What is the primary purpose of running a command like chkdsk E: /f?

The command "chkdsk E: /f" is primarily used for checking and repairing disk errors on the specified drive, in this case, drive E. This command scans the file system and file system metadata for logical consistency and will attempt to fix any detected issues, which can include problems like corruptions, bad sectors, or directory errors. The "/f" switch specifically tells the command to fix any errors found, thereby ensuring the integrity of the data on that drive.

In this context, the other options do not accurately capture the function of the command. While enhancing system performance, recovering lost files, and formatting a drive might be associated with disk management, these are not the primary tasks performed by the chkdsk utility. The purpose of chkdsk is focused on maintaining the health of the disk by identifying and correcting errors, making option C the correct choice.