It is vitally important that you stop using the device as soon as you suspect it has experienced data loss. Failure to follow this advice exposes the drive to further data corruption or the possibility of overwriting lost files before they can be recovered. Once they are overwritten, the files are gone for good.
To make sure that you don’t inadvertently write any additional files to the device, you should disconnect it from your computer until ready to recover your data. You can also put it into the read-only mode using Disk Drill to eliminate the chance that data will be overwritten. This will ensure that the deleted files are still there when you use the app to restore them.
Disk Drill offers different scanning modes that enable you to recover recently deleted files quickly and efficiently. The tool’s deep scan feature scavenges your flash drive on a sector-by-sector basis to reconstruct and salvage data not easily identifiable with a quick scan.
This recovery application securely recovers your lost data with no risk to your computer. It scans in read-only mode and will not make any changes to your system. The free data protection tools that are part of the software package help you maintain a high level of security for the most important information on your flash drive.
In addition to providing the best flash drive recovery possible, Disk Drill can be used to restore lost files from any type of disk-based storage device. From your computer’s internal drive to micro SD cards, the tool will reliably recover your data with just a few simple clicks.
The first place you should look for files deleted from your flash drive is the Recycle Bin. Your files might be there and recovering from the bin will save you a bunch of time over any alternative method. Here’s what to do:
Files deleted from a flash drive may not make it to the Recycle bin. If that’s the case, you can try the next method.
You might be able to rescue your deleted files or folders by restoring them from a previous version residing on your computer. To attempt this type of recovery, follow these steps:
In order for this method to work, Windows needs to have created a restore point that contains a previous version of the file or folders you want to recover.
You can also try to recover deleted files using the Windows command line and the Attrib command. Here’s what you need to do:
When the recovery process is complete, all recovered files will be in a newly created folder. The files may be in the CHK format and need to be renamed in order to be used by your applications.
Recover files from a formatted flash drive with this procedure:
Without software, you can recover deleted files from a USB drive by:
If your flash drive is not recognized, you have several options:
The answer depends on the extent of the damage. In order to recover files from a broken flash drive you need to be able to connect it to your computer. Once it’s attached, data recovery software may be able to recognize the drive as a raw disk and successfully restore your files.
Your flash drive might not be working correctly for a few different reasons. It could be physically damaged by heat or moisture. The file system could have become corrupted by a virus. You might be using a faulty USB port. Your system may have an outdated driver that is causing the problem.
Follow these steps to reformat a flash drive:
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