
- Open File Explorer and go to This PC.
- Right-click your USB flash drive and select Properties.
- Go to Tools and click Check.
- Select the Scan and repair drive option.
- Wait for Windows to repair your USB flash drive.
How do you troubleshoot a flash drive?
- If you take too much work from your usb flash drive and keep it connected with your PC, there are very high chances of it getting in contact with malware ...
- Don’t use your usb flash drive with multiple systems very frequently. ...
- Always make sure that the Drivers of your usb flash drive are up to date and are not corrupted. ...
How do you fix a damaged flash drive?
Here are the steps:
- Download and install Do Your Data Recovery for PC/Mac on your computer, then run it. Download for PC Download for Mac
- Connect the inaccessible/corrupted/damaged USB flash drive with your computer. Select it to start data recovery.
- Select the file types, click on "Scan" button to scan the inaccessible/corrupted/damaged USB flash drive to find lost data.
How do you remove a flash drive safely?
Way 3: Enable the Feature of Quick Removal
- Make sure that your flash drive is plugged in properly. ...
- Right click the Start button (the Windows logo) and choose Device Manager.
- Double click Disk drives in order to expand it, from which you can see list of your computer's disk drives including your currently attached flash drive.
- Right click your flash drive and select Properties.
How to uncorrupt a flash drive?
Other Ways to Recover Files from a Corrupted Flash Drive
- Recover from a Backup. Have you recently created a backup of your USB flash drive? ...
- Use the ATTRIB Command. Flash drive corruption can have many different forms. ...
- Use the File History Feature. The Windows operating system comes with a local backup tool called File History. ...
- Try Windows File Recovery. ...
- Pay for Professional Data Recovery. ...

Can a dead USB drive be repaired?
When your USB flash drive, external hard drive, or SD card is not detected or recognized due to physical damage, it is almost impossible to retrieve the data. A dead USB can only be fixed by specialists or be replaced with a new one.
How do you fix a non working flash drive?
How to Quickly Fix a USB Flash Drive That Is Not RecognizedMethod #1: Isolate the Problem.Method #2: Connect Directly to the Motherboard.Method #3: Clean the USB Contact Points.Method #4: Hardware Troubleshooter.Method #5: Update or Reinstall the USB Drivers.Method #6: Reinstall USB Controllers.
What happens when flash drive dies?
Flash drives can die or stop working when device hardware components fail. The flash drive uses several critical parts to connect to computers and access data: if any part fails the whole device stops working.
How do I get my flash drive to work again?
You can try any method as shown on this page in the main content to make your flash drive work again:1). Check flash drive connection, change USB port or PC.2). Update flash drive drivers.3). Check and repair flash drive errors.4). Format and reset flash drive file system.
What kills a flash drive?
How to Destroy a USB Flash Drive (and its Data, too)Physically Damage the Memory Chip. ... Electronically Damage the Memory Chip. ... Drop Your USB Flash Drive. ... Step on It. ... Drop It In Water. ... Put Your USB Drive in Your Purse or Backpack.
Can data be retrieved from a broken flash drive?
To retrieve files from a USB that is broken, it's necessary to contact a repair service with specialized equipment and have them transfer the flash memory chip to a healthy donor USB flash drive.
What causes flash drives to fail?
Condensation from high temperatures or high humidity can also cause the shorting of circuit board or corrosion of contacts. One of the most frequent reasons for USB flash drive data loss is removing the media from the computer or other device incorrectly.
How do I know if my flash drive is corrupted?
Signs of a Corrupted USB A “File is not recognized” prompt when opening files from the USB. Being prompted with a message that says “Please insert a disk into USB Drive (H:)”, even when the USB is connected to the computer. The USB is not showing in Windows as a storage device when it's connected to the computer.
Can a dead flash drive be repaired?
Yes, many dead flash drives can be repaired, but not without special equipment and expert knowledge. Rather then risking making a mistake and compl...
How to recover data from a dead flash drive?
