The external hard drive cannot be read. Check disk if Windows won't boot

Technique and Internet 10.01.2018
Technique and Internet

Recently my flash drive failed. I inserted it into the computer, tried to open it and saw this error: “ Can't access F:\. The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is not possible”: After that, I tried several times to put it in and take it out again; stuck into other computers; checked for errors by utility chkdsk through the command line - the result is the same. In general, there was only one option left - to format the flash drive. But the fact is that there were important folders with files on it. And before formatting the flash drive, it was necessary restore these folders and files from it.
It turned out that it is quite possible to do this. The main thing is that the flash drive is not formatted, and there is a good one at hand. file recovery software from carriers.

I decided to use one of the best (if not the best) data recovery software - R-Studio. This program is not free. Therefore, if you do not want to pay, look for it on torrents.

So, the problematic flash drive is already inserted into the computer. Install and run the program R-studio.

In the left part of the program window, all drives found on the computer (hard drives, flash drives) are displayed:

Open our USB flash drive by double-clicking (I have this disk F). In my case, after that, an error popped up that . So it is in fact.


We press the button " Scan” at the top of the toolbar. The flash drive is highlighted.


In the window that opens, leave all the set parameters as they are. Click "Scan":


The scanning process will begin. We wait until it ends.
Then double click to open recognized disk F:


In the window that opens, folders that can be restored will be displayed on the left:


Those folders that the program marked red cross - you can not even try to restore. Most likely, these are folders that were previously deleted from the flash drive - i.e. even before it failed (in my case it did). It is unlikely that it will be possible to completely restore them - most of the files in such folders will still be broken. But it's up to you - you can also mark them for restoration.

So, tick off the folders that you want to restore.
After that, click on the button at the top of the toolbar: “ Restore Marked”.
In the window that opens, specify in the first line the folder in which the already recovered files will be placed. I created a separate folder for them on the local drive D. Click the button “ Yes”:

The recovery process will start:


After it ends, we go to the folder we specified, and we see everything that we managed to recover. In my case, all folders were completely restored, except for those that were originally marked with red crosses by the program.

Having restored all the files I need, I, with a clear conscience formatted the flash drive. Now I still continue to use it.

If you are in the process of formatting a flash drive using operating system suddenly a window will appear with the message: Windows cannot complete formatting”, then be sure to check out the . I especially recommend the second formatting method described in it.

Apr 06

What to do if a file or folder is corrupted and cannot be read?

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Some users are faced with the fact that the flash drive does not open. It may also not open a specific file or folder that is contained in the memory of the media.

At the same time, messages appear on the screen that the disk in the device is not formatted, there is no access to a removable disk, the file or folder is damaged. Sometimes even an inscription appears, which says that an error occurred while copying a folder or file.

If you pay attention to the properties of the media used, then it contains information that its capacity is 0 bytes, which also applies to occupied and free space, and the file system of the removable disk is RAW.

How to recover a damaged file?


To solve the problem, you need to restart the computer, disconnect the drive and reconnect it, and then check the flash drive.

Do not forget to confirm your desire to format the flash drive several times. You will see a warning that this procedure will delete all data stored on the media, but be sure to click OK. After formatting closes the corresponding window.
Although immediately after formatting you will not be able to see the necessary folders, they continue to be stored on the USB flash drive, they just need to be “pulled out”. To do this, you need to use one of the programs designed to recover information. One of best options– Easy Recovery Professional.

Recovery of damaged files



After installing and launching the program, select the Data Recovery item in the main menu. After that, select the option Recover data after formatting or FormatRecovery.

The program will scan the system, after which you must click OK.

Then a window will appear in which you should select the formatted partition, as well as the previous file system, and then click Next.

Next will be scanned. file system, after which you need to select the data that needs to be restored. Select the folder where you want to save these files and wait until the data is copied.

You will see a window in which you need to confirm Saving recovery. After that, you can close the program and use the files and folders that have been restored.

A computer system is a complex thing. It is difficult to cope with it, especially if you do not have basic knowledge. When you don’t understand which components are responsible for what, why you need to use one or another driver, how the PC works in general. Problems arise when working with him. We often encounter errors and problems that hinder our further work.

And then, one “beautiful” day, you saw on the screen of your monitor: “The disk structure is damaged. Reading is impossible. Not everyone knows what to do in this case. And even those who have already encountered a similar problem can get into trouble by discovering a new cause of the problem. The main thing - remember, do not immediately agree to formatting. Otherwise, you will lose all personal files.

What happened?

