Good day everyone!
You can argue, but flash drives have become one of the most (if not the most) popular storage media. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few questions regarding them: the most important among them are the issues of recovery, formatting and testing.
In this article I will present the best (in my opinion) utilities for working with drives - that is, those tools that I have used myself many times. The information in the article will be updated and updated from time to time.
The best programs for working with a USB flash drive
Important! First of all, in case of problems with a flash drive, I recommend visiting the official website of its manufacturer. The fact is that on the official website there may be specialized utilities for recovering information (and not only!), Which will cope with the task much better.
For testing
Let's start with testing drives. Let's consider programs that will help you determine some of the parameters of a USB drive.
H2testw
A very useful utility for determining the real volume of any media. In addition to the volume of the drive, it can test the real speed of its operation (which some manufacturers like to overestimate for marketing purposes).
Check Flash
A free utility that can quickly check your flash drive for performance, measure its real read and write speed, completely delete all information from it (so that no utility can recover a single file from it!).
In addition, it is possible to edit information about partitions (if they are on it), make a backup copy and reanimate the image of an entire media partition!
The utility's operation speed is high enough and hardly any competing program will do this job faster!
HD Speed
This is a very simple, but very convenient program for testing flash drives for read / write (information transfer) speed. In addition to USB drives, the utility supports hard drives, optical drives.
The program does not need to be installed. Information is presented in a clear graphical representation. Supports Russian. Works in all Windows versions: XP, 7, 8, 10.
CrystalDiskMark
One of the best utilities for testing information transfer speed. Supports various media: HDD (hard drives), SSD (newfangled solid state drives), USB sticks, memory cards, etc.
The program supports the Russian language, although it is as easy as shelling pears to start a test - just select a medium and press the start button (you can figure it out without knowing the great and mighty).
An example of the results - you can see the screenshot above.
Flash Memory Toolkit
Flash Memory Toolkit - this program is a whole set of utilities for servicing flash drives.
Full feature set:
- detailed list of properties and information about the drive and USB devices;
- a test for finding errors when reading and writing information to a medium;
- quick cleaning of data from the drive;
- search and recovery of information;
- backup of all files to media and the ability to restore from a backup;
- low-level testing of information transfer rate;
- measuring performance when working with small / large files.
FC-Test
A benchmark for measuring the real read / write speed of hard disks, flash drives, memory cards, CD / DVD devices, etc. Its main feature and difference from all utilities of this kind is that it uses real data samples for work.
Of the minuses: the utility has not been updated for a long time (problems with newfangled media types are possible).
Flashnul
This utility allows you to diagnose and test USB Flash drives. By the way, during this operation, errors and bugs will be fixed. Supported media: US and Flash drives, SD, MMC, MS, XD, MD, CompactFlash, etc.
List of operations performed:
- read test - an operation will be carried out to identify the availability of each sector on the media;
- write test - similar to the first function;
- information safety test - the utility checks the integrity of all data on the carrier;
- saving media image - saving everything that is on the media into a separate image file;
- loading an image into a device is analogous to the previous operation.
For formatting
HDD Low Level Format Tool
A program that has only one task - to format the media (by the way, both HDD hard drives and solid-state drives - SSD, and USB-flash drives are supported).
Despite such a "meager" set of features, this utility is not in vain in the first place in this article. The fact is that it allows you to "return" to life even those carriers that are no longer visible in any other program. If this utility sees your media, try low-level formatting in it (attention, all data will be deleted!) - there is a good chance that after this format, your flash drive will work as before: without failures and errors.
USB Disk Storage Format Tool
A program for formatting and creating bootable USB drives. Supported file systems: FAT, FAT32, NTFS. The utility does not require installation, supports USB 2.0 (USB 3.0 - does not see. Note: this port is marked in blue).
Its main difference from the standard tool in Windows for formatting drives is the ability to "see" even those media that are not visible by standard OS tools. Otherwise, the program is quite simple and concise, I recommend using it to format all "problem" flash drives.
Format USB Or Flash Drive Software
The utility will help in cases where the standard formatting program in Windows refuses to "see" the medium (or, for example, will give errors during operation). Format USB Or Flash Drive Software can format media into the following file systems: NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT. There is a quick format option.
