At any time, you could lose the information on a USB or pen drive. On the other hand, you can get back lost or deleted files from a USB drive with drive backup or free USB data recovery software. Keep reading this piece to find out more ways to recover files from a USB drive. Because storing technology is getting better all the time, people may be switching from USBs to Cloud or NAS devices. However, USB are still great for moving small to medium amounts of data from one device to another and as bootable media files.
USB drives are still used by many people because they are cheap, easy to use, and work with other drives. These drives have changed a lot over the years. They used to just be a simple portable storage device, but now they are very safe storage tools.
And yet, USB drives still have some problems that could make them hard for many people to use. People can make mistakes with these flash drives that can cause data loss, such as ejecting the device without warning or deleting data. They can also get viruses, software problems, file system issues, or other problems. You can quickly and easily recover lost USB files for free, though, if you know what to do. Find out how to get back files from a flash drive or USB drive by reading this post.
How to Recover Files from USB for Free?
There are numerous ways to recover data from a flash drive without any cost. Let's begin with the fastest option!
#1 Use USB Data Recovery Software
If you've unfortunately lost your important files from your USB or pen drive, consider using a reliable and free USB recovery tool like BLR Data Recovery Tool to scan and recover them. This solution allows you to extract a variety of files, including documents, PDFs, photos, PPTs, videos, and more, all on your own. The software is compatible with a wide range of USB models and brands, such as SanDisk, Kingston, Toshiba, Sony, and more. To get started, make sure you have a functioning computer and insert your USB into one of its ports. Then, follow the steps outlined below:
• Download BLR Data Recovery program.
• After installation, start the software, choose the data type, and click next to recover data from the USB drive.
• Select the USB and click Scan on the popup.
• View scan results, select files, and click Recover.
• Select the desired location to save the recovered files by clicking Browse. (Avoid storing restored files on the same USB to avoid data overwriting. Always use a different external HDD.
Finally, click Start-Saving to save the restored files after choosing the destination.
There are also other traditional methods you can try to recover deleted files from a pen drive without any cost!
#2 Restore your USB files using the Backup Feature
In addition to software, you have the option to recover your flash drive for free by utilizing your backup. If you have previously utilized Windows' built-in backup utilities, such as File History, Backup & Restore, and Previous Versions, this guide will assist you in recovering any lost or deleted files.
#3 Try using the ATTRIB Command
If you've experienced a virus attack on your USB drive, it's possible that you've lost access to certain files. Nevertheless, the files might still be present there, concealed from view. If you find yourself in this situation, you can utilize the ATTRIB command. It has the ability to display, modify, or remove the attributes of hidden files or directories. When this command is executed without any parameters, it will only display the attributes of the files in the current directory. Here are the steps you can follow to recover lost files from a USB using the Attrib command.
Open Windows Search (Windows + S), type cmd, and click Open.
Type attrib -h -r -s /s /d x:*.* command in the elevated window and hit Enter.
Let the command complete. Once done, check your USB and see if you can find your files.
#4 Try using the Windows File Recovery Tool
Finally, Microsoft offers a file recovery tool called Windows File Recovery. This command-line tool is capable of recovering data from NTFS, FAT, EXFAT, and REFS drives. Files such as PDFs, DOC, WORD, JPEG, JPG, and more can be recovered if they have been accidentally deleted, corrupted, or formatted. Nevertheless, this tool can be used in three different ways. Every mode provides a unique range of recovery capabilities.
As an illustration, the Default mode exclusively functions with NTFS formatted drives and recovers data that has been recently deleted or lost. On the other hand, the Segment mode is designed to restore data that has been lost due to deletion, formatting, or corruption. Signature mode is effective in all scenarios and allows for recovery from various file systems, including FAT, EXFAT, REFS, and NT File System.
Unfortunately, Windows File Recovery lacks a graphical user interface and can only be accessed through the command-line. The tool can be quite complex for users who are not familiar with technical processes, as it requires running various syntaxes and commands to retrieve specific types of files. This software is compatible with Windows 10, version 2004 and above. Please note that the retrieved data may undergo corrections or additions.
Understanding the Common Causes of Data Loss from USB Flash Drives USB drives come with pre-programmed keystrokes that, if encountered by malicious entities, can potentially infect your system with malware and delete your important files. In addition to this, there are several common causes of data loss on a pen drive. These include accidentally deleting files, improperly ejecting the device, deleting or modifying the file system, file corruption, and other similar issues.
Final Words:
Now you have a better understanding of how pen drive recovery software and other conventional methods can assist you in recovering files from a USB. Make a thoughtful decision and consider which solution or method is most suitable for you. Feel free to leave any questions or suggestions in the comment box below!
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