How to Recover Data from a Corrupt External Hard Drive? [Windows PC and Mac]

In today’s digital world, external hard drives have become popular for storing files. They allow you to expand your device storage and easily transfer data between devices. However, sometimes, due to improper ejection, physical damage, virus or malware attacks, or any other reason, these drives get corrupted, and the stored data becomes inaccessible.

Such data loss instances might put you in trouble, but fortunately, various free data recovery methods are available online to help you restore the lost data. In this guide, we will explore different Windows and Mac data recovery workarounds to help you learn how to recover data from a corrupted external hard drive easily. Keep reading this article to know in detail!

Common Symptoms of a Corrupt External Hard Drive

When the hard drive gets corrupted on your Windows PC or Mac, you will encounter several signs. Some of these are:

• Your device might fail to recognize the drive, or prompts to format will appear when connected.
• An error message might appear while accessing files from the drive, or it may become extremely slow.
• Files and folders appear missing or inaccessible.
• The drive seems “RAW” or unmounted in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac).
• Frequent system freezes or crashes upon connecting the drive.

If you are facing any of the above issues, it’s likely that your drive has become corrupted. Now, it’s important to immediately proceed with the data recovery workarounds to restore lost data.

Part 1: Quick Methods to Recover Data from a Corrupt External Hard Drive on Windows PC

In this part of the blog, we will discuss various free data recovery methods that you can try to restore lost files on Windows devices:

Method 01: Use the CHKDSK Command (Windows)

If you are a Windows user, the built-in CHKDSK (Check Disk) utility can help you fix minor file system errors and recover readable data easily. All you have to do is:

• Firstly, connect the external drive to your Windows PC.
• Press the Windows + X keys or right-click the Start icon located on the bottom-left corner and select Command Prompt (Admin).
• Now, type the following command: chkdsk E: /f /r /x and press the Enter key (replace E: with your drive letter).
• Once the process completes, check if your data is accessible.

Method 02: Use Free Data Recovery Software

Instances may occur when the above steps to fix hard drive errors fail to restore your lost data. In such cases, you can use a free data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Free to restore your lost files. This all-in-one data recovery tool completely scans your device, allowing you to restore lost data without any cost.

The Stellar data recovery free tool allows you to recover up to 1 GB of files for free. However, to restore files of larger size you need to use their paid versions. Here’s how to recover data from a corrupted external hard drive using this free data recovery software:

Step 1: Download and install the Stellar Data Recovery Free software from its official website on your Windows PC. Also, connect the external hard drive to that computer.

Step 2: Launch the software and from the homepage, select the type of data you need to restore and click Next.

Step 3: Now, choose the folder location where your deleted file was earlier stored and click Scan to begin the scanning process.

Step 4: Once the scan is complete, preview the recoverable files and hit the “Recover” button to save selected files at desired location on your device.

Part 2: Quick Methods to Recover Data from Corrupted External Hard Drive on Mac

If you are a Mac user, follow the below methods one-by-one to recover data lost from a corrupted external hard drive on your device:

Method 01: Try First Aid in Disk Utility (Mac)

Mac users can’t use the CHKDSK command to fix corrupt hard drive errors, they are provided with built-in First Aid feature in Disk Utility. The First Aid feature is to diagnose and fix storage devices that are not working correctly. For this, connect the external drive to your Mac and follow the below steps:

• Go to Finder > Applications> Utilities and then select Disk Utility.
• From the list of devices, select the hard drive you want to repair and tap the First Aid button.
• Confirm the process and once completed, try accessing your data.

Method 02: Use Mac Data Recovery Software

If Disk Utility fails, then you can use the Mac version of the Stellar Data Recovery free software to get your lost files back. The Stellar Data Recovery Free for Mac software can help you restore lost files of multiple types, including documents, photos, videos, and many more. You just need to download and install this Mac data recovery software on your device and proceed with the recovery steps.

The Stellar Data Recovery Free for Mac software is compatible with Mac devices powered with the latest M4 chips. The free version of this Mac data recovery software is limited in size and features, but you can upgrade to other paid versions of this software to enjoy advanced features.

What if the Drive is Physically Damaged?

The above-mentioned free data recovery methods won’t help if the drive is physically damaged (clicking sounds, not spinning, etc.). In such cases, you can consult professional experts such as Stellar Professional Data Recovery Services (which offers full-service lab recovery for data recovery). Stellar Data Recovery is a global leader in data recovery and digital forensics, which can help you restore data lost in various scenarios, such as:

• Your external hard drive is physically damaged (e.g., clicking noises, not spinning, dead drive).
• None of your devices recognize the external hard drive.
• DIY methods or even third-party recovery software fail to detect or recover data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Recovering data from a corrupt external hard drive may seem a challenging process, but the aforementioned free data recovery software tools and techniques can help you. Whether you are using a Windows PC or a macOS device, go with the aforementioned data recovery methods one-by-one to get your lost files back. And if your drive is physically damaged, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Moreover, you can consider preventive measures such as maintaining regular backups, scanning your device for viruses or malware, etc. to avoid data loss issues in the future.