{"id":45642,"date":"2022-12-21T19:01:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T19:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=45642"},"modified":"2025-07-16T10:30:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T10:30:28","slug":"how-to-recover-files-from-an-external-hard-drive-without-formatting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Recover Files From an External Hard Drive Without Formatting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Having issues with a drive that\u2019s constantly asking you to format? This is a sign that the file system on your drive has become corrupted. In this state, your data still physically remains on the drive, but it\u2019s in a vulnerable, inaccessible state.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; Therefore, it\u2019s imperative that you stop using your external drive until you\u2019ve read our guide on how to recover files from an external hard drive without formatting.<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" class=\"embed-responsive-item\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4XgpOvlnv9c\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_are_the_most_common_causes_of_hard_drive_corruption\"><\/span>What Are the Most Common Causes of Hard Drive Corruption?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Why does Windows ask you to format? Because it is unable to detect a working file system. Formatting fixes this issue by writing a new, working file system to the drive (or rather, partition).<\/p>\r\n<p>Broadly speaking, the issue you\u2019re facing can fit into one of two categories: logical (software-related) or physical (hardware-related), both of which can result in file system corruption, or worse.<\/p>\r\n<p>&#x1f527; <b>Issues that are often fixable without formatting:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f4be; Interrupted disk operations that result in corruption of the entire file system.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x23cf;&#xfe0f; Improper removal of the device leads to an unusable file system.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f50c; A sudden power loss event interrupted important operations that led to file system corruption.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1fa9f; OS-level bugs introduced with bad updates.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f9a0; Virus-infected drives.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>&#x1f4a5; <b>Issues where professional help is considered essential:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f7e5; Physical damage to the platters, like a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Head_crash\">head crash<\/a>, can lead to bad sectors or blocks where your file system is located.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f44e; Incorrect capacity value being shown in File Explorer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f40c; Slow disk operations caused by failing or severely outdated hardware.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f525; Overheating due to a faulty hardware component rather than restricted airflow.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f3b2; Data is randomly and sporadically becoming corrupted.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\"><b>&#x2705; Pro Tip:<\/b> An external hard drive that\u2019s making weird noises or has an abundance of bad sectors can\u2019t be fixed with formatting. Instead, you should check the <a href=\"\/help\/monitor-smart-status-disk-health\/\">S.M.A.R.T. data<\/a> with tools like Disk Drill\u00a0and decide whether the drive is salvageable. In severe cases, you\u2019ll need to explore ways to <a href=\"\/howto\/dead-hard-drive-recovery.html\">get your files back from a dead or damaged hard drive<\/a>.<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_recover_files_from_an_external_hard_disk_drive_without_formatting\"><\/span>How to Recover Files From an External Hard Disk Drive Without Formatting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>It\u2019s possible to recover files from an external hard drive and render it usable again without having to turn to formatting. That\u2019s where data recovery solutions can help.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x2705; <b>Pro Tip:<\/b> Working with a <a href=\"\/help\/dmg-iso-backup.html\">byte-to-byte copy<\/a> of the drive is important when recovering data from an unstable drive. The additional stress of scanning the drive directly can push it over the edge to complete failure.<\/div>\r\n<p>Disk Drill is one of our favorite <a href=\"\/hard-drive-data-recovery.html\">hard drive data recovery apps<\/a>. It\u2019s easy to use, affordable, and well-suited for recovering data from corrupted disks with a file system that\u2019s either not identified or appears as RAW. By interfacing with the drive directly, it bypasses any error messages that stop traditional apps. And, because it can recover using file system pointers (from file systems like FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS, EXT, and BTFS) and file signatures, it gives you even better odds of recovering more.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p><b>To recover your files from your external hard disk drive with Disk Drill:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"\/download.html\"><b>Download<\/b><\/a> Disk Drill on your Windows or Mac.<div class=\"relative bottom download__block\">\r\n            <div class=\"d-flex align-center download__block__inner\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image-wrapper\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image\">\r\n                    <img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-96.png\" srcset=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-2x-1.png 2x\" alt=\"Disk Drill\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\">        \r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__announce\">\r\n                    <b>download-block-title<\/b><br>\r\n                    download-block-text\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__action\">\r\n                    <a href=\"\/\/download.html\" data-href-mac=\/\/disk-drill-mac.html data-href-win=\/\/disk-drill-win.html class=\"button button-green btn-md osreplace\">\r\n<svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M11.9546 7.293C11.8736 7.114 11.6956 7 11.4996 7H9.49957V0.5C9.49957 0.224 9.27557 0 8.99957 0H6.99957C6.72357 0 6.49957 0.224 6.49957 0.5V7H4.49957C4.30357 7 4.12557 7.115 4.04457 7.293C3.96257 7.472 3.99457 7.681 4.12357 7.829L7.62357 11.829C7.71857 11.938 7.85557 12 7.99957 12C8.14357 12 8.28057 11.937 8.37557 11.829L11.8756 7.829C12.0056 7.682 12.0356 7.472 11.9546 7.293Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<path d=\"M13.5 11V14H2.5V11H0.5V15C0.5 15.553 0.948 16 1.5 16H14.5C15.053 16 15.5 15.553 15.5 15V11H13.5Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<\/svg>\r\ndownload-block-button-text\r\n<\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Install it<\/b>, and then launch the app once it&#8217;s installed.