How to recover my files from external hard drive​？

Recovering files from an external hard drive can be a complex process, but here’s a detailed guide that covers various methods and considerations:

I. External hard drive

Reasons for Data Loss

Physical Damage:

External hard drives are vulnerable to physical shocks such as being dropped or bumped. This can cause the read – write heads to misalign, damage the platters where data is stored, or break internal components like the motor or the circuit board. For example, if you accidentally drop your external hard drive while it’s in use, it may stop working immediately, and you’ll lose access to your files.

Exposure to extreme temperatures, humidity, or water can also cause physical damage. If a hard drive is left in a hot car during a summer day or gets wet in a flood, it can lead to data loss.

Logical Damage:

File system corruption is a common cause of logical damage. This can occur due to improper ejection of the external hard drive. For instance, if you unplug the hard drive from your computer without using the “Safely Remove Hardware” option in Windows or the equivalent in other operating systems, it can disrupt the file system and make your files inaccessible.

Viruses and malware can also infect the external hard drive and either delete or encrypt your files. Some ransomware attacks encrypt all the data on the drive and demand a ransom to provide the decryption key.

Software glitches or power outages during a write operation can lead to incomplete or corrupted file writes, resulting in file loss or damage.

Assessing the Damage

Physical Inspection:

If the external hard drive shows signs of physical damage like a cracked casing, strange noises (such as clicking or grinding), or if it doesn’t power on at all, it’s likely to have a hardware problem. In this case, it’s important not to attempt any DIY repairs that could further damage the drive.

Logical Inspection:

If the drive powers on and spins up normally but you can’t access your files, it may be a logical issue. You can check the device manager in Windows (or the equivalent system settings in other operating systems) to see if the drive is recognized. If it’s recognized but the drive letter is missing or the file system appears as “RAW” instead of a recognized format like NTFS or FAT32. it’s a sign of file system corruption.

II. Data Recovery Methods

Panda Assistant is a robust and user-friendly data recovery software designed to help individuals and businesses retrieve lost, deleted, or corrupted files from various storage devices. Whether you’ve accidentally deleted important documents, lost data due to a system crash, or encountered file corruption, Panda Assistant offers a reliable and efficient solution to recover your valuable data.

Key Features of Panda Assistant

Versatile Recovery Options

Panda Assistant supports a wide range of storage media, including hard drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), USB flash drives, memory cards (SD, microSD, etc.), and even network drives. This versatility makes it suitable for personal, professional, and enterprise-level use. Users can recover files from damaged or formatted drives, even if they are inaccessible or corrupted.

Advanced Scanning Algorithms

One of the standout features of Panda Assistant is its advanced scanning algorithms. It employs powerful deep scan and quick scan modes, depending on the situation. The quick scan is ideal for recovering recently deleted files, while the deep scan digs deeper to retrieve more difficult-to-recover data, such as files from damaged or formatted drives. This dual-layer approach ensures a higher recovery success rate.

File Format Support

Panda Assistant supports an extensive range of file formats. Whether you need to recover photos, videos, documents, audio files, or even system files, Panda Assistant has you covered. It can handle common formats like .jpg, .png, .docx, .xlsx, .mp3. .mp4. .pdf, and many more. This wide compatibility ensures that users can recover almost any type of file, making it an essential tool for a variety of recovery needs.

Preview Functionality

Before you proceed with a full recovery, Panda Assistant allows you to preview the recoverable files. This preview feature is particularly useful for ensuring that the file you’re trying to recover is intact and not corrupted. It eliminates the guesswork, allowing users to prioritize and recover files that are most important to them.

User-Friendly Interface

Panda Assistant is designed with ease of use in mind. Its intuitive interface guides users through the entire recovery process, even if they have no prior technical experience. The software is straightforward and clear, with simple step-by-step instructions, making it accessible to everyone, from tech novices to experienced IT professionals.

Preview and Selective Recovery

With Panda Assistant, users can preview files before recovering them, which helps in saving time and storage space. Instead of recovering everything, users can selectively recover specific files, ensuring that only the most relevant data is restored.

Multi-Language Support

Recognizing the global demand for data recovery solutions, Panda Assistant supports multiple languages, allowing users from different parts of the world to navigate the software in their preferred language.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Panda Assistant is compatible with both Windows and macOS systems, making it a versatile choice for users regardless of their operating system. Whether you’re working on a PC or a Mac, Panda Assistant delivers consistent results across platforms.

Data Protection and Privacy

Data privacy and security are crucial, especially when dealing with sensitive information. Panda Assistant takes extra precautions to ensure your files are handled securely. The software operates locally, meaning your data doesn’t get uploaded to a remote server, providing an additional layer of privacy protection.

Affordable and Flexible Pricing

Panda Assistant offers various pricing plans, including free trials with limited functionality and full-featured paid versions. The software is priced competitively, ensuring that even individual users or small businesses can access top-tier data recovery services without breaking the bank.

III. Precautions and Best Practices during Recovery

Do Not Write to the Damaged Drive

When you suspect data loss, it’s crucial not to write any new data to the external hard drive. Every time you write to the drive, there’s a risk of overwriting the lost files. For example, if you try to reinstall an operating system or save new files to the drive, you may be permanently destroying the data you’re trying to recover.

Backup Your Recovered Files Immediately

Once you’ve successfully recovered your files, make sure to back them up to a reliable storage medium. You can use another external hard drive, a cloud storage service (such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive), or a network – attached storage (NAS) device. This way, if something goes wrong with the original drive during further attempts at recovery or if the drive fails completely, you won’t lose your data again.

Regularly Maintain and Backup Your External Hard Drive

To prevent data loss in the future, it’s important to take preventive measures. Regularly back up the data on your external hard drive to another location. You can use backup software that comes with your operating system (such as Windows Backup or Time – Machine on Mac) or third – party backup tools.

Also, handle your external hard drive with care. Avoid dropping it, keep it in a cool and dry place, and always use the proper ejection procedure when disconnecting it from your computer.