So, here you decided to look at the photos that were thrown to you on a USB flash drive. Insert the drive into the port and wait for the system to synchronize with it. But instead, you see on the screen: “The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is impossible. The flash drive was definitely working and you know about it, which means that either it was broken for you, or there were some changes in the system.

The same may apply to one of the disks on the PC. If you want to go to the railway, and he shows you such a message, do not panic. So far this is not a problem and it is quite possible to cope with it.

Why?

It is pointless to talk about the symptoms of this problem. And so it is clear that the main indicator is the appearance on the screen of the notification “The disk structure is damaged. Reading is impossible. We'll talk about what to do later. First, let's try to understand the reasons.


Most often, the problem is caused by the fact that the integrity of the file system or the partition structure on the disk or flash drive has been violated. This "disease" does not appear out of nowhere. It is usually associated with a number of factors. It is difficult to single out all of them, because with the development of technology, problems also develop. But the main and most common:

  • network voltage problems;
  • emergency interruption of the PC;
  • virus programs;
  • software failure;
  • "aging" of the drive;
  • unsafe removal of a flash drive;
  • failure of the device at the physical level.

Now that we know the reasons why the system writes: “The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is impossible. Consider the solution separately for the hard drive and flash drive.

Checking the hard drive

So, if you decide to view files on your hard drive, but were denied access to them. Then you should carefully check several ways to fix this error. The most commonplace is restarting the computer. Unfortunately, in everyday use we often encounter similar problems. But fortunately, many of them can be solved by simply rebooting the system. It happens that the user rarely turns off the PC, often puts it into sleep mode, because of which the system may not cope and get tired. Therefore, you need to restart your computer regularly so that it receives the necessary updates and restores work.

If nothing happened after this method, try to get to the case and hard drive. To do this, turn off the computer from the power supply, open the case cover and find the hard drive there. Take a closer look at the cables with which it is connected to the motherboard, you may see some visible problems, damage. Maybe due to power surges, one of the cables burned out, so it’s better to check it right away so as not to dig into the system itself.

Software fixes

If the above methods did not help, and the error “The disk structure is corrupted is still visible on the screen. Reading is not possible, then you will have to apply a software method to fix the problem. Therefore, we work with the CHKDSK system application. It should be noted right away that it does not always work. Sometimes when it is launched, another error appears that puts the user in a stupor. What to do, we will consider further.

And if you still managed to run this utility, let's see what can be done with it. In order for it to work, you need to call the command line with the Win + R combination. There we enter "chkdsk c: / f / r" or the letter of the drive that gives the error.


You can programmatically achieve restoration of access to files. To do this, you need to install a special program. In general, there are a lot of them on the Internet. For example, iCare Data Recovery does a good job of this. The program is free, but English language. Although it is quite simple to use, you need to download it, install it and open it. In the window, click on Deep Scan Recovery. Select the damaged disk from the list. After the utility finds the files, check the boxes that are needed for recovery.

point of no return

It happens that you managed to recover data after the notification “No access. The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is impossible. And if everything is fine, then you are really lucky. But some users are less lucky. The whole process is palliative. You have achieved the desired result, but temporarily. After a while, all recovered data is blocked again.

Usually this state of affairs is caused by the "aging" of the disk. This process is often referred to as "shedding". Due to long-term operation, the railway has worn itself out and launched the process of "self-destruction". In this case, you can repair it or buy a new one.

Checking a flash drive

Before you on the screen the message “The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is impossible. What to do if this happened to the hard drive, we figured it out, but what if the flash drive showed an error? In fact, there is practically no difference. First, try to reboot the system again. Perhaps your PC is tired and has become inattentive. If so, you can move the drive to a different port. Maybe the problem is in a specific connector. Also, it will not be superfluous to check the USB flash drive on another PC. If this does not help, then again we try to apply the system utility through the chkdsk command.


Software fix

Many people do not immediately get rid of the error “The disk structure is damaged. Reading is impossible. What to do in this case? We use an already proven scheme. We download software like iCare Data Recovery and use it to restore all the information, if possible. You can try several applications if this one doesn't work. If everything worked out, all that remains is to format the USB flash drive.

You can try to demolish the drivers on the drive. To do this, go to the "Task Manager". To do this, run the command line and enter devmgmt.msc. The flash drive can be in the "Disk Drives" or "USB Controllers" sections. Right click and delete. After that, you will have to download new "firewood".


conclusions

If you get a window that says "The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is impossible ”, you already know how to fix it. In general, there are not so many breakdowns. This is either physical damage to the cable or the device itself, or a software failure. If none of the above methods saved you, then it will be easier to take the hard drive to a service center or buy a new device.

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