How to Recover Files from External Hard Drive Without Formatting
This guide details step-by-step methods for how to recover files from external hard drive without formatting. Learn to use built-in Windows utilities and reliable data recovery software to retrieve your data and fix a corrupted external hard drive without formatting.
Last Updated September 12, 2025
How to Recover Files from External Hard Drive without Formatting?
Format an external drive without losing data
Hello, I recently plugged in an external drive with loads of old photos and videos, and was met with the following message: You need to format the disk in the drive before using it. I read that formatting the drive would erase all data
I checked the disk management window, and the partition is showing as raw (unformatted)
Can I format the drive without losing all the data on it?
If there any way to copy the data without formatting it?
- Question from reddit.com
When you plug in your external hard drive, and instead of your precious files, you're greeted by a chilling error message, an unrecognized disk, or worst of all, a prompt demanding you format the drive.
Don’t format your external hard drive, or it wipes everything clean. The most important mission is to learn how to save your family photos, work documents, and important projects from the external hard drive without formatting. This guide will walk you through exactly why this happens and, most importantly, how to get your data back safely.
Why Avoiding the Format Button is Your Number One Priority
That "Format Disk" dialog box can seem like a tempting quick fix, a way to get your drive working again. However, formatting deletes all files on the external hard drive and sets up a new, empty file system.
The drive itself is a replaceable piece of hardware; the memories and data it holds often are not. This is why the quest to recover external hard drive data without formatting is so critical.
What Causes an External Drive to Fail?
Your external hard drive might encounter some corruption and failures for the following reasons:
⭕ File System Errors: Unexpected power outages, software bugs, or bad sectors (small physical defects on the disk platter) might jumble this map, leading your operating system to believe that the data is lost or that the drive needs to be formatted.
⭕ Physical Damage: If your drive has taken a tumble off a desk or suffered a sharp impact, the delicate mechanical components inside could be damaged.
⭕ Virus or Malware Infection: Nasty software can deliberately corrupt file system tables or hold your files for ransom, rendering the drive inaccessible and prompting those scary error messages.
⭕ Power Surges or Faulty Cables: A sudden spike in power through the USB port or a dodgy, frayed cable can cause data transfer errors during writing, which can corrupt the files being saved.
⭕ Manufacturing Defects: Sometimes, you just get a lemon. A drive might have an inherent flaw that causes it to fail prematurely.
Now, how to get data from an external hard drive without formatting? Try the following methods.
How to Recover Files from External Hard Drive without Formatting?
To recover files from an external hard drive without formatting, if you get the error message “You need to format the disk in drive D: before you can use it”, a powerful Windows data recovery software is your best choice. MyRecover is such a tool, and is designed to recover files from many complex situations, like recovering files from a formatted hard drive, a corrupted SD card, etc.
- Support all Windows operating systems. These systems include Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, and Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012, 2008.
- Deep and quick scan. MyRecover scans every possible file to recover on your hard disk sector by sector if you use the deep scan, and it takes more time.
- 1,000 file formats. You can recover any files using MyRecover, including photos, videos, documents, audios, PDFs, and many more.
- 500+ devices. You can recover files from a local computer, laptop, internal hard disk, external hard drives, SD card, USB flash drive, PS4/5, and many more.
- Preview before recovery. It’s helpful to preview files before recovery, which helps you find the intact and right files.
Here is how to recover external hard drive data without formatting with MyRecover:
1. Connect your external hard drive to your computer. Launch MyRecover after installing it.
100% Secure2. Tap Disk Data Recovery, hit Scan while pointing to the external hard drive.
3. MyRecover scans files automatically. And hit OK when done.
4. Select the files and folders, hit Recover.
5. Choose a destination and hit Select Folder to save these recovered files.
- Tips:✎...
- The files are organized by categories after scanning, you can find the missing files quickly. Besides, you can use the file name, file size, and file path to find them directly.
- It’s highly recommended to save these recovered files to a different location instead of the external hard drive that you’re recovering from. Or the process overwrites the original files.
