How to Fix a Corrupted USB Pen Drive: Methods and Tools
A corrupted USB pen drive can be frustrating, but there is hope for recovery. Whether it's due to software issues, physical damage, or simply corrupted data, this article will guide you through several methods to diagnose and repair a corrupted pen drive or USB drive. We will explore software solutions, physical repair techniques, and professional data recovery services.
Common Symptoms of a Corrupted USB Pen Drive
When a USB pen drive becomes corrupted, it can exhibit several symptoms that indicate potential data issues. Here are some commonSymptoms:
Inaccessible USB drive File or Folder Errors Slow or Delayed Access Unexpected Behavior (freezing, hanging, unresponsive during file operations) Errors during File Transfer disk Not Recognized (showing up as an unrecognized or RAW file system)Methods to Diagnose and Fix a Corrupted USB Pen Drive
Using Wondershare Recoverit for Data Recovery
Wondershare Recoverit is a powerful tool for data recovery and file repair. Although it is more focused on file repair, it is suitable for recovering data from corrupted USB drives.
Download and Install Wondershare Recoverit: Visit the Recoverit website to download and install the software. Launch Recoverit: Open the software after installation. Select USB Drive Recovery: Choose the option to recover from external devices. Scan the USB Drive: Select your USB drive from the list and start the scan. Preview and Recover Files: After the scan, preview the recoverable files and select the ones you need to restore. Reinstall USB Drivers: Open Device Manager, expand Disk Drives, find your USB drive, and right-click to uninstall the device. Replug the USB drive to reinstall the drivers automatically.Professional Data Recovery Services
If the above methods do not work and the data on the USB drive is critical, consider seeking help from professional data recovery services. These services have specialized tools and expertise to recover data from severely corrupted drives.
Physical Repair Techniques
If the USB pen drive is only showing corrupted data, try accessing it from a CMD prompt or a Linux operating system. This might give you some data back, but the chances of recovering all data are less likely.
Physical Damage Considerations
If it is purely physical damage, a corrupted USB pen drive cannot be recovered. However, if the outer plastic cover is broken, as long as the connector is in good condition, it is possible to use it.
In some cases, if the memory chip is not physically damaged, using a reliable brand like SanDisk can help. They come with free recovery software that is effective in recovering photos and other types of files.
Advanced Techniques to Fix Corrupted USB Pen Drive
Repair Corrupted Pen Drive Using CMD
The CMD (Command Prompt) can be a useful tool to repair corrupted or unrecognized flash drives, pen drives, SD cards, or hard drives. Here's how to fix a corrupted USB using CMD:
Connect the corrupted flash drive to your Windows computer. Open the Command Prompt (by typing CMD in the search bar or pressing Windows Key R followed by CMD). In the Command Prompt, type the following commands: Type diskpart and hit ENTER. Type list disk to see the available disks and hit ENTER. Type select disk and follow by the number of your disk and hit ENTER. Type clean and hit ENTER. Create a partition with create partition primary and hit ENTER. Type active, followed by select partition 1 and then format fsfat32 before hitting ENTER.Change the Drive Letter
Occasionally, your PC may fail to assign correct drive letters to your storage media, leading to inaccessibility. Manually assigning a drive letter can resolve this issue.
Connect your storage media to your computer. Right-click on My Computer/This PC and click Manage in the drop-down menu. Click Disk Management on the left and wait a few seconds for Windows to load the Virtual disk service. Right-click on your storage media and click Change Drive Letter and Paths. Select the desired drive letter and click Ok.Repair Corrupted Pen Drive Using Windows Explorer
Windows 10 comes with a built-in card repair tool that can be accessed via Windows Explorer. Here’s how to format a corrupt pen drive:
Open My Computer or This PC in File Explorer. Right-click on the corrupted drive. Find and click on Format in the drop-down menu. In the popup window, click Restore Device Defaults. Hello to Start to begin the format process. Click Ok to proceed with the formatting process.Conclusion
A corrupted USB pen drive can be frustrating, but with the right tools and techniques, you can recover or repair it. Whether you use software tools like Wondershare Recoverit, try advanced CMD techniques, or seek professional help, there are options available to help you recover your data.