USB flash drive recovery without data loss

From time to time, almost all active s of portable USB drives face problems with the computer reading existing devices. They are usually associated with damage to the file system or drive structure, and much less often the problem lies in hardware failures. If the hardware difficulties are solved by a specialized service center, the can repair the software himself, while saving the data on the flash drive. Next, we want to demonstrate several options to perform this operation.

Recover a USB flash drive without data loss

We want to point out right away that the methods below do not always work effectively as many FS or structure issues are solved only by formatting at different levels, leading to a complete loss of information. However, it is always worth trying different methods before moving on to radical solutions.

Method 1: Standard Checker

The Windows operating system has a built-in tool to check the drive for errors. Of course, it is not the most effective, but such analysis can be done with just a few clicks. Therefore, we suggest using this method first.

1. 1. Go to the section «This PC» , right click on the required media and open the item «Properties» a via the context menu.
   2. Go to the tab "Service" .
   3. Here, run the Device Error Checker.

1. Check all the options and then click "Run" .
2. Once the operation is complete, you will be notified of the results.

This option helps to cope with only minor errors, but sometimes it can even repair the RAW file system, so we highly recommend starting with the standard function. If it doesn't work, continue with the next solutions.

Method 2: chkdsk console command

The "command line" In the Windows operating system it allows you to run various auxiliary utilities and perform other useful actions. Standard commands include chkdsk , which scans and corrects errors in the drive with predefined parameters. Its level of efficiency is slightly higher than the tool considered above, and the analysis is launched as follows:

1. 1. Open "Start" and start the console searching for it.

1. Enter the command chkdsk J: /f /rWhere J is the drive letter, then activate it by pressing the key Enter .
2. Wait for the scan to finish.
3. A notification of the results will appear.

The applied argument /f is responsible for correcting any errors found, and / r activates work with bad sectors, if any.

Method 3: change local security policy settings

If you cannot insert a USB flash drive into another computer to its reading, you should look at the menu «Local security policy» , because there is a parameter that is responsible for locking the device. If it was set independently by the or the change was due to the action of a virus, the file system of the flash drive will become RAW or simply will not open. This problem is rare, but needs to be addressed.

1. Open "Start" and go to the menu «Local security policy» .
2. Wait for the plugin to load and then browse the directory «Local policies» to "Security settings" .
3. Look for the option "Network Access: Sharing and Security Model for Local s" there and double click on it.
4. Make sure it is set to Typical: local s authenticate as themselves . Install it if necessary.

When the parameter had to be changed and after that the flash drive started working properly, and such policy editing had not been done on its own, it is recommended to check your computer for malicious threats. Some viruses tend to change system settings, including security.

Read more: Fight against computer viruses

Method 4: formatting with further file recovery

If the above methods did not yield any results, all that remains is to format the USB flash drive using various standard operating system programs or tools. At the same time, before performing this operation, it is important to ensure that the tool used does not perform low-level formatting, otherwise the possibility of further file recovery will be minimal. Detailed instructions on this topic can be found in our other materials at the following links.

Read more:
Formatting a USB flash drive via the command line
Recovery of USB flash drives from different manufacturers

After formatting, you need to find a program with which the deleted files will be restored. Of course, there is not a 100% chance that all files will be returned, but most of them will be returned, it is only important to choose the right software, which is described in our separate article below.

Read more: Instructions to recover deleted files on USB flash drive

Sometimes there are situations where the flash drive cannot be read at all or the options discussed above prove ineffective. Then there is only one option: flash the flash drive with more recovery. Naturally, there are no guarantees for the success of the operation, but it is definitely worth a try.