If you still can’t access your external hard drive without formatting, you should use a software solution like Disk Drill Hard Drive Recovery to recover all important files from it. Recover Your Files with Data Recovery Software The process usually takes around an hour.
When used with the appropriate parameter, it can check the disk surface for bad sectors and mark them accordingly. Use CHKDSK to Fix File System Errorsįirst released in 1980, CHKDSK (short for check disk) is a command-line tool capable of listing and correcting disk errors.
To scan your computer for viruses, you don’t need to download any third-party antivirus software solution.
How to Restore Data from External Hard Drive Without Formatting? Step 1. Scan Your Computer for Viruses Excessive heat, high humidity, or electrical surges can significantly reduce their lifespan or instantly cause damage, depending on their severity.
It’s a good idea to check online if there isn’t an update available for your hard drive or if it hasn’t been recalled. Manufacturer faults: Even the largest and most reputable hard drive manufacturers make mistakes and occasionally release a hard drive that requires a firmware update to work properly.A reliable antivirus should be able to catch most viruses dead in their tracks, but your first line of defense should always be caution and common sense. Virus damage: While most viruses and other kinds of malware don’t corrupt data, some are programmed to do just that and cause as much damage as possible by deleting important system files or encrypting personal data.
However, things can become very bad if the buggy software has admin privileges and access to system files. In such cases, corruption tends to be limited to the files accessed by the buggy software.