How to fix "File record segment is unreadable"?

"File record segment is unreadable" is a chkdsk message: Windows could not read one entry of the NTFS Master File Table, most often because of a bad sector. A few such lines can be repaired, while hundreds point to a failing disk. Copy files you cannot lose, then let chkdsk /r finish.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What "File record segment is unreadable" means

Every NTFS volume has a master file table, the MFT. Microsoft describes it as a file with at least one entry for every file on the volume, holding its size, dates, permissions and data or the location of that data. Chkdsk calls each entry a file record segment and gives it a number.

When chkdsk prints File record segment 12345 is unreadable., it tried to read entry 12345 and the disk did not return it. The file that belonged to that entry can lose its name, its folder or its contents. The message appears in Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure, the first stage of an NTFS check.

Why chkdsk says a file record segment is unreadable: causes in order

Most often the disk has developed bad sectors in the area where the MFT sits. Less often the link to the disk breaks for a moment, or a power cut left the file system half written. Rarely an old storage driver or firmware makes reads time out. Microsoft names the same two roots for NTFS corruption: bad sectors, and disk requests that do not complete.

How to fix "File record segment is unreadable" in chkdsk

Fix 1 is the repair most readers need when Windows still starts. Fix 2 does the same from the recovery environment. Fix 3 tells you whether the disk can be trusted, Fix 4 rules out the connection, Fix 5 rescues your files, and Fixes 6 and 7 deal with errors that keep coming back.

Fix 1. Run chkdsk /r on the volume and let it finish

10 minutes to several hoursRead the warningWindows starts, and chkdsk or a boot check reported one or a few unreadable file record segments.

Microsoft says /r locates bad sectors and recovers readable information, and includes everything /f does. It marks the clusters under the damaged MFT entries as bad and rebuilds what it can, so the next check no longer stops on them.

1. Type cmd in the taskbar search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
2. Run chkdsk C: /scan with the letter of the affected volume. This online scan changes nothing and shows whether NTFS still reports errors.
3. Run chkdsk C: /r with the same letter.
4. On the Windows drive, chkdsk answers that the volume is in use. Type Y, press Enter and restart the PC.
5. Let the check finish. On a large hard disk this can take hours. Do not turn the PC off.
6. After Windows starts, read the report as shown below and run chkdsk C: /scan once more.

Read the report of a check made at startup (PowerShell)

get-winevent -FilterHashTable @{logname="Application"} | ?{$_.providername -match "wininit"} | fl timecreated, message

If chkdsk said Insufficient disk space to hotfix unreadable file, free several gigabytes first with Free up disk space and delete temporary files, then run chkdsk /r again. Full steps for every chkdsk mode: Check a disk for errors (chkdsk).

Fix 2. Run chkdsk from the recovery Command Prompt when Windows does not start

20 minutes to several hoursRead the warningThe error appears at startup and Windows does not load, or the disk check repeats at every boot.

Chkdsk needs to lock the volume to repair it. In the Windows Recovery Environment nothing runs from the Windows drive, so chkdsk can lock it and repair the MFT without Windows starting first.

1. Turn the PC on and off at the Windows logo three times, or start it from a Windows 11 installation USB and select Repair your computer.
2. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
3. Type bcdedit and look at osdevice to see which letter Windows has here. It is often not C: in recovery.
4. Run chkdsk D: /r with that letter, and let it finish.
5. Close the window and select Continue to start Windows.

If Windows starts but chkdsk runs at every boot, the volume is still marked dirty. Run fsutil dirty query C: in an administrator Command Prompt. Microsoft uses this command to check whether a volume needs a full repair. Then run Fix 1 once more.

Fix 3. Check the disk's health and the System log

10 minutesNo riskYou want to know whether the disk can be trusted, or chkdsk printed many unreadable segments.

Unreadable MFT entries are a symptom. The System log and the disk's health status show whether the cause is a few bad sectors, a weak connection or a disk that is failing, which decides whether repairing makes sense.

1. Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Run the command below and read HealthStatus for each disk.
3. Right-click Start, open Event Viewer and go to Windows Logs > System.
4. Select Filter Current Log, type 55,98,129,153,157 in the event ID box and select OK.
5. Note which disk the events name and how often they appear.

