WD elements showing need to format and windows explorer restarts

If Windows Defender (WD) elements are showing “needs formatting” and Windows Explorer keeps restarting, this usually points to file system corruption, drive errors, or system file damage. Below is a clear explanation of what’s happening and how to fix it.

1. “You need to format the disk” Error

When Windows shows a message like:

“You need to format the disk in drive X: before you can use it.”

This typically means:

The drive’s file system is corrupted.

The partition table is damaged.

The drive was removed improperly.

There may be physical disk failure.

Important:

Do NOT format immediately if the drive contains important data. Formatting can permanently erase files.

Steps to Fix It

Step 1: Run CHKDSK

Press Win + X

Click Command Prompt (Admin) or Terminal (Admin)

Type:

chkdsk X: /f /r

(Replace X with the affected drive letter.)

This will:

Fix file system errors

Attempt recovery of bad sectors

Step 2: Check Disk in Disk Management

Press Win + R

Type diskmgmt.msc

Press Enter

Look for the drive status:

RAW → File system corrupted

Unallocated → Partition missing

Healthy but inaccessible → Logical corruption

If it shows RAW, use data recovery software before formatting.

2. Windows Explorer Keeps Restarting

If File Explorer (explorer.exe) constantly crashes or restarts, it’s usually caused by:

Corrupt system files

Faulty shell extensions

Bad hard drive sectors

Malware

Recent Windows update issues

Fix Windows Explorer Restart Loop

Step 1: Run System File Checker

Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:

sfc /scannow

After that, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This repairs damaged Windows system files.

Step 2: Check for Disk Errors (System Drive)

Run:

chkdsk C: /f /r

Restart if prompted.

Step 3: Restart Explorer Manually

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Open Task Manager

Find Windows Explorer

Click Restart

If it keeps crashing immediately, boot into Safe Mode and test.

3. Could This Be Hard Drive Failure?

If you notice:

Clicking sounds

Slow file access

Freezing when opening folders

Explorer crashing when accessing specific drive

It may be hardware failure.

Check drive health:

Use manufacturer tools (Seagate SeaTools, WD Data Lifeguard)

Or check SMART status via PowerShell:

wmic diskdrive get status

If it says anything other than OK, back up immediately.

4. Malware Possibility

Even though Windows Defender usually protects well, corruption or repeated Explorer crashes can sometimes indicate malware.

Run:

Full Scan in Windows Security

Offline scan

Consider Malwarebytes scan

5. When Formatting Is the Only Option

If:

CHKDSK fails

Drive remains RAW

Data recovery not needed

Then:

Open Disk Management

Right-click the drive

Choose Format

Select NTFS

Final Recommendation

If both errors started at the same time, the most likely causes are:

Failing hard drive (most common)

Corrupted file system

Power interruption damage

Bad USB enclosure (if external drive)

Immediate Action Plan:

Back up important data

Run CHKDSK

Run SFC + DISM

Check SMART status

Replace drive if errors continue

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