I also want to note the simple interface: it is made in the style of minimalism, it is as easy as shelling pears to understand it (the screen is presented above). In general, I recommend!
SD Formatter
Simple utility for formatting various flash cards: SD / SDHC / SDXC.
The main difference from the standard program built into Windows is that this utility formats the media in accordance with the type of flash card: SD / SDHC / SDXC. It is also worth noting the presence of the Russian language, a simple and intuitive interface (the main window of the program is shown in the screenshot above).
Aomei Partition Assistant
Aomei Partition Assistant is a large free (for home use) "combine", which presents a huge number of functions and possibilities for working with hard drives and USB drives.
The program supports the Russian language (but by default, English is still set), works in all popular Windows operating systems: XP, 7, 8, 10. The program, by the way, works according to its own unique algorithms (at least, according to the statements of the developers of this software ), which allows her to "see" even "very problematic" media, be it a flash drive or HDD.
In general, to describe all its properties is not enough for a whole article! I recommend giving it a try, especially since Aomei Partition Assistant will save you not only from problems with USB drives, but also with other media.
Recovery software
Important! If the programs presented below are not enough, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the large collection of programs for recovering information from various types of media (hard disks, flash drives, memory cards, etc.):.
If, when connecting the drive, it reports an error and asks to format it, do not do it (perhaps, after this operation, it will be much more difficult to return the data)! In this case, I recommend that you read this article:.
Recuva
One of the best free file recovery software. Moreover, it supports not only USB-drives, but also hard drives. Distinctive features: fast scanning of media, a fairly high degree of search for "remains" of files (that is, the chances of recovering a deleted file are quite high), a simple interface, a step-by-step recovery wizard (even completely "beginners" can handle it).
For those who will scan their USB flash drive for the first time, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the mini-instructions for recovering files in Recuva:
R Saver
Free * (for non-commercial use on the territory of the USSR) program for recovering information from hard disks, flash drives, memory cards and other media. The program supports all the most popular file systems: NTFS, FAT and exFAT.
The program sets the parameters for scanning the media independently (which is also another plus for beginners).
Features of the program:
- recovery of accidentally deleted files;
- the ability to reconstruct damaged file systems;
- recovering files after formatting the media;
- data recovery by signatures.
EasyRecovery
One of the best data recovery software, it supports a wide variety of media types. The program works in all versions of new Windows: 7, 8, 10 (32/64 bits), supports the Russian language.
One of the main advantages of the program should be noted - a high degree of detection of deleted files. Everything that can be "pulled out" from a disk or flash drive will be presented to you and prompted to restore.
Perhaps the only negative is that it is paid ...
Important! How to get back deleted files in this program can be found in this article (see part 2):
R-STUDIO
One of the most popular data recovery software, both in our country and abroad. A wide variety of media are supported: hard drives (HDD), solid state drives (SSD), memory cards, flash drives, etc. The list of supported file systems is also striking: NTFS, NTFS5, ReFS, FAT12 / 16/32, exFAT, etc.
The program will help in cases:
- accidental deletion of a file from the trash (this happens sometimes ...);
- formatting the hard drive;
- virus attack;
- in case of a computer power failure (especially important in Russia with its "reliable" power grids);
- in case of errors on the hard disk, in the presence of a large number of bad sectors;
- when the structure is damaged (or changed) on the hard disk.
In general, a universal harvester for all kinds of cases. The same only drawback is that the program is paid.
Remark! Step-by-step data recovery in R-Studio:
Popular manufacturers of USB drives
It is, of course, unrealistic to collect all manufacturers in one table. But all the most popular ones are definitely present here :). On the manufacturer's website, you can often find not only service utilities for reanimating or formatting USB media, but also utilities that greatly facilitate the work: for example, programs for archiving, helpers for preparing bootable media, etc.
Laptop processor temperature is a normal indicator, what to do if it risesIn this article, you will learn about programs that are capable of recovering data on a USB flash drive, as well as adjust settings so that there are no further problems with flash drives.
It is possible to fix various errors in the flash drive by configuring the drivers, connecting the flash drive to different ports, and so on. But if this no longer helps, then you need to apply more effective methods and apply third-party programs.
