Chicago
Track Your Order
0
How to Get Data Off an Old or Broken USB Flash Drive
USB flash drives are one of the most useful pieces of tech you'll ever come across, but they're also rather fickle. There's nothing more annoying than plugging in a USB drive with important data on it only to find your data has been lost to an unknown issue.
Luckily, most USB drive issues can be resolved without losing data. All you need is some patience and technical know-how.
What USB Drive Issues Can Prevent Data Access?
One of the most common reasons why your USB drive might start acting up suddenly is unsafe ejection. If you pull your drive out while copying data, there's a chance the data being transferred will corrupt, while the drive's file system can also break.
Other common reasons include:
- Malware
- Formatting failure
- Excessive use
- Internal component failure
- Hardware or mechanical damage
- Voltage fluctuations
Apart from this, there are also several signs you should watch out for that are early indicators of a USB drive that's about to fail. Slow read and write speeds, randomly disappearing files, and your computer failing to detect the USB drive are all signs that the drive is headed for the trash can. We've already covered why your USB drive's file transfer speed might slow down, and damage to the drive is on that list.
In such cases, you should back up your data as soon as possible and decommission the drive. However, in case you can't and the drive is already broken, whether in terms of hardware or software, you can do a few things to save your data.
Do keep in mind that data recovery is never guaranteed.
How to Fix USB Drive Hardware Issues
The first piece of the puzzle is to get your computer to detect your USB drive. If your PC can't see the drive, there's not much you can do to fix it in the first place.
Check if the USB Drive Fits the Port
One of the first things you should do when facing problems with your USB drives is to make sure they fit the USB port on your computer. USB drives used extensively tend to get damaged around the USB port, meaning sometimes the circuit contacts aren't fully in contact with the USB port. USB port issues can cause a host of problems with random disconnections, slow transfer speeds, and randomly missing files.
Give your USB drive a gentle wiggle to make sure it fits the USB port correctly. In some cases, you might even have to hold the drive at a certain angle to get it to connect to the port properly to access your data. If so, back up your drive as soon as possible!
Make Sure the Pins and Case Are Intact
As an extension to the previous point, check to make sure the USB drive's pins and the external case are intact. If the pins have been worn off or the case is bent such that it can't fit a USB port, you're going to have issues with your drive.
Take a quick glance inside the drive's port to check for any dust and debris that might be hampering connectivity and brush them out (don't blow into the drive port, it'll only add to your problems) and fix any bends in the case with a nose plier.
Try Checking Your USB Ports
Another potential point of failure here is your PC's USB port itself. Similarly to the USB port on your drive, if there's dust and debris inside your PC's USB port or any of the pins are bent, they won't make contact with the pins inside your USB drive, rendering it useless. If you're on a Mac and have issues with your USB-C ports, here's how you can fix them.
Check for Damage on the USB Drive's Board
Last but not least, if you consider yourself handy with electronics, you can always pry open the USB drive's case and inspect the motherboard inside for any signs of damage. Of course, if the damage has reached this extent, there's not much you'll be able to do. Still, if the data onboard the drive is important enough, you might be able to get it back by either replacing the faulty part itself or contacting data recovery services.
How to Fix USB Drive Software Issues
If your drive's hardware is fine, software issues could keep you from accessing your data.
Run an Error Checking Scan
Scanning your broken USB drive for logical issues can help your OS identify and potentially fix any logical issues.
Windows
- Select your USB drive in the Windows File Explorer, right-click it, and select Properties.
- You'll find the Check button to run an error-checking scan under the Tools tab.
macOS
- Open Disk Utility. You can find this by going to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
- Once Disk Utility is open, you should see a list of drives on the left side of the window. Find and select the USB drive from the list.
- Click First Aid at the top of the Disk Utility window.
- A dialog box will appear asking if you want to run First Aid on the selected drive. Click Run. Disk Utility will now attempt to find and repair any errors on your USB drive.
Linux
- Connect the USB drive to your computer and open the Terminal. Type in lsblk or sudo fdisk -l and press Enter. This will list all the disks currently connected to your computer. Identify your USB drive by its size, name, or partition. It should look something like "/dev/sdb1".
- Before you start the repair process, you need to unmount the disk. Type in sudo umount /dev/sdb1 (replace "/dev/sdb1" with your disk's identifier) and press Enter.
- Now, you can run the fsck command to check and repair the USB drive. Type in sudo fsck /dev/sdb1 (again, replace "/dev/sdb1" with your disk's identifier) and press Enter.
Change the Drive Letter
At times, changing the drive letter can force Windows to read a drive it previously couldn't.
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run prompt. Type diskmgmt.msc and hit enter.
- Find your drive, right-click it, and click Change Drive Letter and Path.
- Click the Change button.
- Select the drive letter you want from the drop-down list and click OK.
Check the USB Drivers
As with every other piece of hardware on your PC, USB also requires drivers to function properly. In case these drivers are missing, outdated, or corrupted, you can run into problems.
- Right-click the Start menu button in the taskbar and click Device Manager.
- Under Disk Drives, right-click your USB drive and click Update driver.
- Click Search automatically for drivers and Windows will automatically find and install any relevant drivers.
Run the Windows Hardware Troubleshooter
The Windows hardware troubleshooter is handy for dealing with seemingly random hardware issues on your PC.
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run prompt. Type cmd and hit enter.
- Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press enter. Let the troubleshooter run and try taking the recommended steps.
Try Using Third-Party Data Recovery Software
Lastly, third-party data recovery programs like EaseUS, Recuva, Disk Drill, or Puran File Recovery are also good options. Do keep in mind, though, that they're generally paid and can be unreliable based on the damage to the USB drive or the integrity of the data stored.
Fix Your USB Drive Before You Lose Your Data
Based on the type of damage your USB drive has taken, your data might be a few terminal commands away. However, while recovering data can be easy, as mentioned before, it's never guaranteed, and you should always back up your data in case you see signs that indicate your drive is about to fail.