If your computer can recognize the dead flash drive, then you can use data recovery software like Disk Drill: Download and install Disk Drill. Conn...
What would cause a flash drive to stop working?
Generally, flash drives stop working when they suffer fatal logic (such as file system corruption) or physical damage (such as flash memory chip de...
How do I fix an unresponsive flash drive?
Often, the quickest and most effective way to fix an unresponsive flash drive is to format it. You can also use your operating system’s built-in dr...
How to fix a flash drive that is not working?
If your drive isn't working because of an improper formatting or corrupted data, you can reformat your drive—but keep in mind that reformatting your USB flash drive will erase all files on it. Finally, if the flash drive won't work because of physical damage, you should take it into a tech department or data recovery professional; if that's not possible, you may be able to fix it yourself by soldering the broken USB drive's circuitry to a working USB cable. However, attempting repairs yourself is not recommended as there is a high risk of destroying the flash drive.
Why won't my flash drive work?
Finally, if the flash drive won't work because of physical damage, you should take it into a tech department or data recovery professional; if that's not possible, you may be able to fix it yourself by soldering the broken USB drive's circuitry to a working USB cable.
How to connect a USB flash drive to a Mac?
Connect the USB flash drive to your computer. Plug it into one of your Mac's USB ports.
How to format a hard drive?
Click Format. It's in the menu that appears when you right-click the drive. Doing so opens the Format window.
What to do if you choose to seek the services of a professional data recovery company?
If you choose to seek the services of a professional data recovery company, be sure to describe your problems to the best of your abilities to ensure they have the tools and experience for the job.
How to get to the menu on a flash drive?
Right-click your flash drive's icon. This displays a menu to the right of the drive.
Where is the Properties button on a drive?
Click Properties. It's at the bottom of the menu that appears when you right-click a drive.
Why is my USB drive dead?
Logical Errors. This means that the firmware of the USB gets corrupted for some reason. It can happen due to USB coming in contact with the prohibited liquid such as water or radiation. This could corrupt the USB to a great extent.
How to extend the life of a USB drive?
3.2 How to extend the life span of a USB flash drive 1 Physical damage will kill your USB. It is therefore advised to keep your USB with care and never let any external pressure or damage destroy it. 2 Always plug out the USB when it is not in use. It will make sure that the current never flows through the circuits of the USB. 3 The read and erase cycles level should be saved. Unwanted data should never be copied or transferred at all. 4 The files on the USB should not be edited directly it will make sure that the USB magnetic strip is used.
How long does a USB stick last?
The general lifespan of a USB is thought to be about 10 years. The magnetic strip on which the data is written can last up to 30 years in some cases. The life of a USB also depends upon the data write and erase cycles which can range from 10,000 to 100,000.
When to plug out USB?
Always plug out the USB when it is not in use. It will make sure that the current never flows through the circuits of the USB.
Can you edit files on USB?
The files on the USB should not be edited directly it will make sure that the USB magnetic strip is used.
Can you recover data from a dead USB?
Once again it is hard to retrieve data from the broken USB that has undergone physical damage but still, you will learn a lot about how to recover dead USB. The USB might not be the culprit all the time. There is a possibility that the driver has gone corrupted and the OS is not recognizing your USB.
How Do I Fix a Corrupted Flash Drive?
In the next following guide, we will show you how to repair the corrupted USB drive and get your data back. We introduce Recoverit Data Recovery which is a professional USB data recovery tool to help you retrieve USB data back.
How to check if a USB drive is working?
The first step is to insert your USB thumb drive into the computer's USB drive. Click on ' My Computer ' and choose the USB drive that appears. Right-click on the drive and go to ' Properties '. Then choose the ' Tools ' tab. Click on the ' Check Now ' button.
How to open USB drive in Windows 7?
For Windows 7 Users as Following Steps: Start by inserting the USB drive into the port of your computer. Right-click on the USB drive in ' My Computer ' and then go to ' Properties '. Click the ' Tools ' tab.
Why is my USB drive not recognized?
