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Unformat Error on USB External HDD How to Access Data

Have you ever met the USB external hard disk drive unformat error? It means that all files and folders saved on it previously are totally inaccessible, because you even can not open it if the external HDD not formatted. Then is there any way to access those files? It can be opened if being formatted, but that data is still inaccessible, because it has been lost. So we must think of other ways. We can restore those files with data recovery tool from the unformatted external HDD at that time.

Case of USB external hard disk drive showing unformat problem

My USB external hard disk drive is not usable because system shows it unformat error. It can not be opened before being formatted. But as we all know that data saved on it originally would be erased if the external hard disk drive was formatted. So I do not know what to do now if I have to get back all files on it and access them. Is there any possible way for me to access that information without format the problematic USB external hard disk drive? -Colin from New York

How to access information from the USB external hard disk drive which is not formatted

In order to access those files saved on the unformatted USB external hard disk drive before, we need to retrieve them at first. Data recovery software could help us get back that inaccessible data from the USB external HDD which is not formatted quickly. Here are the simple steps as follows to show you how it works:

Recover data from USB external hard disk

Preparation: Download and install data recovery software on your computer. Then, connect the USB external hard disk to the computer and run the software. Finally, you can select a proper recovery module.

1Download and install the data recovery software on the computer.
2Connect the unformatted USB external hard disk drive to the computer.
3Open the data restoration program and choose the recovery model. Then select the aim disk to scan..
4Preview the contents in the list after the scan and then pick up the files needed to recover.

Problems that may happen to USB external HDD

It has added much convenience to our life since the appearance of USB external hard disk drive. We could save as much files as hoped on it instead of carrying piles of files when going out. But there also are some problems that may happen to USB external hard disk drive when we use it. The common consequence is to lose files and folders saved on it. Here are some main problems below that USB external hard disk drive may meet:

1. The USB external hard disk drive unformat error. It is one of the common problems happen to USB external hard disk drive that we have talked above. The USB external hard disk drive needs to be formatted before we can use it. Consequently, files and folders saved on the problematic USB external hard disk drive are inaccessible whether being formatted or not. That information could be retrieved thanks to the data recovery tool.

2. The USB external hard disk drive can not be recognized by the computer. The following situation we may meet that there is just the USB external hard disk drive icon on the computer, but there is nothing when be opened on it, no files, no folders, just nothing. All contents saved on it previously have been disappeared strangely. But d not worry, we can get them back with the help of data recovery program. But please remember that do not save any new data on the questionable USB external hard disk drive before all needed have been retrieved.

3. The USB external hard disk drive raw problem. Both the free space and used space is 0 byte and the file system is raw when we check the disk properties of the raw USB external hard disk drive. Neither can we save new information on it nor can we view the data saved on it previously. The solution is to format it and then we can use it. But we could retrieve the lost information form the raw USB external hard disk drive like the unformat one.

4. Other similar problems that cause the data lost from the USB external hard disk drive.

Reason that data recovery software could restore those inaccessible files

You may wonder that why the data recovery tool could store files from the unformatted USB external hard disk drive; because you think that the external HDD even can not be opened. The reason is that those files and folders are still saved on it even though the USB external hard disk drive can not be opened. And then the data recovery program could find them by scanning and recover them easily as long as they have not been overwritten.

Sources and Citations

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