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Where Are .chk Files Stored?

The .chk files created by chkdsk are placed in hidden FOUND.000, FOUND.001 folders at the root of the drive that was checked.

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Safe to delete?
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Short answer: look at the root of the drive that was scanned. Chkdsk saves recovered fragments as FILE0000.CHK inside hidden folders named FOUND.000, FOUND.001, and so on — for example C:\FOUND.000\.

How to see them

  1. Open the drive root, e.g. C:\.
  2. On the View tab, enable Hidden items (the FOUND folders are hidden and system).
  3. Open FOUND.000 to see the .chk fragments.

What they contain

Each .chk is a chunk of data chkdsk salvaged from lost or cross-linked clusters. There is no filename or type inside — chkdsk only recovers the raw bytes. Some may be openable if you rename them to a guessed extension, but most are unusable leftovers.

Can I delete them?

Yes, once you have confirmed you are not missing any real files. They are recovery scraps, not something Windows needs.

For what these fragments actually are, see what a .chk file is.

Can I recover the original files?

Sometimes. Because a .chk holds only raw bytes with no name or type, the practical route is a dedicated file-recovery tool (Recuva, PhotoRec) that reads the fragment's signature and restores it with the right extension. For most people the fragments are not worth chasing — restore from a backup instead.

FAQ

Why is there a FOUND.000 folder on my drive?

Chkdsk ran and salvaged data from damaged clusters into it. The folder is hidden and system, so it usually appears only after enabling hidden items.

Can I open a .chk file?

Sometimes. Rename it to a likely extension (.jpg, .doc, .txt) or use a hex editor to inspect the header. Many .chk files are too fragmented to recover.

Is it safe to delete FOUND folders?

Yes, after checking nothing important is missing. They only hold recovered fragments, not active files.

Other file types explained