I must say right away that using such programs to recover flash drives does not always solve, but exacerbates the problem. Therefore, the choice is yours. This risk is yours and yours alone.
In the article on repairing flash drives, we will talk about such popular flash drive manufacturers as Kingston, Adata, Silicon Power and Transcend.
Free software for recovery and repair of flash drives
UtilityJetFlash Online Recovery forflash drivesTranscend
This utility was formerly called JetFlash Recovery Tool, now JetFlash Online Recovery. This is the official utility.
It is quite simple to work with this utility: we connect the USB flash drive, launch the program and then proceed as the USB flash drive recovery wizard tells us.
There are two options:
- You can fix the USB flash drive and save all the data on it.
- You can fix a USB flash drive and erase all data on it.
Here, how lucky, if the first option did not help, then move on to the second.
Free download utility JetFlash Online Recovery
(Downloads: 25243)
UtilityUSB Flash Drive Recovery forflash drivesSilicon power
The utility is freely available on the official website of the manufacturer. You can also download it from our website.
Silicon power
(Downloads: 20935)
Flash drive Kingston and its repair
If you have a Kingston flash drive (quite common among the user), then you can use the utility from the official website of the Kingston manufacturer.
Free download utility for flash drive Kingston
(Downloads: 13520)
Now let's go through utilities and programs that are not the product of a particular manufacturer.
Program for recovering data from a USB flash drive D-Soft Flash Doctor
The program is free. The reviews about it are very flattering, so it can help you recover data from a USB flash drive.
How do I determine which program is right for my flash drive?
It happens that a person does not know what kind of flash drive he has. Therefore, we suggest that you use a program that will determine the memory controller you are using - Chip Genius. The VID and PID parameters will be indicated there, they will be useful to you.
As a result, you will be presented with search results.
In the Chip Model column, you will see which other flash drives use the same controller besides yours. The Utils column offers utilities for recovering a USB flash drive. Next, look for the proposed program and use it.
Broken sectors are an integral part of our digital life. Many of us are already accustomed to such occasional crashes, but a new user who sees an error message while connecting a removable disk to a computer can lead to panic. Removable drives store a small amount of data in each of their sectors and sometimes it happens that one of them gets damaged. Such sectors are called broken.
In this article, we will walk you through the steps required to fix bad sectors on a flash drive or any larger storage medium connected to your computer. This method will require the use of a device with the Windows operating system installed on it.
Logical- storage space that is not working properly. The operating system, while trying to read the sector data, receives an correction error code that does not match the content. Then the system marks it as broken and stops using it to store information. These drives can be recovered by overwriting the disk (low-level formatting).
Physical- physically damaged media space. Such damage cannot be repaired.
So, how do you fix bad sectors in a removable storage device? Fortunately, there are several ways to help you deal with this crisis.
Eliminating bad sectors using Windows Explorer
The first and most important troubleshooting method is Windows explorer... An easy-to-use interface will allow you to check the media connected to your computer for bad sectors and eliminate them.
Useful articles
Note: We used Windows 10 to run the disk analysis utility. The Windows 8.1 user interface is similar, however it may differ from Windows 7.
Troubleshooting steps:
Recovering bad sectors using CMD in Windows
If the UI-based utility does not resolve the issue, try using the Windows Command Prompt. Check Disk is used to perform an operation to check the connected media for errors. To open CMD in Administrator mode, right-click on the Start button and select Command Prompt (Administrator).
Use the following command to test your drive:
chkdsk C:
Here C is the path / drive letter assigned to your media. You will need to write the symbol corresponding to your drive (in our case, this is E). Open My Computer to see the correct drive letter.
To correct errors on the media, enter the following:
chkdsk / f E:
The command will help to find and eliminate the broken sectors:
chkdsk / f / R E:
Check Disk utility will restore any “logical” bad sector present on the removable drive. Restart your computer when the recovery process is complete.
The above methods will work for SD cards, MicroSD cards (connected with an adapter) and external / internal hard drives.
If you need to restore and save information in advance, the Starus Recovery tools will help you. You can download and try programs for recovering deleted data on removable storage completely free of charge! The functionality of each program has a preview window. This function will help make sure that a specific file is not damaged or overwritten, which means it will be successfully restored.