List the disks and their health (PowerShell)

Get-PhysicalDisk | Format-Table DeviceId, FriendlyName, MediaType, HealthStatus, OperationalStatus

Fix 4. Reseat the cable and connect the disk directly to the PC

5 to 15 minutesNo riskThe disk is external, sits behind a hub, or the PC was moved or opened shortly before the error.

Microsoft lists I/O requests that do not complete as a cause of NTFS corruption. A loose or worn cable breaks reads for a moment, and chkdsk then reports entries as unreadable although the sectors are fine.

1. Shut down the PC with Start > Power > Shut down.
2. External disk: remove any hub, dock or extension and use another cable on a rear USB port. Plug in its power adapter if it has one.
3. Desktop internal disk: unplug the power cord, then unplug and firmly reconnect the SATA data and power cables at both ends. Try another SATA port.
4. NVMe SSD: check that it sits fully in its slot and its screw holds it down.
5. Start the PC and run chkdsk C: /scan with the disk's letter.

Fix 5. Copy your files off the disk, or read it from another PC

30 minutes or moreNo riskYour files exist only on this disk, the disk is failing, or Windows no longer starts from it.

Every read of a failing disk can be one of its last. Copying files before chkdsk removes damaged entries keeps whatever is still readable, which is what the old advice to connect the disk to another PC was for.

1. Connect a healthy disk with enough free space.
2. If Windows does not start, take the disk out and connect it to another PC with a USB adapter or enclosure, as a second disk.
3. Copy the most important folders first, one at a time, with the robocopy command below. It retries a file twice and moves on.
4. Read the summary at the end. Files listed as FAILED sit on unreadable areas.
5. Do not run chkdsk on the old disk until the copy is done.

Copy a folder with few retries (Command Prompt)

robocopy "D:\Users\You\Documents" "E:\Rescue\Documents" /E /R:2 /W:5

If files are already missing after chkdsk, see Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive). For a regular backup on the new disk: Back up your files (Windows Backup, File History, Time Machine). If the disk is no longer detected at all, a data recovery service is the safe choice for files you cannot lose.

Fix 6. Update storage controller drivers and the disk firmware

15 to 30 minutesLow riskThe errors return after a clean chkdsk, or the System log shows event 129 resets.

Microsoft's steps for NTFS corruption events include updating storage drivers and firmware. A controller driver or SSD firmware that times out can make reads fail and leave the MFT damaged again.

1. Right-click Start, open Device Manager and expand Storage controllers.
2. Install chipset and storage drivers from your PC or motherboard maker, or from Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates.
3. Look up your disk model (the FriendlyName from Fix 3) on its maker's site and apply any firmware update with the maker's tool.
4. Restart and run chkdsk C: /scan.

Copy your files before a firmware update, because a failed one can make the disk unreadable. Step by step for drivers: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Fix 7. Replace the disk and restore Windows and your files

1 to 3 hoursLow riskHealth shows Warning or Unhealthy, the disk clicks, or unreadable segments return after every repair.

Microsoft's note on failed repairs is plain: if chkdsk does not fix the disk errors, the data has to come back from a backup. A disk that keeps losing sectors will keep damaging its file table.

1. Finish Fix 5 so your files are safe on another disk.
2. Install the new disk. Check the old one's warranty on its maker's website.
3. Install Windows on the new disk, or restore a system image if you have one.
4. Copy your files back and set up a regular backup.

If only a data disk failed, no reinstall is needed: format the new disk in Disk Management and copy the files back. For Windows itself, see Reinstall Windows without losing files.

If chkdsk still says a file record segment is unreadable

Collect these facts before you contact the disk maker, your PC maker or a technician. They show whether the disk, the connection or the file system is at fault. The same error with a different read error, the I/O device error 1117, has its own guide: error code 1117.

• The chkdsk report from Windows Logs > Application, sources Chkdsk and Wininit, with the number of unreadable segments.
• The disk's make, model and HealthStatus from Fix 3.
• The events 55, 98, 129, 153 and 157 from Windows Logs > System.
• Which cables, ports and PCs you tried (Fix 4).
• Your Windows version: press Win + R and type winver.
• When it is hardware: clicking or grinding, Warning or Unhealthy health, errors on every PC and cable, or a disk that is not detected. No Windows setting fixes those.