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter size-full wp-image-45643\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install.jpg\" alt=\"Disk Drill Installation\" width=\"942\" height=\"616\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install-500x327.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install-768x502.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 942px) 100vw, 942px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Choose<\/b> the external hard disk drive to scan from Disk Drill&#8217;s Device\/Disk list at the center of its window. Then click on <b>Search for lost data<\/b>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54584 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/scanning-corrupted-hdd.jpg\" alt=\"Scanning the corrupted HDD for recoverable data.\" width=\"1384\" height=\"813\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/scanning-corrupted-hdd.jpg 1384w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/scanning-corrupted-hdd-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/scanning-corrupted-hdd-500x294.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/scanning-corrupted-hdd-768x451.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1384px) 100vw, 1384px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Disk Drill will begin scanning your external hard disk drive. You can use the button adjacent to the home icon on the top left to <b>pause<\/b> and <b>resume<\/b> the process at any time. You can also click on <b>Review found items<\/b> to see the files Disk Drill has located and choose the ones to recover. However, it&#8217;s best to let the scanning process finish to find as many files as possible.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54583 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/review-corrupted-hdd-data.jpg\" alt=\"Reviewing the corrupted HDD data.\" width=\"1369\" height=\"803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/review-corrupted-hdd-data.jpg 1369w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/review-corrupted-hdd-data-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/review-corrupted-hdd-data-500x293.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/review-corrupted-hdd-data-768x450.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1369px) 100vw, 1369px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Go through Disk Drill\u2019s results and place a checkmark on the left of the files you want to recover. Disk Drill lets you preview any file types that Windows can open natively, like JPEG and MP4, as well as files you have the default application for.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54580 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/selected-hdd-files.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting the HDD files.\" width=\"1404\" height=\"825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/selected-hdd-files.jpg 1404w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/selected-hdd-files-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/selected-hdd-files-500x294.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/selected-hdd-files-768x451.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1404px) 100vw, 1404px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>If Disk Drill found thousands of files, use <b>filters<\/b> to find the files you want. Options include filtering results by status (existing, deleted, etc.) and file size. Once you\u2019ve marked all the files you want to restore, click the <b>Recover<\/b> button. If you\u2019re only interested in recovering everything, use the <b>Recover all<\/b> option instead.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54581 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/filter-options.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing filter options.\" width=\"1380\" height=\"814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/filter-options.jpg 1380w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/filter-options-300x177.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/filter-options-500x295.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/filter-options-768x453.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1380px) 100vw, 1380px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Choose<\/b> where you want to store all recovered files. Then, click on <b>Next<\/b> to start the actual recovery process.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54582 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/recovery-location.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing a recovery location.\" width=\"1384\" height=\"811\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/recovery-location.jpg 1384w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/recovery-location-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/recovery-location-500x293.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/recovery-location-768x450.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1384px) 100vw, 1384px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>When done, Disk Drill will present a summary of the data recovery. Click on <b>Show recovered data in Explorer<\/b> to open with Windows&#8217; default file manager the folder where Disk Drill stored all recovered files.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_repair_or_fix_an_external_hard_disk_drive_without_formatting\"><\/span>How to Repair or Fix an External Hard Disk Drive Without Formatting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>You can take many paths to fix an external hard disk drive without formatting it. If you\u2019re an experienced user looking for more advanced solutions, check out our full guide on <a href=\"\/howto\/repair-corrupted-external-hard-drive.html\">how to repair a corrupted external hard drive<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_1_use_chkdsk\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 1:<\/span> Use CHKDSK<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>CHKDSK was created for fixing hard disk drive errors back in the DOS era. Despite being a command-line application, it\u2019s still relevant and helpful in dealing with drive problems, more specifically, those relating to your file system.