Recover Data from an External Hard Drive: 4 Methods

Overview of External Hard Drive Recovery

An external hard drive, also referred to as an external hard disk, is a large storage device used by both Windows and Mac users to transfer files, store vast amounts of data, or back up precious personal data. Like any other storage device, it is susceptible to data loss due to various reasons.

On this page, we'll present 4 trustworthy external hard drive recovery options and guide you in selecting the appropriate method to retrieve data from external hard drives in various situations. To choose the right external hard disk recovery solution, it's crucial to understand the reasons behind file loss on your device.

What Causes Data Loss on an External Hard Drive

Here's a list of common reasons for data loss that one may encounter on an external hard drive on a daily basis:

• ?️Accidental file deletion or formatting
• ?️Loss or corruption of critical file system structures
• ?️Unplanned system shutdown or application failure
• ❌Damaged or lost partition structures
• ? Damage caused by power failure or surge
• ? Virus attack or other unidentified reasons

What to Do When You've Lost Files from an External Hard Drive

If you've lost your data due to any of these reasons, don't worry. Follow these two tips to learn how to recover files from your external hard drive immediately:

• 1. Stop using the external hard drive immediately. Once you have lost data on an external hard drive, cease its usage because new data is likely to overwrite the lost data, rendering the files unrecoverable.
• 2. Seek assistance from a reliable data recovery solution. When you experience file loss on an external hard drive or other storage devices, utilizing a trustworthy data recovery software tool is the wisest course of action.

In the upcoming section, you'll learn how to select the appropriate solution and promptly recover your lost files from an external hard drive.

How to Recover Data from an External Hard Drive [4 Methods]

Here, we have compiled 4 reliable methods that effectively assist in recovering data from external hard drives in various scenarios:

IMPORTANT: The more the former method is represented, the more effective it will be. For the most efficient file recovery solution, refer to Method 1. For data recovery services, attempt Method 2. If you have hidden files on your device, follow Method 3. To restore virus-deleted or hidden files, you should try Method 4.

Method 1: Recover files from an external hard drive using software

Applies to: Scanning and recovering data from external hard drives due to deletion, formatting, RAW status, OS crash, power failure, partition loss, hidden files, etc., errors.

When you experience file loss on an external hard drive, the simplest approach to recover data from an external hard drive is to seek assistance from the best data recovery software for Windows. The professional hard drive recovery software - tools Data Recovery Wizard Pro, can be of great help in this situation.

This external hard drive recovery software supports retrieving data from an externally lost hard drive due to accidental formatting, deletion, virus attacks, or other reasons across various brands like Buffalo, WD, Seagate, Toshiba, Samsung, LaCie, Silicon, ADATA, and more. View the video tutorial for external hard drive data recovery:

• 00:00 Overview of external hard drive data loss
• 01:00 Downloading tool - Data Recovery Wizard
• 01:19 How to recover data using the tool

Follow the 3-step tutorial below to recover deleted files from an external hard drive immediately: 1. Connect the external hard drive to your computer: Ensure that you have a USB cable or the appropriate connection method to plug in the external hard drive to your computer. Make sure the hard drive is powered on, if necessary. 2. Launch a file recovery software: Download and install a reliable file recovery software, such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery. These tools are designed to scan and retrieve deleted files from various storage devices, including external hard drives. Launch the software after installation. 3. Perform the file recovery process: - Select the external hard drive from the list of available drives provided by the software. - Choose the file type you want to recover, if applicable. This can help speed up the scanning process. - Start the scan. The software will search for deleted files on the hard drive. This may take some time, depending on the size of the drive and the number of files. - Once the scan is complete, preview the recoverable files and select the ones you wish to restore. - Click on the "Recover" button to save the selected files to a different location on your computer or another storage device. Avoid saving the recovered files back to the external hard drive to prevent potential data overwrite. By following these steps, you should be able to recover your deleted files promptly. Remember, the sooner you act after deletion, the higher the chances of successful recovery.

Step 1. Select and scan the external hard drive

1. Download and install the Data Recovery tool on your PC or laptop. 2. Connect the external hard drive to your computer. 3. Run the Data Recovery Wizard and select the external drive from the External drives list. Then, click on "Scan for lost data."

Step 2. Review the scan results

• Tools Data Recovery Software will immediately scan the selected drive for all data, including deleted, corrupted, and existing data.
• You can use the Filter feature to quickly locate files of a specific type, such as Pictures, Word, Excel, PDF, videos, emails, etc.

Step 3. Preview and recover data

• Double-click a file from the scan results to preview it.
• Select the files you wish to recover and click "Recover."
• Choose a different drive to save the recovered files rather than the original one.

If you find the Data Recovery Wizard tool useful, you can recommend this hard drive repair software to more users and assist them in recovering files from external hard drives.

Method 2: Data Recovery Services for Corrupted External Hard Drives

Applies to: Recovering lost data from external hard drives and resolving external hard drive issues.

Upon completing the first method, you should have successfully recovered deleted files from a corrupted external hard disk. If you're unable to recover data from the external hard drive using data recovery software, you may need to employ an advanced method. If you're located in the USA, you can reach out to US data recovery services. If you prefer not to go out or local stores are not operating during your hours, you can contact our data recovery services online. Our professional recovery team is always available to answer your queries and resolve all data loss issues.

