How to fix corrupted pen drive

Key features of pen drive-

1. Storage Capacity: Pen drives come in various storage capacities from a few megabytes to several terabytes. The most common capacities are 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. The choice of capacity depends on your storage needs and budget.
2. Physical Size: Pen drives are small and compact, often resembling a small stick or rectangular device. They are designed to be portable, allowing users to carry them in pockets, bags or keychains.
3. Interface: Pen drives generally use the USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface to connect to computers and other devices. USB drives are compatible with most modern computers, laptops and other electronic devices equipped with USB ports.
4. Data Transfer Speed: Data transfer speed of a pen drive depends on many factors including USB version (eg USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1), quality of flash memory and file. system used. Newer USB versions offer faster transfer speeds compared to older versions.
5. Compatibility: Pen drives are compatible with various operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux and others. They can be used to transfer files between different devices and platforms.
6. File System: Pen drives are usually formatted with a file system like FAT32, exFAT or NTFS. The choice of file system determines factors such as maximum file size, compatibility with different operating systems, and support for features such as encryption and permissions.
7. Use Cases: Pen drives are commonly used to store and transfer files like documents, photos, videos, music, software and more. They are widely used by individuals, businesses, students and professionals for purposes such as data backup, file sharing and portable storage.
8. Security: Some pen drives come with built-in security features like password protection, encryption and secure access software to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.

Follow methods to fix corrupted pen drive-

1. Check USB port and connection:
   • Make sure the pen drive is securely plugged into the USB port.
   • Try a different USB port on your computer.
   • If possible, try using a different USB cable or adapter to connect the pendrive.
2. Use Windows built-in tools:
   • Open File Explorer and navigate to “This PC”.
   • Right-click on the icon representing your pen drive and select “Properties”.
   • In the Properties window, go to the “Tools” tab.
   • In the “Error Checking” section, click on “Check”.
   • Follow the instructions to let Windows scan and try to fix any errors on the pen drive.
   • If this method does not work, proceed to format the pen drive:
   • While in the Properties window, go to the “General” tab.
   • Click on “Format” button.
   • Follow the prompts to format the pen drive. You can choose the file system (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT) and allocation unit size. Note that formatting will erase all data on the pen drive.
3. Use Disk Management:
   • Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard to open the Power User menu.
   • Select “Disk Management” from the menu.
   • In the Disk Management window, you will see a list of all drives connected to your computer.
   • Find your pen drive in the list. It will have less capacity than your internal hard drive.
   • Right-click on the pen drive partition (it should be labeled “Removable”) and select “Format”.
   • Follow the prompts to format the pen drive. You can choose the file system and allocation unit size.
4. Use Command Prompt:
   • Press the Windows key, type “cmd”, then right-click “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator” to open an elevated Command Prompt window.
   • Type ‘diskpart’ and press enter to open diskpart tool.
   • Type `list disk’ and press enter to display all disks connected to your computer.
   • Identify your pendrive by its size. Be sure to select the correct disk to avoid accidentally formatting the wrong drive.
   • Type select disk X (replace X with the number corresponding to your pendrive) and press enter.
   • Type ‘clean’ and press enter to remove all partitions and data from the pendrive.
   • Type ‘create partition prime’ and press enter to create a new primary partition.
   • Type format fs=fat32 quick and press enter to format pen drive using FAT32 file system. You can replace “fat32” with “ntfs” or “exfat” if you prefer that file system.
   • Type assign and press enter to assign a drive letter to the pen drive.
5. Use Third-Party Tools:
   • Download and install a reputable third-party software tool designed to repair damaged storage devices.
   • Launch the software and follow the on-screen instructions to repair the pen drive.
   • These tools often provide more advanced options for repairing and recovering data from corrupted storage devices.
6. Check for hardware issues:
   • If none of the above methods work and still the pen drive appears corrupted, then there may be a hardware problem with the pen drive itself.
   • Try connecting the pen drive to a different computer to see if the problem persists.
   • If possible, try using the pen drive with a different USB port or USB cable.
   • If the pen drive is still not working properly, it may need to be replaced.

Remember to back up any important data before attempting to fix a corrupted pen drive, as some methods involve formatting the drive, which will erase all data.