USB thumb drive with a work presentation now shows as corrupted, files invisible in Explorer though the drive still shows some space used. Presentation is due tomorrow. What can I try tonight?
How to view lost or corrupted data on a corrupted thumb drive?
Solved Data Recovery
MS
Michael Scofield August 5, 2020
2 replies
7,240 views
Reviewed by moderators
Space used but files invisible means the file table is damaged, not the data. Move fast and gently.
1
Do not format and do not run chkdsk yet, chkdsk can make recovery harder on a failing file table.
2
Try a different USB port and PC first, sometimes it is just a bad connection.
3
Still hidden: run SysTools Pen Drive Recovery, deep scan the drive, it reads past the broken file table and shows your files for preview. Recover the presentation to your hard drive, not back to the USB.
Deep scan found the presentation intact. Saved to the laptop. Crisis averted with hours to spare. Solved.