Choosing the best programs for recovering flash drives. We will tell you how to restore a usb flash drive, reanimate it using free utilities.
Flash drive- a small device for storing information (documents, music, videos, files), convenient to carry and connect to a USB port, extract from a computer, laptop. It contains a controller and special chips that store information inside the microcircuits.
Sometimes we copy files and forget about them, and when we remember, we find that valuable files are either erased or deleted irrevocably. Either the device is broken, you formatted the partitions. What to do, often a digital flash drive (most often, a controller in it) breaks down, generates errors, a flash drive does not open on a PC - not even a month will pass. One day the flash drive may need to be restored. The reason that maybe:
- incorrect, careless operation of the flash drive
- incorrect formatting of the storage medium
- a low-quality flash drive bought on the market or cheaply from a Chinese (probably by mistake)
- physical or software failure of the flash drive (the most likely reason)
- also, an incorrectly removed USB flash drive from a computer or laptop can serve as a reason for inoperability. This happens when an impatient user literally rips the flash drive out of the USB slot while copying or transferring files.
There are many reasons when you need to restore a flash drive that does not open on your computer or is recognized with read errors. Fortunately, to date, specialists from service centers will help you return valuable files and restore the device's functionality without problems and errors. Recovery software will return files safe and sound, or at least partially reanimate data on a usb flash drive. The cost of the flash recovery procedure is not so little money, which makes you think about self-recovery of a usb flash drive. Alas, free utilities are not always useful.
For a flash drive, sd memory cards, all the symptoms and consequences of the removal of digital information are equally characteristic. This can be an accidental erasure, unconscious or deliberate deletion of files from a USB drive, damage to the structure, physical or mechanical damage to the controller or memory chips ... One way or another, but restoring a flash drive and sd card is more than an urgent task for PC owners. Therefore, first of all, read the contents of this section.
The flash drive does not open: we study the symptoms of damage
In the section on recovery, we will talk about the main problems associated with recovering information on flash and secure digital storage. As a rule, this is due to hardware or software damage to the flash drive - if it does not come off or is not recognized correctly. Sometimes the memory wears out, sometimes the controller fails. And the usb controller drivers have nothing to do with it. In some cases, you can solve the problem yourself and, as a result, save files on a flash card or repair a chip, device, ignoring reading errors on the computer. Here are just some of the symptoms that indicate a drive failure:
- The PC does not see the USB flash drive in the list of readable devices
- the flash drive is not displayed when connected to a laptop or computer (OS does not matter)
- the flash drive cannot be read: although the files can be seen on the usb drive
Help with the contents of the Flash Recovery section
- A small guide related to the question of how - finding the reasons why the card does not work or the PC does not see the USB flash drive along with other disks (the device is not recognized, reads with problems, requires formatting, freezes, gives an error when copying to the card, etc.) flash -storage device. Diagnostics of malfunctions is important in such situations, because without identifying the disease, it is impossible to cure the patient, or even easily ruin his life, wielding the wrong tools, using the wrong methods and programs that can revive the drive. In this article, we analyze the causes of damage and possible symptoms that lead to the need to recover a flash disk, secure digital, controller, memory chip and flash card.
- We try (using the instructions and utilities posted on the site) and at the same time qualitatively - how to solve problems with our own hands - fix a breakdown on the sd card, reanimate the controller, format it correctly, solder a loose contact or memory chip, scan information and process bad sectors on flash "ke, sections with reading errors. True, the described methods require a certain skill and experience in using the indicated tools.
- if it does not open on the computer or is not displayed correctly. What is "VID & PID", how does this abbreviation stand for and what to do when the device is not recognized or does not open. Explanation of terminology, without which it is difficult to imagine recovery for flash drive, data and digital information on it.
- - testing of 5 solid programs, each of which has remarkable peculiarities when working with memory or a storage chip.
