Damaged Partition Recovery: Recover Data on Windows 10/11
Discover how to perform damaged partition recovery when your drive fails. This guide covers step-by-step methods to repair corrupted partition in Windows 10, Windows 11.
What is a Damaged Partition?
What is a damaged partition? A damaged partition on your hard drive gets corrupted, it may become inaccessible, show errors, or even disappear entirely. Damaged partition recovery refers to the process of restoring lost or damaged partitions to regain access to your data.
Generally speaking, you can find the following unusual signs when your partition is damaged:
⭕ Error messages like "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"
⭕ Missing partitions or unallocated space
⭕ Slow performance and frequent crashes
If you get stuck in a damaged partition, you’re in the right place. In this post, you will learn how to recover data from the damaged partition as well as fix the corrupted partition. Let’s get started.
Factors that Might Cause Damaged Partition
Why is your partition damaged? Some main factors might cause the problem:
- Power failures (sudden shutdowns during read/write operations)
- Virus or malware attacks (corrupting file systems)
- Bad sectors (physical damage to the disk)
- Accidental deletion or formatting (human error)
- File system errors (NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT corruption)
If you are suffering from a damaged partition problem on your computer, it’s time to take action to prevent permanent data loss.
Do Not Write to The Damaged Partition!
If you have a damaged partition, the first thing you should do is stop writing data to that partition anymore to maximize the recovery rate. If your damaged partition is overwritten, your data will be lost forever. If possible, back up files from the damaged partition in the event of data loss.
Recover Data from Damaged Partition on Windows 10/11
Please ensure your damaged partition can be detected by Windows computer, then you can use a comprehensive data recovery software to recover data easily. Fortunately, here comes the damaged partition data recovery tool - MyRecover for help.
- Preview before recovery. MyRecover allows you to preview files to ensure you find the right one for recovery before data recovery, which is time-saving.
- Recover data from 500+ situations. Like recovering data from deleted situations, emptied recycle bin, RAW partition, formatted partition/drive/disk, virus attack, even power outage, etc.
- AI file recognition. MyRecover uses AI technologies and algorithms to find your missing files quickly.
- Deep and quick scan. You are able to use these two modes to find files fast according to your situation.
- Recover unlimited data. You can recover any files as you'd prefer for future usage.
Therefore, how to recover data from a damaged partition with MyRecover? A step-by-step guide is listed below:
1. Please install MyRecover on your computer that has a damaged partition, and run it.
2. Under Deleted Files Recovery or other recovery scenarios, find the damaged partition, hit Scan while pointing it using the mouse.
3. It will start scan the needed files, and hit OK when finished.
4. Find and select the files you need to recover, hit Recover at the bottom right.
- Tip:✎...
- You can use file size and file type to quickly find your files easily.
5. Choose another location to save the recovered files, and hit Select Folder to start recovering data from damaged partition.
- Tip:
- You’re able to recover data from a crashed computer if necessary. You can upgrade to enjoy it.
Wait for the process to complete, and check the files.

- Recover Deleted Files Easily with Simple Clicks
- 1000+ File Formats Supported
- Support HDD, SSD, External Hard Drive, USB Drive, SD Card, etc.
- Quickly Find Files Using File Types, Name, Size, etc.
- Preview Files Before Recovering
- Recover Unlimited Data
How to Recover Damaged Partition on Windows 10/11
Now, it’s time to fix your damaged partiton on Windows 10/11. Try these solutions one by one.
Way 1. Try CHKDSK to Repair File System Errors
Let's start with the built-in tools Windows gives before proceeding to more complex alternatives.
Microsoft includes several utilities including CHKDSK that can repair corrupted partition issues without third-party software. The old-but-gold CHKDSK (Check Disk) utility has saved countless partitions: They're not perfect, but they're free and often effective.
1. Open Command Prompt as Admin.
2. Type: chkdsk X: /f /r (replace X with your drive letter)
3. Let it run (may take hours for large drives)
The CHKDSK can fix bad sectors, cross-linked files, directory errors.
Way 2. Using Disk Management to Restore Partitions
Sometimes the damaged partition just needs to be "reactivated", here is how it works:
1. Press Win+X, then choose Disk Management.
2. Right-click the "Unallocated" space.
3. Choose "New Simple Volume".
4. Follow the guide and then assign a drive letter.
Now, you can use the partition again.
- Warning:
- Don't format unless you've recovered data first!
Way 3. Use DISKPART for Partition Fixes
If you have a data backup or recovered data from the damaged partition, you can use diskpart to reuse the partition. The DISKPART utility can work miracles:
1. Open CMD as admin.
2. Type diskpart and hit Enter.
3. Input the following commands:
- list disk
- select disk n (n is the disk number of the disk that contains the damaged partition)
- clean (WARNING: erases data!)
- create partition primary
- format fs=ntfs quick
- assign letter=g
Way 4. Repair MBR
For tech-savvy users, these hands-on methods work wonders. You can repair MBR for the corrupted partition if you ensure the MBR is damaged.
Step 1. Open "Command Prompt" as Administrator.
Step 2. Run the following command:
- bootrec /fixmbr
- bootrec /fixboot
- bootrec /rebuildbcd
After rebuilding the MBR, check if the partition can be used.
Way 5. Repair Partition Table
TestDisk is the best free way to repair the partition table. Use TestDisk's advanced mode to repair the partition table.
1. Download and launch TestDisk for Windows, then run it as administrator.
2. Choose Create and hit Enter to create a new log file.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the physical disk that contains the damaged partition, and hit Enter.
4. Choose the partition table type (TestDisk usually auto-detectsit correctly), and hit Enter.
For most Windows systems:
- Choose [Intel] for MBR-style disks.
- Choose [EFI GPT] for UEFI/GPT systems.
5. Select [Advanced].
6. Select the damaged partition that may be marked with errors or shown without labels, and hit Enter.
7. You will now see several recovery options depending on the file system. Choose Boot for NTFS partition (Most Windows installations).
8. Then you will see the boot sector status, and backup boot sector. Choose Rebuild BS to let TestDisk rebuild the NTFS boot sector.
9. Now, press P or go back and choose [List] to view files inside the partition.
10. Reboot your computer to take effect.
The Verdict
It's difficult to deal with a broken partition recovery issue, but as you've seen, there are several methods to recover corrupt partition data, ranging from basic CHKDSK runs to sophisticated software. Keep in mind that your odds improve the sooner you take action. To keep your files intact, please back them up first, or you will have to use data recovery software to recover them. With MyRecover, you can recover data from emptied recycle bin, formatted hard drive, etc.