How to fix a corrupted usb drive​？

A corrupted USB drive can be frustrating, especially if it contains important files. Fortunately, there are several methods to fix a corrupted USB drive and potentially recover lost data.

USB drive corruption can occur for several reasons, including:

Improper ejection of the drive

Power failures during data transfer

Virus or malware infections

File system errors

Physical damage

Before proceeding with repairs, determine whether your USB drive is physically damaged. If it shows visible signs of damage, data recovery services may be required. Otherwise, try the following methods to fix your USB drive.

Method 1: Check USB Connection and Try a Different Port

Unplug the USB drive and reinsert it into the same port.

Try inserting the USB drive into a different USB port.

Test the USB drive on another computer.

If the USB drive works on another port or computer, the issue might be with your original USB port or system.

Method 2: Use the Windows Error Checking Tool

Windows includes a built-in tool to scan and repair file system errors on USB drives.

Insert the USB drive into your computer.

Open File Explorer and locate the USB drive.

Right-click the USB drive and select Properties.

Navigate to the Tools tab and click Check under the Error checking section.

Follow the prompts to scan and fix errors.

Method 3: Run CHKDSK to Repair the USB Drive (Windows)

The CHKDSK (Check Disk) utility can detect and repair file system errors.

Plug in the USB drive.

Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.

Type the following command and press Enter:

chkdsk X: /f /r /x

(Replace X with your USB drive letter.)

Allow the process to complete and check if the drive is accessible.

Method 4: Use Disk Management to Format the USB Drive (Windows)

If your USB drive is corrupted beyond repair, formatting might be the only option.

Press Win + X and select Disk Management.

Locate your USB drive, right-click, and select Format.

Choose FAT32 or NTFS as the file system.

Click OK to proceed with formatting.

Warning: Formatting will erase all data on the USB drive.

Method 5: Assign a New Drive Letter (Windows)

If your USB drive doesn’t appear in File Explorer but is detected in Disk Management:

Open Disk Management.

Locate the USB drive, right-click, and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.

Click Add, choose a new drive letter, and click OK.

Method 6: Use Terminal and First Aid on Mac

For macOS users, Disk Utility can repair certain drive errors.

Insert the USB drive.

Open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities.

Select the USB drive and click First Aid.

Allow Disk Utility to scan and repair the drive.

Method 7: Format the USB Drive Using Terminal (Mac)

If First Aid fails, you may need to format the USB drive.

Open Terminal.

Type the following command to list connected drives:

diskutil list

Identify your USB drive and type:

diskutil eraseDisk MS-DOS FAT32 USBDrive /dev/diskX

(Replace diskX with your USB drive’s identifier.)

Press Enter to format the drive.

Method 8: Use a Data Recovery Tool

A corrupted USB drive can render important files inaccessible, but with Panda Assistant, data recovery is straightforward. Whether your USB drive is experiencing logical errors, file system corruption, or accidental formatting, Panda Assistant provides an efficient solution to recover lost files and restore functionality.

Steps to Fix a Corrupted USB Drive with Panda Assistant

Download and Install Panda Assistant – Start by installing Panda Assistant on your computer. Ensure the corrupted USB drive is connected before launching the software.

Scan the USB Drive Open Panda Assistant and select the affected USB device. Choose Deep Scan for thorough recovery or Quick Scan for faster results.

Preview and Recover Files Once the scan completes, Panda Assistant will list all recoverable files. Preview them and select the ones you want to restore.

Save to a Safe Location Save the recovered files to a different storage device to prevent further data loss.

Format the USB Drive After recovering your files, format the USB drive to repair its corrupted file system. Use Panda Assistant or your operating system’s formatting tool to restore full functionality.