How to Recover Data from Malfunctioned USB Drive? Using Two DIY Techniques
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) Drive is a small portable data storage device used to store and transfer data among various digital devices. Sometimes, when users plug their USB flash drive into a computer hoping to access its data, they find that the USB drive becomes inaccessible. In some other cases, users find a small balloon on their screen that says:
‘The USB device cannot be recognized. The last USB Drive you’ve connected to this computer malfunctioned, & Windows does not recognize it.’
Well, if you are one of those users who is facing issues like this while attempting to access your USB flash drive, then this article is meant just for you. Here, we will show you some simple and actual working techniques to recover data from a malfunctioned USB drive.
Few Steps to Recover Data from Malfunctioned USB Drive
1: Download and run the Pen Drive Recovery Tool.
2: Select the device you want to restore and select the scan option
3: Preview complete data in the selected folder
4: Select the files you want to Recover and click “Save.”
5: Choose the destination and export successfully.
Technique 1: Scan USB Drive for Logical Issues
Various unreliable applications installed on the computer, infected files, and logical errors make a USB drive malfunction. In order to fix all these issues, you need to repair the file structure of the USB flash drive, and below is how to do this:
- Plug the USB drive into your computer and navigate to My Computer
- Select the Removable Disk icon and right-click on it. Open Properties
Click Tools >> Check - Now, you will get two options to check the disk: “Automatically fix file system errors” & “Scan for and attempt the recovery of bad sectors”. Select both options
- Click on Start and USB Drive scanning process will begin right after this
- Hit the Close button once the scanning is complete.
Technique 2: Format USB Drive and Recover Data
The above-given solution works only to repair minor-level corrupted USB flash drives, but if your USB drive has malfunctioned highly, then it will not work for that. In such a case, first you need to format the USB drive to make it and then you can recover data from a malfunctioning USB drive. The complete process to do so is categorized into two major steps, and it is recommended to execute the steps carefully.
Reformat the USB Flash Drive
- First, connect the USB drive to your system and close the prompt window.
- Click on Start and choose My Computer. Click on the USB flash drive letter.
- Hit right-click on the drive letter and choose the Format option. If you are using Windows Vista, then click on the Continue button.
- Click File System and choose the NTFS option. Uncheck the Quick Format option (if checked already)
- Hit the Start button, and the USB drive scanning process will begin right after this.
Recover Data from Malfunctioned USB Drive Using Reliable Solution
The easiest and most reliable way to recover files is to use Trusted data recovery like USB Drive Data Recovery is a great choice, as it has powerful tools and an easy-to-understand interface. The first and easiest way is to use professional and reliable USB recovery software.
First of all, data recovery is a comprehensive method to recover deleted or lost data files on a flash drive, such as photos, videos, music, documents, and many other files. It allows you to recover deleted files from USB drive after format and external media such as USB drives, SD memory cards, and even digital cameras.
Steps to Recover Data from USB Drive Not Recognized
1: Download the USB Drive Data Recovery Tool and launch it to recover data from a malfunctioned pen drive.
2:- Utility will provide two scanning options: Scan (to recover deleted and corrupted data) and Formatted Scan (to recover formatted data). Click on Formatted Scan button.
3:- USB Drive Scanning process will begin right after this and after completing it the application will list entire recovered data items.
4:- Check all the items you want to recover and hit a right-click on the selection. Click on Save.
Final Words
USB Flash Drives can be malfunctioned due to various reasons, like USB controller bugs, missing or faulty USB ports, outdated USB Drive Drivers, etc. Hence, recovering data from USB drives becomes essential for users, and some of the best resolutions to recover data from malfunctioning USB drives are discussed here. Now, users can go for any appropriate option accordingly.
Commonly Asked Question
Q: How can I recover permanently deleted data from a flash drive?
To recover permanently deleted data from a flash drive, you need to use powerful flash drive recovery software.
Q: Is it possible to recover data from unrecognized USB drive?
Yes, software is specially designed to recover permanently deleted files (all data will be lost) from USB flash drives.
Q: How long does this tool take to recover corrupted data from a USB flash drive?
USB flash drive data recovery software instantly recovers corrupted data from USB flash drives. However, the total time required to restore data depends on the amount of data.