When your USB drive gets corrupted or damaged, you will get an error message like " Please Insert Disk into Removable Disk ". The other common errors: " USB Device Not Recognized or Malfunctioned ", " you need to format the disk before using it ". The error is a clear indicator of a corrupt flash drive controller software. The drive got virus-infected and the files got corrupted. It also indicates there is a problem with the NAND memory. If it is a relatively new USB drive, it can be caused by low-quality NAND chips usually a feature in cheap drives. Not being able the access the controller software has caused the drive to be unreadable by the operating system.
How to change the letter of a USB drive?
Click on 'Start' then ' control panel ' and then go to ' Security ' and choose ' Administrative Tools ' and click on ' Computer Management '. Right-click on your USB drive. You then choose the ' Change Drive Letter and Paths '. You can now assign any one of the available drive letters to the USB drive by simply clicking on it.
Why is my USB drive unreadable?
If it is a relatively new USB drive, it can be caused by low-quality NAND chips usually a feature in cheap drives. Not being able the access the controller software has caused the drive to be unreadable by the operating system.
How to get to drive manager?
Start by clicking on ' Control Panel ' and then ' Drive Manager '.
What to do if your USB is broken?
Or, you can try and fix the broken USB drive by yourself.
How to find files on USB flash drive?
Step 1. Connect USB flash drive to your computer. Open EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and hover on USB device. Click "Scan" button to start looking for lost files on PC. Step 2. When the scan completes, you can apply the "Filter" feature or the click the search box to quickly find the lost files from USB. Step 3.
How to fix a corrupted file system?
Step 1. DOWNLOAD EaseUS CleanGenius on your computer and complete the installation. Step 2. Run the software. Click "Optimization", and then choose "File Showing" . Step 3. Select the drive with a corrupted file system. Tick the "Check and fix file system error" option and click "Execute".
How to fix chkdsk?
So, perform data recovery in advance, and then continue with the CMD method. Step 1: Plug in your USB flash drive or pen drive to your computer. Step 2: Go to the Start menu and type cmd in the search box.
What is easeus cleangenius?
EaseUS CleanGenius is a user-friendly computer fixing tool that is both safe and lightweight. It's a perfect alternative to CHKDSK command. Use this one-click tool to fix the damaged file system easily.
How to fix USB error?
If your USB can still be detected or recognized by your computer, you can try to fix the logical error by using the native Windows tool, CMD or third-party fixing tool. Then you will be able to access your USB.
Why is my USB flashing weird?
Many strange USB issues usually results from a corrupted driver. You need to reinstall a new driver by following the steps.
How to recover data from a broken flash drive?
To recover data from a RAW USB device, you have options. One of the best options for broken flash drive data recovery is to make use of third-party software. One such tool is Disk Drill. Let’s find out how to get files off a broken flash drive with this tool.
How do USB sticks get damaged?
One of the most common paths to an unreadable card is when it’s been removed from a computer or laptop, without first safely ejecting the device. Do this once or twice, and you might be lucky.
What to do if USB isn't showing up?
If your USB device isn’t showing up, you can fix this by inserting the USB device and creating a new volume on the device. Do by following these steps:
Why is my USB drive unreadable?
Your USB drive might be unreadable, because of the assigned letter drive. To remedy this, insert the SD/USB device and change the drive letter by following these steps: Press the Windows key + X key combination. Click Disk Management.
Why is my USB stick not working?
Your USB stick might not be working because of a damaged file system, missing device drivers, malware or virus, or a broken circuit board.
What is a data recovery specialist?
Data recovery specialists are remarkably adept at salvaging data, even from disks and devices that might seem too far gone for recovery. If you don’t have anyone in your city who specializes in data recovery, you can also take the task to an online service. There are quite a few such services, such as the CleverFiles Data Recovery Center, that can help you recover data from a seemingly impossible situation.
What happens if your USB port is bent?
If your USB port is bent or broken and you cannot manually repair it, you’ll probably have to buy a new PC (if it’s the PC port) or USB device (if it’s the USB device that’s bent or broken).
