Just wanted to share a frustrating experience I’m going through and hopefully get some advice.
I’ve been using my SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 flash drive (64GB) for a while without any issues. But just recently, when I plugged it into my laptop, some of the files wouldn’t open. I also gave Windows’ built-in repair tools a shot, but still no luck.
Has anyone dealt with something like this before? How to recover corrupted files from USB flash drive?
Edit: I believe the issue is with the USB drive itself rather than the files. USB drives use NAND flash memory, which can wear out over time due to limited write cycles. If you’re trying to recover a corrupted pen drive, this guide may help: [2026] Best Free USB Recovery Software with Reviews
Your SanDisk USB drive shows file corruption. Stop using the drive immediately to avoid overwriting your data. Try recovery tools like Stellar Data Recovery, Recuva or PhotoRec to retrieve your files. You could also use TestDisk if the whole drive seems damaged, and check the drive on another computer to rule out port issues. Once you recover your files, back them up and consider replacing the drive if problems continue.
First, I’d recommend doing a full virus and malware scan on both your USB flash drive and the computer you’re using.
Next, check if you’ve got any backups — especially if you use cloud storage like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. You’d be surprised how often people forget that an old copy may still be sitting somewhere safe.
As for recovery tools, there are quite a few out there, but many of the more effective ones are paid (often $50 or more), and even then, success isn’t always guaranteed. So I’d suggest starting with a free recovery tool first.
Hey @HuGo25
I saw the suggestions from @johnjacob and @fayewong—they’ve covered some solid basics like not using the drive, scanning for malware, and checking on another system.
Since your files are showing up but not opening, it looks more like corruption than deletion. In cases like this, recovery is still possible if the data hasn’t been fully damaged. Try using a free data recovery tool that offers a preview option—so you can see what’s still intact before deciding to recover.
Also, testing the USB on a different computer can help rule out any OS or port issues. Hope you’re able to get your files back.
John’s advice is spot on..stopping use right away is key. I ended up using a recovery tool that let me preview the files first before restoring anything, which saved me a lot of headaches. It wasn’t perfect, but I got most of my important stuff back.
Have you tried seeing if the tool can at least preview the files? That usually tells you quickly what’s recoverable.
It can be stressful to recover corrupted files from a USB flash drive, particularly if the data is crucial for research, work, or personal use. Inadequate ejection, abrupt power outages, file system problems, malware, or physical damage are all common causes of USB drive corruption. The files may then become unreadable, inaccessible, or show up as unknown formats.
Basic troubleshooting techniques like Windows Error Checking, CHKDSK, or virus scans can be used to resolve this problem. These techniques don’t always recover your lost data, though, particularly if the corruption is severe. The BLR data recovery tool is very beneficial.
A specialized data recovery tool thoroughly examines your USB flash drive, finds any corrupted, erased, or hidden files, and securely extracts them. You can recover documents, videos, images, and other files without changing the original data by using a program like Data Recovery Wizard or any other sophisticated recovery software. It supports multiple file systems (FAT32, exFAT, NTFS) and retrieves files even from badly corrupted or formatted USB drives. Users have the best chance of recovering their data safely and promptly without the need for technical expertise if they use a reputable recovery tool.
