How to recover lost files from a corrupted external backup drive

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to recover lost files from a corrupted external backup drive. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If your external backup drive has become unreadable or shows error messages, you may still be able to recover the lost files. This guide walks you through using Windows built‑in utilities and reputable third‑party recovery software to retrieve your data safely.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Connect the external drive to a Windows PC using a known‑good USB port.
2. Open File Explorer and note the drive letter (e.g., E:).
3. Run a quick check with CHKDSK:
   1. Press Win + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
   2. Type chkdsk E: /f and press Enter.
   3. Allow the scan to complete; it will attempt to fix simple file‑system errors.
4. If files appear after the scan, copy them to a safe location immediately.
5. If the drive remains inaccessible, proceed to the detailed instructions below.

Detailed Instructions

1. Verify the Physical Connection

• Try a different USB cable and a different USB port (preferably USB 3.0).
• Connect the drive to another Windows PC to rule out a PC‑specific issue.

2. Use Windows Built‑in Tools

2.1 Run CHKDSK with Advanced Options

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) via Win + X → Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Enter chkdsk E: /r /x and press Enter.
   • /r locates bad sectors and attempts recovery.
   • /x forces the drive to dismount before checking.
3. Wait for the process to finish – it may take 30‑60 minutes depending on drive size.
4. When completed, review the summary. If it reports “Windows has recovered readable information,” check the drive for your files.

2.2 Use File History (if previously enabled)

1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Backup.
2. Select More options under Back up using File History.
3. Click Restore files from a backup and navigate to the corrupted drive.
4. Choose the files or folders you need and click Restore to a safe location.

3. Deploy Third‑Party Recovery Software

3.1 Choose a Trusted Tool

Two widely used, Australian‑friendly options are:

• Recuva (free version sufficient for most cases)
• EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard (offers a 2 GB free trial)

3.2 Install and Run Recuva

1. Download Recuva from the official website and run the installer.
2. Launch Recuva. The wizard opens automatically.
3. Select the file type you want to recover (e.g., All Files for a full scan).
4. Choose On a specific location and enter the drive path E:\.
5. Check the box for Deep Scan to increase the chance of finding corrupted files.
6. Click Start. The scan may take several minutes to an hour.
7. When the scan finishes, review the results. Files marked in green are likely intact; yellow indicates partially recoverable.
8. Select the desired files, click Recover…, and choose a different drive (e.g., your internal C: drive) as the destination.

3.3 Using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

1. Download the trial version from the EaseUS website and install it.
2. Open the programme and select the corrupted external drive from the list of devices.
3. Click Scan. The software performs a quick scan followed by a deep scan automatically.
4. Use the preview pane to verify file integrity before recovery.
5. Click the check‑box next to each file you wish to restore, then press Recover.
6. Specify a safe destination folder on a different physical drive.

4. Verify Recovered Files

• Open a sample of recovered documents, photos, and videos to ensure they open without errors.
• Check file sizes against the original (if you have a record) – a drastic size reduction often indicates corruption.
• Run an antivirus scan on the recovered files before using them.

5. Prevent Future Drive Corruption

• Eject Safely: Always use the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the system tray before unplugging the drive.
• Power Protection: Connect external drives to a surge‑protected power strip.
• Regular Scans: Schedule a monthly chkdsk scan via Task Scheduler.
• Multiple Backups: Keep at least two separate backup copies – one local (external drive) and one cloud‑based (e.g., Microsoft OneDrive for Business).
• Health Monitoring: Use tools like CrystalDiskInfo to monitor SMART attributes and replace drives showing signs of failure.

Troubleshooting

Drive Not Detected

• Check Disk Management (Win + X → Disk Management) for the drive’s status. If it shows “Offline” or “Unallocated,” right‑click and select Online or Initialize Disk (choose GPT for drives > 2 TB).
• Update the USB controller drivers via Device Manager → Universal Serial Bus controllers → Update driver.

File System Shows RAW

• Run chkdsk E: /f – if it fails, use a third‑party tool like MiniTool Partition Wizard to convert RAW to NTFS without data loss.
• Alternatively, use TestDisk (free, open‑source) to rebuild the partition table.

Recovered Files Are Corrupt

• Try a different recovery programme – sometimes one tool can recover what another cannot.
• Use the Repair feature in the recovery software (e.g., EaseUS’s “Repair” button) to attempt file‑level fixes.
• If the data is critical, consider a professional data‑recovery service.

Need Further Assistance?

If the steps above do not resolve the issue, please Open a Ticket and provide the following details:

• Drive make and model
• Exact error messages (screenshots if possible)
• Steps already performed

Related Articles

• How to backup photos to external drive

Still Having Issues?