author avatar
2 October 2024  Jennifer Thatcher  Technology Manager of Test Dept.
 

Summary
The article discusses common issues that can lead to data corruption on external hard drives. These issues include improper usage habits such as unplugging the drive without ejecting it properly, malware infestations that can corrupt or delete data, and the accumulation of bad blocks which are damaged sectors on the hard drive. Understanding these problems can help users prevent data corruption and maintain the integrity of their external hard drives.



Table of contents

table iconRecover Files Before Fixing the Corrupted External Hard Drive
table iconHow to Fix a Corrupted External Hard Drive on Windows Without Formatting
table iconConclusion
Let’s explore some common issues that can result in data corruption of an external hard drive to help you understand how you might have ended up in your current situation before we explain how to fix it:
* Improper Usage Habits – One common improper usage habit is unplugging an external hard drive without properly ejecting it first. This can cause data corruption because the hard drive may still be in use by the operating system or an application.
eject USB flash drive
* Malware Infestation – Data on hard drives, like on any other storage device, can become inaccessible due to malware. Malware can corrupt, encrypt, or even delete the data stored on the hard drive.
* Accumulation of Bad Blocks – Bad blocks are sectors on a hard drive that can’t reliably store data due to physical or magnetic damage. The operating system or hard drive firmware typically attempts to mark bad blocks as unusable and remap them to a spare sector, but the accumulation of bad blocks can lead to data corruption.

Recover Files Before Fixing the Corrupted External Hard Drive

Recovering is possible if your external hard drive is corrupted due to logical errors. But fixing the hard drive will badly damage the existing deleted data in it which makes data recovery impossible. So, we must recover data before fixing the external hard drive.

Create an Image of the corrupted Hard drive if possible

To safely and effectively recover files from an external hard drive, you should first create an image of the affected external hard drive. The rationale behind recovering files from an image file instead of directly from the drive is to minimize the use of the affected drive and thus reduce the risk of further data loss or damage. The good news is that data recovery applications like Renee Undeleter can be used to both create an image of the affected drive and recover files from it.
Create image in Renee Undeleter

Using Renee Undeleter for Data Recovery

If the hard disk data is lost, you can use Renee Undeleter to restore the data. Renee Undeleter is a comprehensive data recovery software that can assist in retrieving a wide range of files that have been lost due to accidental deletion, recycle bin emptying, disk or memory card formatting, and various other data loss incidents. This robust tool includes four essential modules: Fast Partition Scan, Whole Partition Scan, Whole Disk Scan, and Image Creation, offering a multifaceted approach to restoring lost data during system operation.
Renee Undeleter - Powerful Data Recovery SoftwareRenee Undeleter data Recovery software

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan for different recovery needs.

File types Support to recover pictures, videos, audios, documents, mails, etc.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Supported systems Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000 and Mac OS X10.6, 10.7, 10.8.

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes - 3 scan modes for different recovery needs.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Free TrialFree TrialFree Trial

3000 users have downloaded Renee Undeleter and found data back!

Step 1: Download, install and run Renee Undeleter, select the (Whole Disk Scan) option on the main interface.
select whole disk scan to scan disk in renee undeleter
Step 2: Next, select the hard disk device to be scanned, and click (Next). Select (default setting) on the advanced setting interface.
select a disk to recover in renee undeleter
Step 3: The software will initiate a scan of the hard drive and present a “Select the partition you need to scan” message. Select the appropriate partition.
Select the partition you need to scan
After the scan, preview the files by double-clicking in the preview pane on the right. To recover a file, highlight it and click the Recover button located at the bottom-right corner.
preview before recovery
Step 4: Click (Browse) to select another disk to save the recovered files, and then click the (Restore) button to start the file recovery command, you just need to wait patiently.
recover the whole disk data

How to Fix a Corrupted External Hard Drive on Windows Without Formatting

When facing issues with a corrupted external hard drive, several approaches can help you address the root cause of your problem and recover your files without resorting to formatting.

Method 1: Scan for viruses

A computer virus can seep into an external hard disk without much difficulty. If your external hard drive has become corrupted as a result of a malware infection, then you need to remove the malware using an antivirus software solution like Microsoft Defender:
1. Press the Win key and search for Windows security. Click on the first search result.
2. Windows Security app will launch. Click on the Virus and Threat Protection option on the home page.
Windows Security
3. Scroll down and click on the Scan options label. Then select the Customized scan option on the next page.
4. Click the Scan now button located at the bottom. The app will ask you to select a location to scan. Select the external hard drive and click on the Select folder button.
5. Windows Defender will begin the virus scan. Let it complete and check if it found any threats on the drive.

Method 2: Use chkdsk

The Windows operating system comes with the chkdsk utility, and you can use it to scan for logical errors and bad sectors on the external hard drive. Here’s how to run it from the command prompt:
1. Press the Win key and type cmd. Then, right-click on it and select the Run as administrator option.
2. Now, input the chkdsk /x /r Drive letter: command.
Replace the Drive letter with the letter assigned to your external hard drive and press the enter key.
Run Chkdsk using CMD
3. Wait for the scan to complete and check if it reports any errors.

Method 3: Change the drive letter

In some cases, Windows may not assign a drive letter to an external hard drive, or it may assign an incorrect letter that conflicts with an existing drive, which can prevent the external hard drive from being recognized and accessible. To resolve this issue, you can manually change the drive letter to an available and unused letter:
1. Press Win + X to launch the Power Menu. Locate the Disk Management option and click on it.
2. Locate your external hard drive in the Disk Management tool.
3. Right-click on the external hard drive and select the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.
change drive letter in disk management
4. Click the change button and pick a different drive letter from the list. Then click on the OK button.
5. Windows will warn you about the change. Click on the Yes button to apply changes.

Method 4: Update the Drivers

Hard disks and other hardware devices need drivers to function correctly. If drivers are corrupted or outdated, it becomes difficult for the OS to access the devices. Fortunately, you can use Device Manager to update the drivers and fix your corrupted external hard drive.
1. Press Win + X to launch the Power Menu and select the Device Manager option.
2. Expand the Disk Drive section and right-click on the external hard drive device.
3. Select the update driver option from the context menu.
Update hard disk driver
4. Then choose the Search automatically for drivers option.
update Driver Confirm
5. It will find and install the latest drivers for your external hard disk.

Method 5: Run an SFC scan

SFC is a built-in Windows utility that repairs corrupted system files. If system files are corrupt, they can pose issues while accessing connected external hardware.
1. Search for CMD and click on it while holding the Shift + Enter key. It will launch the command prompt with admin privileges.
run as administrator
2. Enter sfc /scannow command and then press the enter key.
Check and fix system files Windows 10
3. Wait for the scan to finish. Exit the cmd window and restart your computer.
4. Try to access the hard drive to check if this method was successful in fixing the external hard drive or not.

Conclusion

Drive corruption issues can pop up abruptly, which is why maintaining multiple backups of critical data is a good practice. Never connect your external hard drive to an infected system or lift your drive while it is in use. If you cannot access the drive, it is best to clone it and then scan the image for files using data recovery software.
Renee Undeleter - Powerful Data Recovery SoftwareRenee Undeleter data Recovery software

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan for different recovery needs.

File types Support to recover pictures, videos, audios, documents, mails, etc.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Supported systems Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000 and Mac OS X10.6, 10.7, 10.8.

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes - 3 scan modes for different recovery needs.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Free TrialFree TrialFree Trial

3000 users have downloaded Renee Undeleter and found data back!