How to keep the file record segments readable

On an SSD, Microsoft notes that repeated full /r scans add write and erase cycles. An occasional check is fine, but do not schedule /r as routine maintenance.

Frequently asked questions

What does "File record segment is unreadable" mean in chkdsk?

It means chkdsk could not read one entry of the NTFS master file table. Microsoft describes that table as holding at least one entry for every file on the volume, with its size, dates, permissions and data. The number in the message is the entry. The usual cause is a bad sector under it. A few such lines can be repaired with chkdsk /r (Fix 1). Hundreds of them point to a disk that is failing, so copy your files first (Fix 5).

Is my hard drive or SSD dying?

Not always. A power cut or a loose cable can leave a few unreadable entries on a healthy disk. The disk is likely failing when chkdsk prints hundreds of unreadable segments, the errors come back after a clean check, the System log shows many event 153 entries for that disk, or health shows Warning or Unhealthy. Clicking sounds and files that vanish are further signs. In that case copy your files off now (Fix 5) and plan to replace the disk (Fix 7).

What does "Deleting orphan file record segment" mean?

It means chkdsk found an MFT entry that no folder points to any more and removes it. These lines often follow unreadable segments, because the folder entry that listed the file was damaged. The data of an orphaned entry may be lost, or the file may come back without its name. Let chkdsk finish, then check your important folders. Missing files may be recoverable from a backup or with Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive). Many orphan lines mean real damage, so check the disk with Fix 3.

What does "Repairing the security file record segment" mean?

Chkdsk is repairing the NTFS record that stores the permissions of files and folders. It usually follows other repairs in the same run and is not a sign of extra damage on its own. Let the check finish without turning the PC off. If some files show access denied afterwards, their permissions may need resetting, but most readers notice no change. If the line appears at every boot, the volume is still marked dirty, so use Fix 2.

What does "Insufficient disk space to hotfix unreadable file" mean?

Chkdsk wanted to move readable data away from bad clusters but the volume had too little free space for it. The repair of that file is skipped; some reports word this as a failure to hotfix the unreadable file. Free up several gigabytes on the volume with Free up disk space and delete temporary files, or move large files to another disk. Then run chkdsk /r again (Fix 1). If the volume is full because the disk is small, copy files off it first.

Can I fix it on an SSD the same way?

Yes. The message means the same on an SSD and chkdsk /r works the same way, only faster, because an SSD has no moving parts. Microsoft notes that chkdsk marks bad clusters on an SSD logically, and that repeated full /r scans add write and erase cycles, so do not run it again and again. Check the SSD's health with Fix 3 and look for a firmware update from its maker (Fix 6). Repeated errors on an SSD mean it should be replaced.

Will chkdsk /r delete my files?

It can lose files whose entries stay unreadable. Chkdsk removes those entries, and the files they described may disappear or lose their names. That is why you copy important files to another disk before the repair (Fix 5). Microsoft also says that interrupting chkdsk should not leave the volume more corrupt than before, and that running it again repairs remaining corruption. Still, let it finish: on a large hard disk that can take hours.

Why does chkdsk run at every startup?

Windows runs a check at startup while the volume is marked dirty, which means NTFS still has damage it could not repair. Run fsutil dirty query C: in an administrator Command Prompt to see the state. If it is dirty, run chkdsk from the recovery Command Prompt (Fix 2) so it can lock the volume. If the check keeps coming back, the disk is losing more sectors; check its health with Fix 3 and copy your files (Fix 5).

What is "не удается прочесть сегмент записи о файле" or "impossibile leggere il segmento record file"?

Both are the same chkdsk message in Windows set to another language: Russian and Italian for "File record segment is unreadable". The meaning and the fixes are the same as on this page, and the commands are the same in every language. Only the menu names differ. Follow Fix 1 if Windows starts and Fix 2 if it does not. If you only want to know what it is, the first answer in this FAQ explains it.

Do I need Safe Mode to fix this error?

No. The old version of this page told readers to start Safe Mode first, but chkdsk does not need it. On the Windows drive, chkdsk offers to run at the next restart, before Windows loads, which is what locks the volume (Fix 1). When Windows does not start at all, the recovery Command Prompt does the same job (Fix 2). Safe Mode is still useful if you want to copy files from a PC that crashes in normal mode: Start Windows or a Mac in Safe Mode.