<\/p>\r\n<p>Typically, CHKDSK requires that your file system be at least identifiable. However, there is a unique case where a NTFS-formatted partition turns RAW due to a damaged boot sector. In this case, CHKDSK can use the information from the backup boot sector to restore functionality.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; We\u2019ll be using the <b>\/r<\/b> flag in this method. This instructs CHKDSK to repair any bad sectors it locates. In this process, data can become unrecoverable, so it\u2019s best that you back up the data before doing this.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>This is how you run CHKDSK using CMD:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open a console window by hitting <kbd>Windows key<\/kbd> + <kbd>X<\/kbd> and selecting <b>Windows Terminal<\/b> or <b>PowerShell<\/b>. Go for the version with elevated privileges (marked &#8220;admin&#8221;).<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter size-full wp-image-45650\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Windows-Terminal-Admin.jpg\" alt=\"Winkey X Windows Terminal Admin\" width=\"1160\" height=\"637\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Windows-Terminal-Admin.jpg 1160w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Windows-Terminal-Admin-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Windows-Terminal-Admin-500x275.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Windows-Terminal-Admin-768x422.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Type <kbd>CHKDSK \/f E:<\/kbd> (where &#8220;E&#8221; is the letter of your drive) to scan its file system for errors.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54586 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-f.jpg\" alt=\"Running the CHKDSK with the  \/f flag.\" width=\"1509\" height=\"872\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-f.jpg 1509w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-f-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-f-500x289.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-f-768x444.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1509px) 100vw, 1509px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>If that doesn&#8217;t &#8220;fix&#8221; your drive, have CHKDSK scan the entire storage area for bad sectors, mark them as unusable, and then &#8220;correct&#8221; the file system, with <kbd>CHKDSK \/r E:<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54587 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-d.jpg\" alt=\"Running CHKDSK with the \/r flag.\" width=\"1499\" height=\"863\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-d.jpg 1499w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-d-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-d-500x288.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/chkdsk-d-768x442.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1499px) 100vw, 1499px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4dd; Two useful extra flags worth knowing are <kbd>\/x<\/kbd> and <kbd>\/i<\/kbd>. The first forces Windows to dismount the drive before scanning, while the second boosts scanning speed by skipping some tests. Finally, to learn more about CHKDSK, try <kbd>CHKDSK \/?<\/kbd>.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_2_recover_partition_using_testdisk\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 2:<\/span> Recover Partition Using TestDisk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>An excellent tool to recover an external hard drive without formatting is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cgsecurity.org\/wiki\/TestDisk\">TestDisk<\/a>, a free and open-source partition recovery tool. Rather than recover select files, TestDisk works by fixing the corruption itself, thereby restoring access to the partition and its data.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-secondary\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4ac; TestDisk is a command-line tool. Although it\u2019s merely a case of going through each option, it can be quite complex to someone who\u2019s less familiar with these types of tools. Therefore, making a backup beforehand is a good idea, as these changes cannot be reversed.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you can recover a partition using TestDisk:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cgsecurity.org\/wiki\/TestDisk_Download\">Download<\/a> and extract TestDisk. Open <b>testdisk_win.exe<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd> to create a new log file.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54592 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/new-log-file.jpg\" alt=\"Creating a new log file.\" width=\"1232\" height=\"735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/new-log-file.jpg 1232w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/new-log-file-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/new-log-file-500x298.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/new-log-file-768x458.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1232px) 100vw, 1232px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select your drive, then press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54590 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/disk-selection.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting a disk.\" width=\"1246\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/disk-selection.jpg 1246w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/disk-selection-300x181.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/disk-selection-500x301.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/disk-selection-768x462.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1246px) 100vw, 1246px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose your partition table type, then press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54593 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/partition-table-type.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing a partition table type.\" width=\"1235\" height=\"735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/partition-table-type.jpg 1235w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/partition-table-type-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/partition-table-type-500x298.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/partition-table-type-768x457.