Recovery of a usb flash drive and memory card. Formatting utilities
One of the best ways to reanimate a Jetflash flash card is to reformat it again, at a low level. As a rule, such measures are taken when the flash drive cannot be read. If possible, you should ask the memory manufacturer (say, A Data, Seagate, Transcend SD, Datatraveler, etc.) if they have proprietary utilities or fresh drivers for reconstruction. Scroll through this section for help and you will see several articles on the topic of low-level drive formatting. Fortunately, Windows 7 and above provide tools for formatting flash devices without using third-party computer applications. One of these programs for a flash drive is the HP USB Disk Storege Format Tool.
Diagnostic formatting of a flash card in the HP USB Disk Storege Format flash drive recovery software
Utility for recovering a USB flash drive HDD Low Level Format Tool
Many people know that the HDD Regenerator program is used to help revitalize hard drives (HDD), but not many people know that it is also suitable for such a device as a flash drive. The essence of the program is the detection of bad bad sectors on the device with the subsequent processing of the information received, depending on the controller and memory model, at a low access level via usb. As a result, you get a working device that can copy files without read and write errors. This greatly contributes to the recovery of flash drives if the computer does not see them. The HDD Regenerator program is supplied with instructions for recovery, in addition, on the recovery site you can find a guide on using the utility and correct formatting (see through the search). You can download the program for recovering a flash drive directly from the link located on the HDD Regenerator overview page "a.
We open and diagnose the problematic USB flash drive in the HDD Low Level Format program By the way, in other sections on the Softdroid website you will find other programs for recovering flash drives (for example, Flash Recovery or JetFlash Recovery Tool), but we recommend that you first study all the information collected in this section. We hope that after the measures taken, the computer will see your USB flash drive.
Why don't you indicate the cost of the product before downloading the USB flash drive recovery program and installing it?
Answer... You can download all the mentioned programs for flash drive recovery on the official website. Only reviews are published on Softdroid - we do not have the physical ability to update information on the cost of the products presented. When you download the trial version of the program, it is free. Next, see the information about the cost from the developer, or at the end of the trial period, you will receive a notification.
Ask us a question about flash drive recovery
Site specialists will help you recover data. You ask a question - we answer it for free (you will receive an answer by mail).
The question may not be related to file recovery. The main requirement is to describe the problem in detail, formulate it so that you do not have to decipher your message.
Flash Drive Information Extractor - a program for obtaining information and diagnostics of a usb flash drive
Information about the flash drive (model, manufacturer, firmware version) helps to better understand the device, its features. In turn, this allows you to diagnose, restore files or fix the device.
How to Recover Deleted Files from USB Flash Drive: Step by Step Guide
One of the painful problems associated with deleting files relates to a flash drive. Let's talk about how to recover deleted files from a USB flash drive in the Unformat program. What free software to install on a computer, what program, besides Unformat, is effective when working with a USB flash drive. The methods described below will be relevant for usb drives, memory cards, sd cards of digital cameras in the Windows environment. We will try to help you, even if the situation is difficult.
What if the computer does not see the USB stick? We solve problems and fix errors
If the file system of the memory card / usb flash drive is incompatible with the computer OS, the contents of this memory card will not be displayed when connected to a PC. Accordingly, you will not be able to work with the device until you correct the format. In addition, there are a number of other reasons due to which the computer does not display a usb flash drive (sd card) as a separate drive in Explorer.
How to restore a USB flash drive with your own hands: instructions for owners of flash drives
In this article, I want to tell you how to recover a USB flash drive: about all the available methods for recovering damaged, non-working, faulty, faulty USB drives. I offer the most complete instruction, which includes all available methods, as well as programs that optimize flash drive recovery.
DIY USB flash drive repair: fixing hardware and software problems
What if the computer does not see the USB flash drive? Let's agree: the question is painful and often asked. Another of the popular questions that the owners of a flash drive face is repair as a result of a breakdown. A USB drive has its own peculiarities of repairing a controller, memory that are out of order: in some cases, the storage device is not detected by the PC. What if the flash drive is not detected on any computer? This manual describes an operation to reanimate an "invisible" flash drive for correct recognition on a computer.
Review of programs to restore the performance of a usb flash drive
Errors in the operation of USB flash drives are not common. Almost all of them boil down to the inability to read or write the necessary information into the device's memory due to software damage.
Specialized programs provided by device manufacturers will help you to fix the problem and restore the memory card.
