Do you need to recover data from an external drive, and you can’t get your computer to recognise it? Undoubtedly, this is one of those problems that usually occur at the most inconvenient times. Unfortunately, we typically do not have a quick solution unless extensive experience in computer issues.
External hard drives are considered safe storage devices compared to USB flash drives which are easily lost, and internal hard drives, which are nearly impossible to extract information from when your computer crashes.
Table of Contents
What Is Recovering Data from an External Drive?
Recovering data from an external drive means retrieving lost, deleted, corrupted, or inaccessible files from an external storage device such as a USB hard drive, SSD, or memory card.
External drives are commonly used for backup, file transfer, and extra storage, but data loss can still happen due to accidental deletion, formatting, corruption, or hardware failure.
What Is an External Drive?
An external drive is a portable storage device that connects to a computer via:
- USB cable
- Thunderbolt
- USB-C
- External enclosure (SATA-to-USB adapter)
It can be:
- HDD (Hard Disk Drive) – mechanical, spinning disk
- SSD (Solid State Drive) – flash memory, no moving parts
What Does “Data Recovery” Mean?
Data recovery is the process of restoring files that are:
| Data Loss Scenario | What It Means |
| Accidental Deletion | Files removed from drive |
| Formatted Drive | Entire drive erased |
| RAW File System | Drive corrupted, unreadable |
| Virus/Malware Attack | Files hidden or encrypted |
| Partition Loss | Storage section disappeared |
| Drive Not Recognized | System doesn’t detect drive |
| Physical Damage | Dropped, water damage, clicking noise |
How Data Is Recovered
| Method | Used When | Example Solution |
| Recovery Software | Logical issues (deleted/format) | Scanning with recovery tools |
| Command Repair (CHKDSK) | File system errors | Windows repair command |
| Partition Repair | Lost partitions | Disk management tools |
| Professional Lab | Physical damage | Cleanroom recovery |
Data Loss on the External Hard Drive
External hard drives are generally used in our daily life because they give us convenience and ease in storing or transferring our essential files. But they also bring us some troubles while enjoying the advantages they provide us, among which data loss cannot be avoided due to various causes. Such as accidental deletion, formatting, invading viruses, or other unknown reasons can cause massive data loss on the external hard drive.
Tips to Avoid Data Damage on External Hard Drive:
- Place the external hard drive away from direct sunlight;
- Do not remove an external hard drive while files are accessed, which may damage your data;
- A magnet will erase all the data on an external hard drive, so keep them away from it.
Data Recovery Software Showdown: Comparison of Top Tools
In situations where data has been lost either through accidental deletion, corruption, or formatting it is only in selecting the appropriate recovery software that the difference between full recovery and a total loss will arise. The most popular data recovery tools that are relied upon by both professionals and consumers are compared below:
| Software | Approx. Price | Platforms | Key Features | Resource / Download |
| Recuva | Free / Pro ~ $19.95 | Windows only | Lightweight, easy undelete, basic recovery | https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva |
| EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | Free up to 2GB / Starts ~$69.95 | Windows, macOS | Deep & quick scans, RAID/NAS support, preview files | https://www.easeus.com/data-recovery-software/ |
| Disk Drill | Free up to 500MB / Starts ~$89 | Windows, macOS | Recovery Vault, intuitive UI, broad file support | https://www.cleverfiles.com/ |
| Stellar Data Recovery | Free / Starts ~$79.99 | Windows, macOS | Photo & video repair, customizable scans | https://www.stellarinfo.com/data-recovery-software.php |
| Wondershare Recoverit | Free / Starts ~$59.99 | Windows, macOS | Strong multimedia recovery, video repair | https://recoverit.wondershare.com/ |
| R-Studio | Starts ~$79 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Advanced RAID & network recovery | https://www.r-studio.com/ |
| PhotoRec (Open-source) | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux | Signature-based raw recovery | https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec |
| MiniTool Power Data Recovery | Free / Starts ~$69 | Windows, macOS | Partition recovery, user-friendly | https://www.minitool.com/data-recovery-software/ |
| TestDisk (companion to PhotoRec) | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux | Partition repair and boot sector fix | https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk |
| Ontrack EasyRecovery | Starts ~$79 | Windows, macOS | RAID/NAS support, deep recovery | https://www.ontrack.com/ |
“Drive Not Recognized”: Advanced Fixes Beyond Basic Checks