- You can boot up your unbootable computer by creating a bootable USB, then recover files easily.
- 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
100% SecureHow to Fix a Corrupted External Hard Drive without Formatting
Besides, you can use the following possible solutions to fix a corrupted external hard drive without formatting.
A Crucial First Step Before You Begin:
Before trying any software fixes, always perform these basic hardware checks:
- Try a Different USB Port: The port itself might be faulty.
- Use a Different Cable: A faulty USB cable is a common cause of connection issues.
- Test on Another Computer: This helps determine if the problem is with the drive or your original computer.
Way 1. Use CHKDSK to Recover Files from External Hard Drive
CHKDSK (Check Disk) is a built-in Windows utility that scans the drive's file system for errors and bad sectors and attempts to fix them. This is the best first step for logical errors like improper ejection or file system corruption.
1. Ensure you have connected your external hard drive to your computer. Then press the Windows key and type cmd or Command Prompt.
2. Right-click on the "Command Prompt" result and select "Run as administrator".
3. Hit Windows + E to open File Explorer and tap "This PC" to find the drive letter of the external hard drive.
4. On the command prompt window, type the following command, and hit Enter.
chkdsk g: /f /r
- Replace the g: with the right one of your external hard drive.
- The /f parameter tells CHKDSK to fix errors.
- The /r parameter tells it to locate bad sectors and recover readable information.
5. The scan can take a very long time, especially for large drives or those with many bad sectors. Be patient and do not interrupt it.
Once finished, CHKDSK will display a summary. If it found and fixed errors, restart your computer and see if you can now access your drive.
Way 2. Reinstall Driver
This method refreshes the software on your computer that allows it to communicate with the external hard drive. It fixes issues caused by corrupted, outdated, or conflicting drivers.
1. Press the Windows + X keys and select "Device Manager".
2. In the Device Manager window, expand the category called "Disk drives".
3. Find your external hard drive in the list, right-click on it, and select "Uninstall device".
4. If a dialog box appears, do not check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device." Just click "Uninstall".
5. Once the uninstall is complete, unplug your external hard drive from the computer.
6. Restart your computer.
7. After your computer reboots, plug your external hard drive back in. Windows will automatically detect the new hardware and reinstall the driver.
Way 3. Use SFC to Fix a Corrupted External Hard Drive
System File Checker (SFC) scans and repairs corrupted Windows system files. This won't fix the external drive directly, but if the problem is with Windows' ability to read drives, SFC can resolve the underlying system issue.
1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
sfc /scannow
3. Wait for the verification process to complete. This will take some time. The tool will automatically find and replace any corrupted system files with a cached copy.
Once it's 100% complete, you will see a message stating whether corruption was found and fixed.Restart your computer after the process is done.
Way 4. Format the External Hard Drive(LAST RESORT)
Formatting will permanently erase all data on the drive. Only use this method if all other recovery attempts have failed and you have successfully recovered your files using data recovery software, or if the data on the drive is not important.
1. Connect the external hard drive to your PC.
2. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E) and go to "This PC".
3. Right-click on the icon for your external hard drive and select "Format...".
4. A new window will open. Choose the desired File System:
- NTFS: Best for drives used only with Windows computers.
- exFAT: Best for drives used between Windows and macOS computers.
- (Avoid FAT32 for drives larger than 32GB).
5. Ensure the "Quick Format" box is checked. This is much faster and sufficient for most users. Then click "Start".
You will see a warning that all data will be erased. Click "OK" to confirm and begin the formatting process.
Once complete, you will have a clean, empty, and accessible external hard drive.
Although formatting erases all the files on the external hard drive, you can also easily recover files from a formatted hard drive using MyRecover.
The End
How to recover an external hard drive without formatting? Try the above solutions to recover files first, then fix the corrupted external hard drive. Besides, you can recover files from a RAW partition, a formatted SD card, an emptied recycle bin, etc.