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1235px) 100vw, 1235px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54589 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/analyze-option.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing the analyze option.\" width=\"1249\" height=\"748\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/analyze-option.jpg 1249w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/analyze-option-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/analyze-option-500x299.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/analyze-option-768x460.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1249px) 100vw, 1249px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd> to perform a quick search.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54594 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-search.jpg\" alt=\"Performing a quick search.\" width=\"1241\" height=\"743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-search.jpg 1241w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-search-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-search-500x299.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-search-768x460.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1241px) 100vw, 1241px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54595 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/unrecoverable-partition.jpg\" alt=\"The unrecoverable partition.\" width=\"1248\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/unrecoverable-partition.jpg 1248w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/unrecoverable-partition-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/unrecoverable-partition-500x300.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/unrecoverable-partition-768x462.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1248px) 100vw, 1248px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Open the lost partition by selecting it and pressing <kbd>Enter<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54591 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/found-partition.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting the lost partition.\" width=\"1251\" height=\"751\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/found-partition.jpg 1251w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/found-partition-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/found-partition-500x300.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/found-partition-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1251px) 100vw, 1251px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Go to the <b>Write<\/b> option and press <kbd>Enter<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54588 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/write-option.jpg\" alt=\"Writing the new partition table.\" width=\"1227\" height=\"745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/write-option.jpg 1227w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/write-option-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/write-option-500x304.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/write-option-768x466.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1227px) 100vw, 1227px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Y<\/kbd> to confirm.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_3_assign_a_drive_letter\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 3:<\/span> Assign a Drive Letter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>If your drive isn\u2019t appearing in File Explorer, that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not recognized at all. If you check Disk Management and find that the drive is both visible and reading the correct capacity, formatting is not necessary, as you likely only need to assign a drive letter.<\/p>\r\n<p>Windows may \u201cforget\u201d to assign a letter to one of your storage devices if you have many and often connect and disconnect them.<\/p>\r\n<p>Thankfully, fixing that is easy. <b>This is how to read a HDD without formatting by assigning a valid drive letter:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Windows Key<\/kbd> + <kbd>X<\/kbd> and select <b>Disk Management<\/b>. Alternatively, you can seek Disk Management by its name in the Windows Start menu and launch it from there.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter size-full wp-image-45653\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Disk-Management.jpg\" alt=\"Winkey-X Disk Management\" width=\"1065\" height=\"627\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Disk-Management.jpg 1065w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Disk-Management-300x177.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Disk-Management-500x294.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Winkey-X-Disk-Management-768x452.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1065px) 100vw, 1065px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Locate your inaccessible external hard disk drive among the rest of the listed devices. Right-click on it, and choose <b>Change Drive Letter and Paths<\/b> from the menu that shows up.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54599 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/change-drive-letter.jpg\" alt=\"Changing the drive letter.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/change-drive-letter.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/change-drive-letter-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/change-drive-letter-500x322.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/change-drive-letter-768x495.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click on <b>Add<\/b> in the window that will show up to assign a letter to your drive.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54598 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/add-drive-letter.jpg\" alt=\"Adding a drive letter.\" width=\"1277\" height=\"839\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/add-drive-letter.jpg 1277w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/add-drive-letter-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/add-drive-letter-500x329.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/add-drive-letter-768x505.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1277px) 100vw, 1277px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>On the next window, go for <b>Assign the following drive letter<\/b>. Then, <b>choose a letter<\/b> for your external hard disk drive from the pull-down menu on the right. Finally, <b>click on OK<\/b> on both windows and close the Disk Management window. Your external hard drive should now be accessible.