If a storage drive isn’t recognized by your system, basic steps like changing cables or switching USB ports are just the beginning. Here are advanced solutions to diagnose and fix the issue:
| Advanced Fix | How to Perform It | When to Use It | Risk Level |
| Check Disk Management | Press Win + X → Disk Management → Look for “Unallocated” or “RAW” drive | Drive not showing in File Explorer but visible in system | Low |
| Assign / Change Drive Letter | Right-click drive → “Change Drive Letter & Paths” → Add new letter | Drive visible but inaccessible | Low |
| Update / Reinstall Drivers | Device Manager → Disk Drives → Update or Uninstall → Restart PC | Driver corruption suspected | Low |
| Initialize Disk | Disk Management → Right-click “Not Initialized” → Initialize (MBR/GPT) | New or corrupted drive | ⚠ Medium (can affect data) |
| Repair with CHKDSK | Command Prompt → chkdsk X: /f /r | File system errors | Low |
| Use Diskpart (Clean & Recreate Partition) | CMD → diskpart → list disk → select disk → clean → Create new partition | Partition table severely corrupted | ⚠ High (erases data) |
| Check BIOS/UEFI Detection | Restart → Enter BIOS → See if drive appears | Drive not detected by OS | Low |
| Test on Another PC | Connect drive to different computer | To rule out system issue | Low |
| Replace USB Cable / Port / Adapter | Try new cable, different port | External drive connection issue | Low |
| Firmware Update (SSD) | Visit manufacturer website → Install firmware tool | SSD not recognized intermittently | Medium |
| Check Power Supply (Desktop) | Verify SATA power cable connection | Internal drive not spinning | Medium |
| PCB Board Replacement (HDD) | Replace identical PCB board (expert level) | Burned circuit board | ⚠ High (Advanced users only) |
| Professional Data Recovery | Send to cleanroom lab | Clicking sound, water damage, drive not spinning | Safe but expensive |
Signs It’s a Serious Hardware Issue
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Action |
| Clicking / grinding noise | Mechanical failure (HDD) | Stop using immediately |
| Drive not spinning | Power/PCB issue | Professional help |
| Burning smell | Electrical short | Do not power on |
| SSD completely dead | Firmware or chip failure | Lab recovery |
When to Use Software vs. a Pro Lab: A Cost-Benefit Guide
Choosing between DIY software recovery and professional services depends on severity, cost, and value of the data.
| Factor | Use Recovery Software | Use Professional Lab |
| Type of Problem | Accidentally deleted files | Drive not detected at all |
| Formatted drive | Clicking / grinding noises (HDD) | |
| Lost partition | Burned PCB / water damage | |
| Corrupted file system | Severe physical damage | |
| Drive Condition | Drive still recognized by system | Drive not spinning / not powering on |
| Cost Range | Free – $100 (₹0 – ₹8,000 approx.) | $300 – $2,500+ (₹25,000 – ₹2,00,000+) |
| Success Rate | High for logical failures | Highest for physical/mechanical failures |
| Risk Level | Low if drive is healthy | Safer for critical or damaged drives |
| Time Required | 30 minutes – few hours | 3 days – 2 weeks |
| Data Importance | Personal photos, school files | Business data, legal files, irreplaceable data |
| Tools Needed | Software like Recuva, EaseUS, Disk Drill | Cleanroom equipment, chip-off recovery |
| Skill Level | Beginner to intermediate | Professional engineers |
| Privacy Consideration | Data stays with you | Third-party handles your data |
| Warranty Impact | May void warranty if opened | Labs usually maintain chain-of-custody |
Cost-Benefit Comparison
| Scenario | Best Option | Why |
| Deleted files yesterday | Software | Quick and inexpensive |
| External drive asking to format | Software first | Often logical corruption |
| Drive making clicking sound | Professional lab | Likely mechanical failure |
| SSD not recognized | Lab (if not detected) | Firmware or chip-level issue |
| Business accounting data lost | Lab | Higher recovery success |
| Non-critical media files | Software | Cost-effective solution |
Recover Files from External Hard Drive
Check external hard drive in Windows.
You can try Windows’ built-in “Error Check” feature to check your hard drive because disk errors may cause data loss. If you want to recover accidentally deleted data, please go directly to part 2 of the article.
Step 1. Connect the external hard drive to the computer.
Step 2. Go to “This PC” and right-click the external hard drive.
Step 3. Select “Property” > “Tools” > ” Check “.
Step 4. Hit “Browse Drive” to check the hard drive.
Recover Data from External Hard drive Using Commands
Windows ” Command Prompt (CMD) ” tool also supports recovering data from external hard drives with authorities. Follow the steps to save your deleted or lost files.
Step 1. Connect the external hard drive to your PC via USB cable.
Step 2. Press “Windows + R” keyboards to open “Run.”
Step 3. Enter ” cmd ” and click ” OK. ”
Step 4. In the “cmd.exe” window, type “ attrib -h -r -s /s /d [drive letter]:\*.\* ”, then press “Enter”.