To restore the work of noname flash drives and those that do not have their own recovery software, the built-in Windows Chkdsk and formatting system are suitable.
Choosing the best program to recover deleted files from a usb flash drive
Damaged your portable USB stick or memory card? These best-of-breed programs will help you save and recover information, and here you will find out what is all about recovering data from a USB flash drive. Applications include Undelete 360, CardRecovery, PhotoRec, Recuva Professional and other candidates. You will also learn how to reanimate the USB flash drive of each of the programs.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free 11 - free data recovery software
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard supports a variety of SSD data deletion scenarios. We will run the Recovery Wizard and explain step by step how recovery is performed. There are limitations in the free version of Easeus Data Recovery Wizard Free, let's tell you more about them. With the help of the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, you can recover files, deleted information from a formatted disk, laptop or removable devices such as a USB flash drive or SD card for free.
Where to download PhotoRec for free (for Windows)
The free PhotoRec program is designed to recover multimedia data on HDD, USB flash drives, SD cards and other storage devices. Review of PhotoRec recovery functions, scan options. Where to download PhotoRec for Windows and other OS.
How to recover a USB flash drive using Unformat
I offer you an effective method for recovering a usb flash drive. To use it, you need a specialized utility - Unformat. The program has long established itself in the field of specialized software. In the instructions, I described in detail the entire process of returning files - from scanning a disk to saving files to a USB flash drive.
Unformat supports recovery of flash drives from almost all manufacturers on the market today.
Flash Memory Toolkit - checking the flash drive for errors and speed test. Program for the treatment of a flash drive
Flash Memory Toolkit is a free program for a USB flash drive. Combines a wide range of functions that allow you to restore a usb flash drive or sd memory card to a working state. If you cannot determine why the computer does not see the USB flash drive, you do not have to think about repairing it. The Flash Memory Toolkit utility will help fix the failure and diagnose the flash drive.
With a situation where a flash drive is not displayed correctly (here you can try formatting for a start) or the information on it suddenly disappeared, sooner or later most users meet. But do not despair - it is likely that you yourself will be able to reanimate the device and successfully restore the photos and documents saved on it, or "revive" the file system.
Thanks to our recommendations, you can save not only on the services of a wizard, but also on special programs - we will consider exclusively free software for repairing flash drives. However, it should also be borne in mind that different utilities are intended for devices from different manufacturers.
If you don't know your USB drive model
do the following:
Go to the Start menu and in the "Run" line write mmc devmgmt.msc, then press Enter. Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers, find your USB Mass Storage Device, select it and right-click. Open Properties, then go to the Details tab and in the dropdown select Device Instance ID (or Hardware Codes). Write down or remember the PID and VID.
Then go to the FlashBoot.ru website and enter the VID and PID data in the special field. After that, you will receive information about your device and the utilities that are best for repairing it.
Recovering a Transcend flash drive
To restore devices of this brand, the official Transcend RecoveRx utility is best suited. With its help, you can conduct an in-depth search of already deleted files, which you can later also recover: photos, documents, audio and video files.
By the way, RecoveRx supports all types of storage devices, including memory cards, MP3 players and external hard drives. This program works very simply - you just need to specify the type of files or select all.
The second method is an on-line recovery of flash drives from the JetFlash Transcend series. To use it, you must download JetFlash Online Recovery (and your Internet connection must be active). Once launched, the tool will automatically restore all of your data.
Recovering a Silicon Power flash drive
If you have a Silicon Power flash drive, you're in luck - the manufacturer has partnered with Recuva. File Recovery tool provides an intuitive interface, allows you to quickly scan the device and mark those that are subject to reincarnation. You can read more about the features of this program.
Recovering a Kingston flash drive
In case you have lost files on the media of this company, the utility for recovering the flash drive can also help you. If you have any problems with the operation of the device, then most likely you will have to format it, and this should be done not by means of Windows, but by the official utility Kingston Format Utility. Just launch it, select your device and click "Format".
SanDisk flash drive recovery
SanDisk USB drives are backed by a five-year warranty, so if you ever run into problems, feel free to go to the store or contact the manufacturer (e-mail.
