There are various situations where users suddenly find that their files on a USB drive are corrupted or have disappeared completely. If you’re facing such an issue, there are methods to recover corrupted files and data from your USB drive. In this guide, we’ll cover how to attempt recovery using the command line and also recommend free data recovery software if command line recovery doesn’t yield results.
Recovering Corrupted Files From USB Using the Command Line
Corruption of a USB drive can occur due to multiple factors, such as file table corruption, power failures, improper device shutdowns, or viruses. Before reaching for third-party software, let’s try to recover corrupted files using built-in tools in Windows.
Step 1: Run the Disk Error Checker
- First, open Command Prompt as Administrator by searching for “cmd” in the Start menu, right-clicking on the Command Prompt icon, and selecting “Run as Administrator.”
- In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
chkdsk f: /r- Replace f with the drive letter of your USB drive. This command uses chkdsk (Check Disk Utility) to check for errors and attempt repairs on the file system. The /r option identifies bad sectors on the drive and recovers readable information.
- After the process is complete, check if you can access the data on the USB drive. If the drive is still inaccessible, move on to the next step.
Step 2: Recover Files Using the ‘attrib’ Command
If your files are hidden or inaccessible due to malware or file system corruption, the attrib.exe tool can help make them visible. In the same Command Prompt window, run the following command:
attrib -h -r -s /s /d f:\*
- Again, replace f with your USB drive’s letter. This command will attempt to remove hidden, read-only, and system file attributes from all files on the drive, making them accessible.
Once this process is complete, check if you can access and recover the lost files.
Free USB Data Recovery Software
If the command line approach doesn’t work, there are several free data recovery software options that can help you recover files from a corrupted USB drive. Here are three popular options:
1. Recuva
- Recuva is a free, user-friendly tool by Piriform that helps recover lost files from various storage devices, including USB drives.
- The software offers both a quick scan and an optional “deep scan” to search thoroughly for recoverable files. It supports both NTFS and FAT file systems, which are common on USB drives.
- Simply follow the wizard to choose the file types you want to recover, and Recuva will guide you through the recovery process.
2. R2FD Recovery
- R2FD Recovery is another free tool that can help restore files from USB drives, even when they are formatted or have file system errors.
- It’s easy to use and provides a step-by-step recovery process, making it ideal for those who need quick and straightforward data retrieval.
3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard offers a free version of its software, which allows users to recover up to 2GB of data.
- This software supports a wide range of file systems and can recover files from various storage devices, including USB drives, hard drives, and memory cards.
- EaseUS has both a quick scan and deep scan option, which can help recover files from corrupted or damaged USB drives.
Conclusion
Corrupted files on a USB drive can be a frustrating experience, but there are several methods you can try to recover your data. Starting with the built-in chkdsk utility and attrib command in Windows is a good first step. If those methods don’t work, free recovery software like Recuva, R2FD Recovery, or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can help retrieve lost files from your USB drive.
Remember, it’s always a good practice to back up your important data regularly to prevent data loss in the future.