd stands for change directory.
• / means to go to the root directory.

Step 3. Type the drive letter containing your CHK files, or the location of the “Found.000” folder, and press Enter.

For example, press E and Enter.

Step 4: Type cd Found.000 and press Enter. (Found.000 is the folder that contains the .chk files.)

Step 5: Type ren *.chk *.mov and press Enter.

If you want to convert CHK files to another format, replace mov with another file extension, such as .doc, .xls, .png, .mp4, and so on.

When the process is over, check the “Found.000” folder for any files that might be reusable.

# 4. Manually Change the CHK Extension and Recover Files

Intended for: Users of all levels, to convert single chk files back to their original file extension.

If your drive had a mix of different types of files on it, and now they all have the .chk extension, don't worry. As long as you remember what format each file used to be in, you can manually change the CHK file extensions and restore them by following these steps:

Conclusions

This guide explains what CHK files are, the causes of CHK files, when you can delete CHK files, and how to restore CHK files to their normal state.

If you have more questions about CHK File Recovery Full Version, or need a better way to determine if your existing CHK files can be recovered, you can send an email to our data recovery experts for manual data recovery service at support@tools.com.

Frequently Asked Questions about CHK File Recovery

Please consult the CHK file type description for more information on this file format.

1. What is a CHK file?

Chk files are fragmentary and corrupted data generated when a disk writing process is interrupted or a computer is shut down abruptly before a file could be saved. The Found.000 folder is created by the built-in Windows tool, chkdsk (check disk), which stores all the fragmented files (CHK files) in this folder.

How to recover found .000 files?

There are 4 ways to recover .chk files found.

1. Attempt to use a reliable file recovery software

Use UnCHK or a similar tool

3. Run CMD to Change CHK File Extension

4. Manually change the CHK extension and recover the file

3. Can I delete CHK files?

Yes, you can safely delete CHK files, as they are actually residual files that SCANDISK has marked for deletion. As long as your computer is running fine and you don't have any hard drive issues from which you need to recover data, you can get rid of them.

4. How to Access the Found .000 Folder?

The "Found.000" folder is created by the Windows operating system to store.CHK files. This folder is typically hidden by default. To view and access it, you need to enable the display of hidden files, folders, and drives in the "View" options at the top of File Explorer.

How to recover files from the Found.000 folder?

If you're in the same boat, try out the 4 solutions above – use file recovery software, UnCHK, CMD commands, or change CHK file extensions manually. Alternatively, refer to this link for a more detailed guide on how to recover files from the found.000 folder: How to Recover Files from Found.000 Folder.

6. What should I do with CHK files?

When you come across a CHK file on your hard drive or external storage device, you should first check whether the files that were saved on the device are still present and have been saved safely without any corruption.

If you can, delete them. If not, you'll need to use a reliable file recovery software program, such as the ones recommended on this page, to restore your lost files immediately.

How can I prevent files and data from becoming CHK?

The best way to protect your files from becoming CHK is to make backups on a different, secure device. You should copy all of these files to another secure device.

Here are some tips to prevent files from becoming CHK:

• Run regular virus scans on your device.
• Be careful with all operations on your device, especially file transfers.
• Make sure you're running a stable version of Windows on your computer.