Extract text from Recovered file fragments (CHK)
To convert CHK fragments to another format, you need Windows CHKDSK or other System software.
To convert other file formats to the "Recovered Data Fragment" file type, you need software like Windows CHKDSK or a similar tool.
The .CHK file extension primarily represents recovered file fragments created by the Microsoft Windows CHKDSK (Check Disk) utility. When Windows detects file system corruption, cross-linked files, or unsafe drive ejections, it runs CHKDSK to repair the drive. Instead of deleting orphaned data clusters, it saves them into a hidden folder named FOUND.000 as .CHK files. In rare cases, this extension is also used for router firmware updates by Netgear or as checksum databases by Sophos.
The main disadvantage of the .CHK format is that it is essentially a generic wrapper for lost data. The operating system strips the original file extension and replaces it with .CHK. This means a single file could actually be a JPG image, a DOCX document, a ZIP archive, or simply useless corrupted binary garbage. Because Windows does not know what program to use, you cannot open these files by double-clicking them, and they often sit on your hard drive taking up gigabytes of space.
To recover your data, you must analyze the file's internal signature (magic numbers) to determine its true format and then rename or convert it. Identifying these manually requires a hex editor and deep technical knowledge. We will scan the internal structure and instantly suggest the correct target format, whether that is PDF, MP3, or PNG, so you can restore your lost data quickly.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CHK file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted JPG, CHCK, DCIM, CHX, 000, PDF, MP4, FME, TMP, RAR, 900, EXE and JPEG files.
If you want to convert CHK file to FCHK, JPG, EXE, ISO, BIN, CUE, PAK, WAD, PK3, PK4, BSP or MAP, you can use Windows CHKDSK or similar software from the "Recovered File Fragments" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MOD, BIN, CFG, SCX, DAT, MPQ, LOG, CUE, INI, EXE, SCM or ISO files to CHK, try Windows CHKDSK or another comparable tool in the "Recovered File Fragments" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CHK converter.