Can you recover files from a corrupted usb? SanDisk Ultra flash drive

USB Flash Drives All other USB Flash Drives
1

Hello everyone,

I’m facing an issue with my USB drive ( SanDisk 512GB Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive), which seems to have become corrupted recently. I’ve tried plugging it into different USB ports and computers, but it’s not recognized or shows up as an unformatted drive. I had important files on it that I really need to recover.

The USB drive is not accessible on my PC (Windows 11). It doesn’t show up with a drive letter in File Explorer, and when I check it in Disk Management, it shows up as unallocated space.

Has anyone dealt with a similar issue and managed to recover files from a corrupted USB?

2

@Kennataxm
Have you checked our knowledge base articles?
(Get Support for Your SSDs and Flash Products | SanDisk)

Try this one.

Have you opened a Support Case?
If not, contact SanDisk Technical Support for assistance.
(Contact Support | SanDisk)

3

Hi @Kennataxm

It seems like your USB drive’s file system might be corrupted. Here’s how you can attempt to recover your data:

  1. Use Data Recovery Software: Since your drive shows as unallocated, you can try using free data recovery software to scan the drive and recover files.
  2. Check Disk Management: Avoid formatting the drive; instead, use recovery tools directly.

For prevention, always safely eject drives. Let us know if this works!

4

To recover files from a corrupted USB (SanDisk Ultra flash drive)? Why not use Command Prompt?

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Search for cmd in the Windows Search bar, right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator.”

  2. Run Diskpart:

  • Type diskpart and press Enter.
  • Type list disk and press Enter. Check if your USB drive is listed.
  • If it appears, note down the disk number.
  1. Attempt to Recover Partitions: If the drive is recognized here, you can try the following commands:
  • Type select disk X (replace X with your USB disk number) and press Enter.
  • Type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter. This might remove write protection if it’s enabled.
  • Attempt to assign a drive letter with assign letter=R (you can choose any available letter).
5

Don’t rush into recovery right away. Sometimes, a simple fix can save you a lot of time and hassle. If your USB isn’t recognized, try plugging it into a different computer or USB port first. You wouldn’t believe how many issues can be fixed with a simple restart or plugging it into another device. I learned this the hard way when I was convinced my drive was toast but found it worked on another laptop.

If you’re expecting to recover files from a corrupted USB, avoid using the USB drive for anything else in the meantime. I made the mistake of moving new files onto the same drive while trying to recover data. It just made things worse and reduced the chances of retrieving what I had lost. Always keep the drive untouched until you are done with recovery.