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54597 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/confirm-drive-letter.jpg\" alt=\"Confirming the drive letter.\" width=\"1285\" height=\"830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/confirm-drive-letter.jpg 1285w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/confirm-drive-letter-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/confirm-drive-letter-500x323.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/confirm-drive-letter-768x496.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1285px) 100vw, 1285px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_4_run_an_sfcdism_scan\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 4:<\/span> Run an SFC\/DISM Scan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>The following steps <b>don&#8217;t<\/b> affect or &#8220;fix&#8221; a problematic external hard disk drive. That&#8217;s because SFC and DISM are actually tools for fixing Windows OS files, <b>not<\/b> storage devices.<\/p>\r\n<p>Still, OS corruption can cause various problems, like a computer&#8217;s inability to &#8220;recognize&#8221; or use external hard disk drives.<\/p>\r\n<p>So, to scan Windows for problems and &#8220;renew&#8221; its files with SFC and DISM:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Windows Key<\/kbd> + <kbd>X<\/kbd> and launch an &#8220;elevated&#8221; Windows Terminal or PowerShell instance (marked as &#8220;Admin&#8221;). Then, to scan your Windows installation for problems, type <kbd>sfc \/scannow<\/kbd>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54600 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sfc-command.jpg\" alt=\"SFC command.\" width=\"1488\" height=\"859\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sfc-command.jpg 1488w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sfc-command-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sfc-command-500x289.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sfc-command-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1488px) 100vw, 1488px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>After the SFC scan, use the command <kbd>DISM \/Online \/Cleanup-Image \/RestoreHealth<\/kbd>. This will replace any corrupted files in your Windows installation with new, &#8220;pristine&#8221; versions from Microsoft&#8217;s servers. You can also swap &#8220;\/RestoreHealth&#8221; for &#8220;\/CheckHealth&#8221; or &#8220;\/ScanHealth&#8221; to only check for corruption without actually fixing it. However, it&#8217;s suggested you move directly to RestoreHealth to avoid over-stressing a potentially failing OS drive.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54601 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dism-command.jpg\" alt=\"DISM command.\" width=\"1499\" height=\"859\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dism-command.jpg 1499w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dism-command-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dism-command-500x287.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dism-command-768x440.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1499px) 100vw, 1499px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f528; According to Microsoft, you might have to issue the command <kbd>sfc \/scannow<\/kbd> up to <b>three<\/b> times to fix all possible problems with your Windows installation.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_5_update_related_drivers\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 5:<\/span> Update Related Drivers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Sometimes Windows Update might not install the correct driver. Even if it looks as if everything&#8217;s in order, many things can go wrong.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f31f; Newer drivers might not support your older hardware.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f578; Older drivers don&#8217;t take full advantage of your hardware&#8217;s capabilities.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x2620; Drivers for hardware from different vendors might lead to substandard performance of your hardware, and sometimes complete failure.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Thankfully, it&#8217;s easy to update or swap drivers in Windows without losing data.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Press <kbd>Windows Key<\/kbd> + <kbd>X<\/kbd> and select the <b>Device Manager<\/b> (or search for it in Start and launch it from there). Locate your seemingly corrupted external hard disk drive under <b>Drives<\/b>, right-click on it, and choose <b>Update driver<\/b>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54602 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/update-driver.jpg\" alt=\"Updating the driver.\" width=\"1193\" height=\"757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/update-driver.jpg 1193w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/update-driver-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/update-driver-500x317.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/update-driver-768x487.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1193px) 100vw, 1193px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose <b>Search automatically for drivers<\/b> from the next window to seek new\/alternative drivers for the selected hardware. Then, follow along to update them.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54603 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-for-drivers.jpg\" alt=\"Searching for drivers.\" width=\"1168\" height=\"732\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-for-drivers.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-for-drivers-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-for-drivers-500x313.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-for-drivers-768x481.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1168px) 100vw, 1168px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f517; Your hard disk drive is only part of the storage equation. It&#8217;s best also to check if there are newer or better drivers for all devices under the Device Manager&#8217;s <b>IDE ATA\/ATAPI controllers<\/b> and <b>Storage controllers<\/b> groups.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_6_run_an_antivirus_scan\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 6:<\/span> Run an Antivirus Scan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Unfortunately, an antivirus scan can&#8217;t fix a corrupted external hard drive after a virus attack. Even if an antivirus scan detects and quarantines malicious files or processes, the damage will already have been done.