Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

Which built-in Windows utility is designed to detect errors in the file system and disk media?

1. Defrag command

2. Disk Cleanup

3. chkdsk command

4. System File Checker

The correct answer is: chkdsk command

The chkdsk command is specifically designed to check the integrity of the file system and disk media in Windows environments. When executed, it scans the file system for logical file system errors and checks disk media for physical errors. This utility can also fix any issues it encounters, helping to ensure that the file system remains healthy and functional. The chkdsk command can be run from a command prompt and can provide detailed information about the status of the disk, including sectors that may be marked as bad and potentially recoverable data. It is an essential tool in digital forensics as it helps in identifying issues that could affect data integrity during an investigation. Other utilities mentioned serve different purposes; for example, the defrag command is intended to optimize disk performance by reorganizing fragmented data. Disk Cleanup is a tool for removing unnecessary files from the disk to free up space, and the System File Checker verifies the integrity of system files but does not address file system errors on disks. Therefore, chkdsk is the most appropriate utility for detecting errors in the file system and disk media.