Recover Data from External Hard Drive in 1 Click
| Step | Action | Tool / Instruction | Why It Matters |
| 1 | Stop Using Drive | Immediately disconnect or stop writing to the external drive | Prevents overwritten data |
| 2 | Connect to PC | Plug the external drive into a Windows/Mac computer | Makes it accessible for scanning |
| 3 | Install Recovery Tool | Choose a reliable tool (e.g., Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, Advanced Disk Recovery) | These tools can deep-scan the drive |
| 4 | Launch Recovery Tool | Open the program on your computer | Ready for scanning |
| 5 | Select External Drive | Choose the external HDD/SSD from the list | Ensures scan targets the correct drive |
| 6 | Start Quick Scan | Click Start / Scan (Quick Scan) | Finds recently deleted files fast |
| 7 | Run Deep Scan (if needed) | If Quick Scan finds few files, choose Deep/Full Scan | Recovers more lost/corrupted files |
| 8 | Preview Files | View recovered photos/docs before saving | Helps confirm what to restore |
| 9 | Select Files to Recover | Check the boxes of needed files | Choose important data only |
| 10 | Recover to Safe Location | Save files to a different drive (not the same external drive) | Prevents data overwrite |
| 11 | Verify Recovered Files | Open recovered files to confirm integrity | Ensures successful recovery |
| 12 | Backup Recovered Data | Copy to cloud or another external storage | Prevent future loss |
Recommended “1-Click Friendly” Tools
| Tool | Platform | Quick Restore Feature | Notes |
| Recuva | Windows | Easy scan → Recover | Free tier available |
| EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | Windows, Mac | Wizard-style recovery | Strong deep scan |
| Advanced Disk Recovery | Windows | Quick + deep scan options | User-friendly |
| Disk Drill | Windows, Mac | Fast scan + file preview | Good format support |
| PhotoRec | Windows, Mac, Linux | Powerful deep recovery | Free but basic UI |
Can I Recover Deleted Files External Hard Drive?
Yes, you can improve deleted files from the external hard drive. Losing files from an external hard drive is quite a common thing now. If you take deleted files from an external hard drive, no need to worry!
Restoring files from an external hard drive is easier if you regularly back up your external hard drive data in an ISO image file. This ISO backup can come near during various data loss situations from the external hard drive. If you haven’t supported your essential files, you can use Remo Recover.
Some Essential Tips for Recovering Deleted Files from External Hard Drive
Stop using your external hard drive once you lose data.
Act fast to recover deleted data from the external hard drive.
Do not use unreliable external hard drive data recovery methods or tools to recover your external hard drive.
If your external hard drive is damaged, please recover data before repairing or formatting it.
If you want a more accessible and safer way to recover deleted files from an external hard drive, then use Remo Recover software.
Advanced Disk Recovery
| Category | Details | Why It’s Useful |
| Developer | Systweak Software | Established utility software company |
| Platform | Windows (11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7) | Works on most modern Windows systems |
| Purpose | Recovers deleted, formatted, or lost files | Helps restore accidentally removed data |
| Recovery Types | Quick Scan & Deep Scan | Quick for recent deletions, Deep for formatted/corrupted drives |
| Supported Devices | HDD, SSD, USB drives, SD cards, external drives | Flexible recovery across storage types |
| File Types Supported | Photos, Videos, Documents, Audio, Archives, etc. | Covers most common file formats |
| File Preview Option | Yes | Lets you confirm files before restoring |
| Partition Recovery | Yes | Recovers data from deleted or lost partitions |
| User Interface | Simple & beginner-friendly | Easy navigation for non-technical users |
| Trial Version | Free scan (limited recovery) | Test before purchasing |
| Paid Version Price (Approx.) | ₹3,999/year (India) / $39.95/year (Global) | Full recovery without limits |
| License Type | Annual subscription | Includes updates & support |
| Customer Support | Email & Helpdesk | Assistance for recovery issues |
How It “Works Like Magic”
| Feature | Explanation |
| Deep Scan Algorithm | Searches sectors for recoverable file signatures |
| Filter & Search | Quickly find specific files by name/type |
| Safe Recovery | Restores files to a different location to prevent overwrite |
| Fast Processing | Optimized scanning engine |
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to use | No Mac version |
| Supports many file formats | Subscription-based pricing |
| Preview before recovery | Cannot recover overwritten files |
| Deep scan option | Limited features in trial |
Conclusion
So, in this way, you can recover data from a damaged hard drive. Indeed, we cannot risk losing our data. Therefore, finding the right tool to do the trick is a painstaking task. Nevertheless, advanced Disk Recovery is one of the top tools to recover data from a crashed or damaged hard drive.
Related Reading: Check out our guide on how to choose Your Own Company?