Wondershare Recoverit

Corrupted Drive Recovery

  • Recovers deleted or lost files from corrupted hard drive effectively, safely and completely.
  • Supports data recovery from 500+ data loss scenarios, including hard drive corrupt, partition loss, accidental human error, etc.
  • Supports 1000+ file formats recovery with a high success rate and without any quality loss.
Free Download Free Download Free Download Learn More >
drive recovery

How to Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive

Wondershare Recoverit Authors

Aug 03, 2023 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions

Can we recover data from a corrupted hard drive?

Hard drives are vulnerable to data corruption. If you don’t have an antivirus installed on your PC, viruses can attack the computer at any instant. These viruses usually target the hard drive and end up corrupting it. Once the hard disk is corrupted, you run the risk of getting the files stored on it corrupted as well. In such circumstances, you can lose all of the data on your hard drive and might not be able to even access them. However, all isn’t lost as there are tools available in the market that can recover files from a corrupted hard drive. You can use them for getting back all your important files.

In this article

Part 1: Recover Files from Corrupted Hard Drive with Recoverit

Losing data because of a corrupted hard drive can be extremely annoying. However, you can recover a corrupted hard drive with ease if you make use of a data recovery tool. Do keep in mind that not just any data recovery tool would work. You will have to use a reliable and safe tool if you want to recover data from a corrupted hard drive. If you are looking for such software, then there is none better than Recoverit Data Recovery.

This hard drive data recovery software is capable of recovering data from various types of storage devices. It can recover corrupted files from USB drives, flash drives, hard drives, and even digital cameras that have crashed failed, or suffered some sort of data corruption. Moreover, it is extremely safe to use and can help recover various types of files from corrupted storage devices too.

recoverit corrupted hard drive recovery

Your Safe & Reliable Corrupt Data Recovery Software

  • Recover lost or deleted files, photos, audio, music, and emails from any storage device effectively, safely, and completely.
  • Supports data recovery from recycle bin, hard drive, memory card, flash drive, digital camera, and camcorders.
  • Supports recovery of data for sudden deletion, formatting, hard drive corruption, virus attack, and system crash under different situations.

Part 2: How to Recover Data from a Corrupted Hard Disk

Here is a guide in the Windows version which offers you the chance to learn how to recover corrupted hard drives using Recoverit hard drive data recovery tool.

For Mac users, this page: How to Recover Formatted Hard Drive on Mac can be referred to.

Step 1. Select a recovery mode to recover corrupted files

recover data from corrupted hard drive

Step 2. Select the corrupted hard drive

select the corrupted hard drive

Step 3. Scan the corrupted hard drive

scan the corrupted hard drive

Step 4. Preview and recover corrupted data

hard drive data recovery

After taking the simple steps, the data stored on the corrupted hard drive is usually recovered. Afterward, you have better go to fix the corrupted hard drive, though you have accessed the corrupted hard drive and recovered data from the failed hard disk.


Video Tutorial on Corrupted Hard Drive Recovery

Part 3: How to Recover Corrupted Hard Disk without Software

Can you recover a corrupted hard drive without data recovery tool?

Sure, you can recover data from a corrupted hard drive by repairing it, instead of using a recovery tool. In this section, you'll get to know the symptoms of a corrupted hard drive and learn how to recover data from corrupted hard drive without software.

1. How to Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive Using CMD?

Hard drive corruption can be devastating since it will make you unable to access the corrupted hard drive and lose the data present on it. Just as said above, there are various symptoms of hard drive corruption which can help you in identifying it before it affects your data that much. But what you still need is the solution to hard drive corruption. What makes us delighted is that Windows computer features a hard drive repair utility that enables you to repair corrupted hard drives. Here are the steps.

  • Open the menu for the power user by clicking the Windows + X keys together.
  • Choose the Command Prompt option when the power user menu appears.
  • A UAC window is going to appear and you will be asked permission to start the Command Prompt as the Administrator.
  • When this window appears, hit "Yes" to give permission.
  • Enter the command, chkdsk E:/f /r /x when the Command Prompt window opens.

recover data from corrupted hard drive using command prompt

  • Do keep in mind to replace the E with the letter of your hard drive.

You can use this option for running CHKDSK in Windows 10 and look for disk errors as well as repair them. The different parameters mentioned tell the CHKDSK what it needs to do. For instance, "/x" is for dismounting the drive prior to the starting of the process, "/f" is for fixing the errors which are found by CHKDSK, and "/r" is for locating and recovering information from the bad sectors of the hard drive.

2. How to Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive Using Disk Management?

For logically damaged hard drive, the computer’s in-built feature also can help you recover the lost data. If your data become inaccessible, you can try the Disk Management utility to fix the corrupted hard drive, and access the files. It works on both Windows and Mac.

Note: Disk Management can permanently make your data stored in the drive become inaccessible. Ensure that you’ve made a backup of the drive before continue the process.

Here are the steps to recover files using Disk Management.

On Windows:

1. Right click the Windows icon at the bottom left and select Disk Management.

recover data from corrupted hard drive using disk management

2. Find the damaged hard drive from the Disk Management panel list.

recover data from corrupted hard drive using disk management 1

3. If the hard drive is listed on this window, you can format it to fix the errors and make the data stored here become accessible again. Then you can recover data from the corrupted hard drive easily.

On Mac:

For mac users, you can use the Disk Utility tool to access the files.

1. Open Disk Utility by pressing Command+Space.

2. Select the disk or volume you wish to repair, then click First Aid, and Run.

recover data from hard drive usinng disk utility

3. Once the process completes, the drive will be fixed and you can access the files stored here.

Here we also prepared a guide in case the first aid failed on your Mac.

Part 4. What Is a Corrupted Hard Drive

Hard drive corruption can be caused either by viruses or by malware which slowly damages the sectors of the hard drive. While viruses are usually responsible for corrupting a hard drive, malware infections can also cause hard drive corruption. The malware can slowly damage the sectors of the hard drive, causing them to fail one by one.

Before a hard drive completely becomes corrupted, it starts showing some warning signs. If these signs are identified early on, you can save your data from being lost completely. The following are some common symptoms exhibited by hard disks if they are corrupted by a virus or malware.

  • Software crashes take place on a frequent basis, especially upon Windows boot-up.
  • Display of error messages even when moving files.
  • Changed or scrambled file or folder names.
  • The disappearance of folders and files.
  • Long waiting periods for accessing files and folders.
  • Hard drive starts producing grinding noises.

Closing Words

Hard drive corruption can prove to be quite damaging for you. You can end up losing a lot of your important files and data. You would need a reliable data recovery tool like Recoverit Data Recovery to recover data from a corrupted hard drive.

Other popular Articles From Wondershare

Recoverit author

Theo Lucia

chief Editor

Home > Resources > Answer Hard Drive Problems > How to Recover Data from Corrupted Hard Drive