I don’t want to format it since it will lose my data on the pen drive, but the message is format pen drive. I will resort to formatting AFTER I get a copy my files first.
I searched some solutions online and tried a few of them. I tried disk management, but my pen drive’s letter doesn’t show at all! I think it doesn’t read it (only local drives C, D and a virtual drive). In “My Computer,” it showed it as “Removable Drive G,” with the used and free spaces indicated as “0 bytes”. I tried the Properties-Tools-Check Now (Error-checking Option), but the first error message above pops up, which means I can’t do this option either. I tried it on 2 other computers (same with my OS), those PCs detect it, but insist on formatting as well.
The question is: how can I fix this? Is there any way I can copy my files in the pen drive? I am really frustrated. I need help………. but my pen drive is formatted ……so please tell me can I get my lost deta……please help me!
System: Windows
Tagged: flash drive, format drive, recover data, thumb drive, windows tips
19 Answers - Write an Answer
Douglas Mutay
November 2, 2012I am afraid your pen drive file system has been messed up and Windows can’t read it. Did you try to open it in other OS such as Ubuntu? If your last option will be to format you still can try to recover your data with software that can do the job. Check the free EaseUS data recovery software at http://www.easeus.com/resource/drive/usb-flash-drive.htm. Good luck
Yes, this is true.
November 2, 2012You can try to format it, and then do recovery. But the possibility to get the data is very small.
Aniket Singh
November 2, 2012this post will help u…….this post is written for damaged dvd but it also work on pendrive u should try this….go to this link
http://techexplanation.blogspot.in/2012/01/how-to-copy-from-damaged-cd-or-damaged_09.html#.UJOco2_MhIE
susendeep dutta
November 2, 2012Many forums suggest that one should go with trying recovery tools.Many of them had recommended PC Inspector File Recovery -
http://www.pcinspector.de/Default.htm?language=1
In the link below,they suggest how to get help using the tool which is usually comes with the tools as a help file -
http://www.pcinspector.de/FileRecovery/instructions.htm?po=2&language=1
Lisa Santika Onggrid
November 2, 2012Try Douglas’ suggestion and check it in another OS.
If nothing else works and you are willing to take a risk, go and format it. Then try Recuva or similar software to retrieve the data (if they’re not actually damaged already).
It depends on how many data you have in that pen drive, though.
Naveen Kumar
November 2, 2012you can format it and recover back the formatted data check this out…
http://www.ehow.com/how_7162709_recover-drive-says-needs-formatted.html
ha14
November 2, 2012How to Fix an External Drive With TestDisk
http://www.ehow.com/how_7643348_fix-external-drive-testdisk.html#ixzz2B4zp1Xs5
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
you can try testdisk also to recover files.
other
Panda file recovery
http://www.pandorarecovery.com/
Nikhil Chandak
November 2, 2012check it out
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090202230142AAguXVy
Adrian Rea
November 2, 2012I would try looking at the data with something like Ubuntu to see if that can see the data, and if you can transfer the data there and then. As suggested you can try recuva or photorec if it can see the drive
Kannon Y
November 2, 2012Douglas is completely right. Ubuntu has a good chance of recovering your data.
I’ve had many problems with unrecognizable flash storage. This is easily one of the most irritating problems because if you don’t have a drive with Ubuntu (or some other Windows alternative), you sometimes can’t even perform a format. Also, it’s a huge pain to download and burn an ISO onto a DVD.
My preference is for live USBs. If you have a spare USB drive, it’s possible to create a bootable environment from which you might run Ubuntu (or another Linux flavor). Simply run a program like LiLi Live USB creator, set your BIOS to boot from USB and access the drive using your preferred Linux distribution. Depending on the installation you may require write access/root permissions.
josemon maliakal
November 3, 2012I had the same experience..try with some Linux distro Like Ubuntu and just notice the difference
Ayush Padia
November 3, 2012Having anti virus software
Peter Gruender
November 3, 2012Go to the O&O site and download a trial version of their software, this should work and it is free =
http://www.oo-software.com/en/products/oodiskrecovery
Ahamed Yaseen
November 4, 2012This article will help u…
http://www.ahamedtech.co.cc/2012/10/how-to-protect-pen-drive-from-virus.html
Raghav Gupta
November 4, 2012I dont think if thats possible
FIDELIS
November 4, 2012Hello, there might be a possibility of recovering your files by using linux. You could try ubuntu or knoppix. Only thing is you would have to download the iso image of either of them and then burn it cd/dvd or flashdrive.
Once the image is downloaded and burned to cd/dvd, make sure to restart your computer from cd/dvd and the linux distro will start running. You do not have to install it, just run it from cd/dvd. Once computer is started in linux, try connecting your flashdrive and see if it can recognize any data there. If if does recognize data, it is a matter of just copying that data to another folder.
The following are the links for both linux distros:
knoppix: http://knoppix.net/
ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/download
Daniel Mendelowitz
November 5, 2012Hi There
I’m an anarchist who pulls out my drives without safely removing them. I often encounter this problem.
I always find a simple CHKDSK solves the issue.
Command Prompt:
chkdsk : /f
enter ‘y’ if it asks to unmount.
It’ll repair a bunch of stuff.
It will take some time to finish so go make coffee or something while you wait.
Best of luck in your future “life on the edge” actions
Tebawiha Lelhchhun
November 11, 2012Try One Click Optimizer(software).
maria
November 13, 2012i am afraid you have to format it. but after your format it., you still can recover the data with 3rd party data recovery software, i know a free one which called minitool data recovery , you can have a try, :0. http://www.powerdatarecovery.com/
Thehunting Lion
December 13, 2012try using pendrive on system using ubuntu or any linux flavor, if you can read data fron it.