How to Fix a Corrupted Portable HDD and Recover Your Files
If you’re grappling with the frustration of a corrupted portable hard drive, you’re not alone. Let’s take the case of a Silicon Power A60 USB hard drive, an otherwise reliable device that, although aged, has been well-maintained and primarily used for periodic backups. Recently, after successfully adding new files just a month ago, the hard drive suddenly became inaccessible, displaying a message indicating possible corruption. When checked in Disk Management, the size appears correct, but the format shows as RAW, which is concerning.
Understanding the Issue
The error messages you’re encountering suggest that the drive has developed issues with its file system. While it might seem daunting, addressing this situation is often possible. The first thing to try is running the Windows Check Disk utility (CHKDSK). However, if you receive an error stating that the volume version and state cannot be determined, it indicates a more serious problem with the drive’s file system or structure.
Possible Solutions
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Check Connections: Before proceeding with any recovery attempts, double-check your USB ports and cables. Sometimes, the issue lies not with the drive itself but with the connectivity.
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Use CHKDSK with Parameters: If you haven’t already, try running CHKDSK with parameters that can help recover files. You can do this by entering the command
chkdsk E: /f /r(replace E: with your drive letter). This action attempts to fix any issues it finds, though it may not work in all cases. -
Data Recovery Software: If CHKDSK doesn’t yield results, you might consider specialized data recovery software. There are numerous tools available, ranging from free versions to more advanced (and often better-supported) paid versions. Some popular options include:
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Recuva: A user-friendly tool great for basic recovery needs.
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: This is a bit more robust and offers a free trial with the ability to recover a limited size of data.
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Stellar Data Recovery: Known for its advanced features, this software can dig deeper into corrupted drives, though it typically comes at a higher cost.
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Disk Cloning: If the drive displays significant damage or if you are hesitant about using recovery software, consider creating a disk image of the HDD. Disk cloning allows you to create a virtual copy
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Thank you for sharing your detailed situation. When dealing with a portable HDD showing as RAW and inaccessible, it’s crucial to approach the problem carefully to maximize data recovery chances.
First, double-check your USB connections and try different ports or cables to rule out connectivity issues. If the hardware connection is solid, proceed with running CHKDSK via Command Prompt using the command
chkdsk E: /f /r, replacing E: with your actual drive letter. Keep in mind that this process may not succeed if the drive’s file system is deeply damaged, but it’s a good initial step.If CHKDSK is unsuccessful, consider using specialized data recovery software such as Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, or Stellar Data Recovery. These tools can scan for recoverable files even from RAW drives. For best results, avoid writing new data to the affected drive to prevent overwriting your valuable files.
Additionally, creating a disk image (cloning the