Facing the alarming "USB drive needs to be formatted" prompt? This article explains the causes and delivers a step-by-step data recovery process. You will learn how to recover data from the drive without accepting the format, especially when a flash drive suddenly needs to be formatted, ensuring your photos, documents, and files are secured.
You plug in your USB drive, only to find an error: You need to format the disk in drive X: before you can use it. Stop. Don't click "Format Disk". It's a sign that your computer can't read the drive's file system—but your precious files might still be sitting there, intact and recoverable. This guide will show you why this happens and, most importantly, how to safely recover data from a flash drive that needs to be formatted without losing a single byte.
That alarming pop-up is a direct result of your computer's inability to process the drive's data structure. It detects the physical presence of the USB drive but cannot interpret the organization of the information stored on it. This sudden error is almost always a logical failure rather than a physical breakdown.
Some reasons should be responsible for the issue:
Today, we will show you how to fix logical errors due to these reasons. Let's get started.
Don’t Format the USB Drive. The moment you see that prompt, don’t click Format. Formatting creates a new, clean file system. It's a fantastic solution for a fresh start, but it's a disaster for data recovery. Formatting marks the space containing your data as available for new information. The next time you save something—a document, a system file, a download—it could permanently erase your old photos, work files, or videos. Only format the drive after you have successfully recovered all your data or have confirmed the files are no longer needed. It is the last step, never the first.
Safely eject the drive, restart your computer, and plug the drive into a different USB port. If the error persists, don't keep plugging it in and out. Go to Windows Disk Management (Right-click Start > Disk Management). Check your USB drive in Disk Management. Does it show the correct capacity? Does it say "RAW" or "Unallocated" instead of "NTFS" or "FAT32"? If it shows RAW or unallocated space, you can recover files using the right way.
The first thing you should do is to recover files from the USB drive now. Fortunately, here comes the powerful Windows data recovery software, MyRecover, to help.
Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on using MyRecover to recover files from a USB drive that needs formatting:
1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer. Connect your USB drive to your computer and make sure it can be detected.
2. Tap USB/SD Card Recovery, choose the USB drive, and hit Scan. Hit OK when completed.
3. Preview and tick the files you need, and hit Recover.
4. Choose a destination on your computer or an external hard drive, and hit Select Folder to keep them safe.
After recovering files from the USB drive that need to be formatted, you have to fix it now:
Now, you can attempt a command-line fix that might repair the file system without a format. This method uses the CHKDSKÂ (Check Disk) utility. Here is how:
1. Right-click the Start button, select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)".
2. Then, type chkdsk G: /f /r and press Enter, replacing "G" with your USB drive's actual letter.
The /f parameter tells it to fix errors.
While chkdsk can sometimes work miracles, it is also a destructive utility in its repair process. If it finds severe corruption, it may delete file system entries it deems unsalvageable to restore access to the drive, and store these deleted files in the FOUND.000Â folder, you can try to recover files from that folder. It's a gamble.
If, after successful data recovery with MyRecover, you wish to attempt repairing the USB drive itself for future use, you can return to the Command Prompt and then format it now.
1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Tap the command: format X: /fs:FAT32 /q
Replace X with your drive letter. The /q does a quick format, and /fs:FAT32 specifies the file system (FAT32 has wide compatibility).
Remember, this will erase all data, so it is only a step to take after confirming your recovery was successful.
Besides, you can also format the USB drive in Disk Management now. Here are the steps:
1. Right-click the Start menu, and choose Disk Management.
2. Right-click your USB drive that needs to be formatted, and hit Format.
3. Choose the file system (explained below), choose Default in the Allocation unit, tick Perform a quick format, and hit OK to format it now.
By the way, you might want to know if Quick Format deletes everything. Click to find answers.
If your USB drive is damaged physically, you can’t repair it now. The only thing to do is to replace it with another one to finish your job easily.
Q: I clicked "Format" by mistake. Is my data gone?
A: Not immediately, but act fast. A quick format only erases the file system table, not your actual files. However, that data is now marked as overwritable. Stop using the drive and run recovery software like MyRecover immediately. Every minute you use the drive risks permanent overwrite.
Q: Can CHKDSKfix the drive without losing data?
A: It's risky. CHKDSK can repair minor corruption and restore access. But in severe cases, it deletes corrupted entries to fix the drive, which can cause data loss. Safer approach: recover your files first with read-only software, then run CHKDSK or format the drive afterward.
Q: Why does my drive work on one PC but say format on another?
A: File system mismatch or driver issue. The drive may be formatted with exFATÂ on an older Windows version lacking proper support. Or the second PC has faulty USB ports or drivers. Update USB drivers on the problematic computer and verify file system compatibility.
Q: Could a virus cause this format error?
A: Yes. Malware can corrupt the file system or boot sector deliberately. Some viruses hide your files and trigger system errors, leading to format prompts. Before recovery, ensure your antivirus is active and scan recovered files thoroughly before opening them.
Q: What does "RAW" in Disk Management mean?
A: Windows cannot read the file system. It detects the physical drive but sees no recognizable structure (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT). The partition table or boot sector is damaged. Data is usually still present but inaccessible. Recovery software like MyRecover bypasses the corrupted system to extract files directly.
Q: My drive is physically damaged. Can I recover data?
A: DIY software won't work. For bent drives, broken ports, or water damage, stop plugging it in immediately. Professional recovery services are the only option. They use cleanrooms to repair components and read memory chips directly. Do not open the drive yourself—you will destroy the data.