Tools Data Recovery Services

Click here to contact our experts for a free evaluation

Consult with Tools Data Recovery Experts for personalized manual recovery service. We can provide the following services after a FREE diagnosis:

• Repair non-functional external hard drive, corrupted RAID configuration, unbootable Windows operating system, and damaged virtual disk files (.vmdk, .vhd, .vhdx, etc.)
• Recover/repair lost partitions and re-partitioned drives
• Unformat hard drives, restore formatted SD cards, and repair RAW drives (including BitLocker encrypted drives)
• Resolve disks converted to GPT-protected partitions

Method 3: Display hidden files on the external hard drive

Applies to: Display hidden files on the external hard drive.

Occasionally, to safeguard certain confidential data, you might choose to hide certain items on your device. If you find yourself in this situation, follow these steps to display hidden files on Windows 11 or 10:

Step 1. In Windows 10/8/7, press Windows + E to open the Windows File Explorer.

Step 2. Navigate to the Folder Options or File Explorer Options window, and click on "View".

Step 3. Under the Hidden Files and Folders section, click the "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" option.

Step 4. Next, click "Apply," and then click "OK." Following this, you will see the 'lost' files on the external hard drive.

You can find more information on how to display hidden files in the following passage:

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How to Display Hidden Files in Windows 10 [4 Easy Methods]

Wondering how to show hidden files in Windows 10? It's not complicated, and you'll discover four methods. Read more >>

Method 4: Fix a corrupted external hard drive

Applies to: Restoring lost files on an external hard disk by using Command Prompt to repair external hard drives.

Occasionally, viruses or malware might lead to external hard drive corruption and data loss. This method focuses on recovering files from a corrupted external hard drive. Exercise caution when typing the correct command lines each time, as any incorrect operation could result in significant issues.

You can utilize Windows CMD commands as referenced, along with the following steps, to restore data from an external hard drive:

Step 1. Press the "Win + R" keys and type: cmd, then press "Enter" to open the Command Prompt window.

Step 2. Type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each:

• chkdsk F: /f (Replace F with the drive letter of the external hard drive.)
• Y
• F
• F:\>attrib -h -r -s /s /d *.*

Step 3. Wait for the process to finish, then type exit to close the window.

Following this, restart your computer and reconnect the external hard disk. You should be able to view and access all data on the external hard drive. If the Command Prompt is not functioning on your computer, refer to Method 1 and utilize a data recovery software tool for assistance instead.

Inspect the following passage for a more comprehensive tutorial on how to retrieve files from a damaged hard drive:

Sure, please provide the text that needs to be translated.

How to Repair Corrupted External Hard Drives Without Losing Data

Your external hard drive is corrupted and you can't access your saved data? Don't worry. This article will guide you on how to repair a corrupted hard drive. Read more >>

Bonus Tip: Protect External Hard Drive Data and Prevent Data Loss

After attempting the solutions above, you should be able to access and utilize your external hard drive data once more. To safeguard your external hard drive data and prevent further data loss, we've compiled some useful tips for you.

#1. Format an External Hard Drive to Make It Usable Again

It's crucial to ensure that the external hard drive is prepared and secure for storing data again. Therefore, avoid hastily saving the recovered files back onto the device. First, format the drive.

Step 1. Connect the external hard drive to your PC and launch File Explorer.

Step 2. Right-click on the external hard drive and choose the "Format" option.

Step 3. On the format window, select the NTFS option and check "Quick Format". Click "Start".

Then, save your files back to your external hard drive again.

#2. Create an Additional Backup of the External Hard Drive Data

It's also wise to create an additional backup of your external hard drive files to another location, such as saving them to a cloud drive. To back up an external hard disk using free backup software, follow these steps.

Using external hard drive backup software, you can create an image file of the content on your storage device and promptly restore it whenever necessary. This backup provides a dual assurance for the security of your crucial data.

#3. Use Antivirus Software and Regularly Scan All Your Devices

If you have antivirus software installed on your computer, it's also advisable to run it to scan all your devices. This will help safeguard your device and data from timely virus and malware infections.

Please don't hesitate to share these helpful tips to assist more users in preventing data loss on external hard drives.

To Sum Up

On this page, we discussed the concept of an external hard drive, common reasons for file loss issues on external hard drives, and assembled 4 reliable solutions to assist you in effortlessly recovering data from external hard drives.

Aside from the four methods mentioned above, we also provide three additional tips to ensure the safe protection of your disk files. Additionally, remember to utilize the Data Recovery Wizard tool whenever you encounter file loss on your external hard drive, internal HDD/SSD, USB, or other similar devices.

It's a wise decision to equip your computer with such a powerful tool, which will enable you to recover your lost data promptly and minimize your losses.

Frequently Asked Questions About External Hard Drive Recovery

常见的数据丢失情况相对容易处理，而硬盘数据恢复软件工具可以帮助从外部硬盘恢复99%的已删除和丢失的数据。然而，人们仍然有一些本文可能未涵盖的担忧，例如：

**1. How much does it cost to recover data from an external hard drive?**

Typically, the cost for such recovery ranges from $500 to $1000. If the drive isn't physically damaged but has a logical issue, you can attempt a do-it-yourself method using data recovery software like tools Data Recovery Wizard. The cost to retrieve data from external hard drives using such software is significantly lower than professional manual data recovery services.

For more information, please follow to learn more about hard drive recovery costs.

2. How can I recover data from an external hard drive that is not recognized?

First, connect your external hard drive to another computer to test if it's a USB port issue. If it functions correctly on another computer, you should repair the USB port. Otherwise, inspect the external hard drive connection in Disk Management and utilize a tool like Data Recovery Wizard to recover data from the unrecognized external hard drive.

3. Can data be retrieved from a dead external hard drive?

Yes, you can easily recover data from a dead hard drive by using bootable data recovery software. By creating a bootable USB, CD/DVD, you can boot your computer normally and perform the USB recovery tool in three simple steps.