Recover Corrupted Hard Drive in 3 Dependable Techniques

Hi! I was using my computer this morning. When I accessed its hard drive to view my files, most of my files were missing! I do not know what happened. I really need the files right now. Can you help me recover data from corrupted hard drive? Thank you!

A hard drive can be internal (built-in) or external. It is a storage device used for storing different data types on your computer. However, some users lose data due to human error or system issues. Let us recover your data from your hard drive in 3 easy ways. You will discover them in the sections below.

Part 1. Quick Diagnostic: Is Your Drive Logically or Physically Damaged?

Before you proceed with the methods to recover data from your corrupted drive, you need to make a quick diagnostic. You need to determine what is causing the hard drive data to become corrupted. If the hard drive is logically damaged, the storage device is functioning, but the data has been corrupted. If this happens, you will notice that some files are missing or multiple error messages appear.

But if the hard drive is physically damaged, you will hear clicking or buzzing noises. In general, you will not see your data because your computer cannot read the storage device.

Part 2. Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive by Changing Drive Letter (The Quick Fix)

The quickest method to recover data from a corrupted external hard drive (including an internal one) is to change the drive letter. Changing the drive letter will help fix the issue where Windows cannot properly recognize the drive. In this case, you can access the drive and its files.

Before that, ensure that you have intermediate or professional skills before you perform this process. This will help you avoid additional issues with your hard drive. If you are a novice, you can still follow the detailed steps below.

Step 1Press the Windows + X keys on your Windows computer. Then, choose the Disk Management button from the options list that will appear. Select the affected hard drive from the screen. Later, click the partition.

Step 2Choose the Change Driver Letter and Paths button. Select the Change button afterward. Choose the other drive letter and click the OK button to apply the changes. Try accessing your files in File Explorer afterward.

Part 3. Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive With Professional Data Recovery Software

A professional hard drive data recovery, like FoneLab Data Retriever, is a tool that can recover different types of data on your Mac and Windows. Documents, databases, images, videos, emails, and audio are supported. It allows you to retrieve them from different hard drive locations. Additionally, it can also recover data from your Recycle Bin, in case the data was recently deleted.

Additionally, the tool can function offline. So, the data recovery process does not rely on an internet connection. Please use the steps below to know how to use the tool.

Step 1Click the Free Download button to download the tool. Set up the file and install it on your computer from the small window. Finally, the tool will open on your computer.

Step 2The available drives will appear. Choose the location where you lost the files. Later, select the Start Scan button. Wait for the results to be prompted on the screen.

Step 3Select the data file types on the left. Please choose the data on the right afterward. Later, click the Recover All button at the bottom right to start the recovery process.

Part 4. Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive by Running CHKDSK via Command Prompt/Terminal

Professional methods can also be used, such as Command Prompt and Terminal. These methods require using specific commands.. Do you want to know how to use them? Please follow the detailed steps below.

Mac Terminal: Open Terminal. Type diskutil list and identify your driver. Finally, type the diskutil repairVolume /dev/disk2 code to start the recovery.

Windows Command Prompt: Access the Command Prompt on your Windows. Later, determine the hard drive you want to fix and recover the data. Enter the chkdsk X: /f /r /x key on the tool to start fixing the hard drive.

Part 5. Summary: Choosing the Right Recovery Strategy

Before you recover data from dead hard drive, you need to choose the right strategy to recover your data. First, you need to determine if the hard drive has logical or physical damage. In this case, you can proceed with the methods that are listed in this article.

There is an important rule for hard drive recovery: a deleted file is not really gone from your computer. It stays in the system's storage until it is overwritten. So, you need to stop using the hard drive and disconnect it from your computer. Once you do this, you will not overwrite the data, and you can still recover it more easily.

If the files are overwritten, you will have difficulty recovering the data—or worse, you may not be able to recover it at all. Please note that this issue is also applicable to other devices, including smartphones.

Part 6. FAQs about How to Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive

All in all, you can recover data from corrupted hard drive. 3 of the best methods are in this post to help you with the process on your Mac and Windows. FoneLab Data Retriever is the best third-party tool for data recovery. It can function offline and has a fast recovery process. Additionally, the tool can filter your data. Please download the tool to explore the other features it contains!