Corrupted Flash Drive? How to Fix It Without Formatting (On Windows and Mac)

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There are many reasons why a flash drive won't work or will appear corrupted including physical and internal damage. This wikiHow will teach you ways that you can use to fix a corrupted flash drive without formatting it.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Scanning and Repairing a Flash Drive on Windows

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  1. The flash drive should fit into one of the rectangular USB ports on your computer's monitor, tower, or laptop's casing.
  2. This opens File Explorer on Windows, and you can use File Explorer to navigate to your flash drive.
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  3. Doing so prompts a menu to appear to the right of the drive.
    • You may need to click > next to This PC first in order to view the flash drive.
  4. It's at the bottom of the menu that appears when you right-click a drive.
  5. This option is at the top of the Properties window.
  6. You'll see this button at the top of the Tools tab in the "Error checking" section.
  7. You may also need to follow some on-screen instructions during the repair process. [1]
    • For example, you might need to confirm that you want to repair the drive by clicking Scan & Repair .
  8. If your flash drive's problems were driver- or software-based, it should work now.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Scanning and Repairing a Flash Drive on Mac

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  1. The flash drive should fit into one of the rectangular USB ports on your Mac's monitor.
  2. You'll find it in the Dock.
  3. It's in the menu bar that runs along the top of your screen with the Apple logo.
  4. It's an option near the bottom of the Go drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can press the keyboard shortcut Shift + Cmd + U to open Utilities.
  5. It resembles a stethoscope on top of a hard drive icon.
  6. This is the indented icon below the "External" heading.
  7. It's at the top of the Disk Utility window. [2]
  8. It's the blue button on the pop-up window.
  9. Disk Utility will repair any software- or driver-related problems. [3]
  10. If your flash drive's problems were driver- or software-based, it should work now. [4]
  11. When you are finished using a flash drive on a Mac, always eject it before removing it. This prevents damage from being done to your flash drive. To eject it, click the eject icon next to the drive in the Finder, or click and drag it to the Eject icon in the Dock when on your desktop.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Repairing Physical Damage

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  1. Unless you have professional experience in repairing physically damaged flash drives, do not try to open it.
    • If the flash drive's internal storage is damaged, your only viable option is to take the drive into a professional repair service.
    • The prices for data recovery can vary from $20 - $850 based on the severity of damage to the drive, and the type of recovery required.
  2. It may not be able to connect because of an easily removed blockage. If you see something inside of the USB drive's mouth or the USB port on your computer, gently swab it out with a toothpick or a q-tip.
  3. It may be the USB port on your computer that isn't working rather than the USB drive itself.
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      References

      1. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.
      2. ↑ https://support.wdc.com/knowledgebase/answer.aspx?ID=866#macOSlate
      3. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.
      4. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Plug your flash drive into your computer..
      2. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
      3. Right-click your flash drive's icon.
      4. Click Properties .
      5. Click the Tools tab.
      6. Click Check .
      7. Wait for Windows to repair your drive.
      8. Click Close when prompted.

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