<\/p>\r\n<p>However, you should still do it to ensure no further damage occurs. Windows&#8217; built-in Defender antivirus solution is usually up to the task.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>This is how to open external hard disk without formatting by performing virus removal:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open the Start menu and type &#8220;virus&#8221; to locate the <b>Virus and Threat Protection<\/b> entry. Then, launch it.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter size-full wp-image-45661\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Start-Virus-and-Threat-Protection.jpg\" alt=\"Start Virus and Threat Protection\" width=\"1304\" height=\"797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Start-Virus-and-Threat-Protection.jpg 1304w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Start-Virus-and-Threat-Protection-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Start-Virus-and-Threat-Protection-500x306.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Start-Virus-and-Threat-Protection-768x469.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1304px) 100vw, 1304px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Windows Defender (and most other built-in Windows security solutions) should already be <b>active<\/b>. If not, you&#8217;ll be given the option to enable them. To scan your PC for threats, click on the <b>Quick scan<\/b> button under <b>Current threats<\/b>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54604 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-scan.jpg\" alt=\"Running a quick scan.\" width=\"1474\" height=\"877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-scan.jpg 1474w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-scan-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-scan-500x297.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/quick-scan-768x457.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1474px) 100vw, 1474px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>That&#8217;s it. Depending on your Windows and Windows Defender settings, any threats found will be quarantined automatically, or you&#8217;ll be asked to choose how to deal with them.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x2139;&#xfe0f; Particularly nasty viruses can even restrict access to the drive, making it seem like formatting is the only solution. However, you can actually access files on the external hard drive without formatting by using data recovery software first. This way, you don\u2019t have to risk data becoming unrecoverable due to the format.<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_can_i_protect_an_external_hard_disk_drive_from_corruption\"><\/span>How Can I Protect an External Hard Disk Drive from Corruption?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Instead of seeking ways to fix an external hard drive that has become corrupted, it\u2019s best to avoid such problems altogether. Of course, this isn\u2019t always possible. But, there are some actionable steps you can take to at least ensure you\u2019re covering all your bases.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_eliminate_external_factors\"><\/span>1. Eliminate External Factors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>One of the most avoidable causes of corruption is ejecting the drive safely each time you\u2019re disconnecting it from a computer. Ejecting safely ensures all operations in progress on the drive are stopped. Simply pulling the external HDD out can cause corruption and prevent it from appearing, as seen in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/techsupport\/comments\/198lavo\/external_hdd_not_being_detected_after_abrupt\/\">this Reddit thread<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>How the drive is physically handled is just as important. As hard drives consist of mechanical parts, they can stop working at the smallest misalignment. In some cases, a single drop is all it takes, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/techsupport\/comments\/1fpti91\/i_dropped_a_hard_drive\/\">this user<\/a> experienced. Protect your drive against physical damage by storing it in a protective case when taking it with you. And, be sure to use high quality cables to prevent disconnections or bottlenecked transfer speeds.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_perform_regular_diagnostics\"><\/span>2. Perform Regular Diagnostics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Keeping an eye on your drive\u2019s health is an excellent way to get a headstart on any potential issues. Here are some common symptoms that point towards a failing hard drive:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Consistently slow performance<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Error messages when opening files<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Constant reconnections<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Disappearing data<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Beeping from the hard drive<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>S.M.A.R.T. data is a useful way to get the status of your drive. Manually checking this S.M.A.R.T. data all of the time is impractical. Instead, you can use a S.M.A.R.T. monitoring tool that runs in the background and alerts you to any concerning values. Disk Drill <a href=\"\/help\/monitor-smart-status-disk-health\/\">includes this feature for free<\/a>, or you can use a tool with similar functionality.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_keep_backups\"><\/span>3. Keep Backups<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>It\u2019s easy to overlook the importance of backups until you\u2019re faced with an issue that would benefit from one. Seeing as external hard drives are usually just a means of transporting data, many don\u2019t consider keeping backups of them. However, this can cost dearly if you move data to it, forget to take it off, and then lose it to due a data loss issue.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veeam.com\/blog\/321-backup-rule.html\">3-2-1 backup rule<\/a> is a well-known backup strategy. It involves keeping 3 copies of your data across 2 different storage mediums, with 1 residing offsite. However, automatic backups can be troublesome with external devices, considering they\u2019re always being moved. So, your best option is to regularly move data across from your external hard drive to one that\u2019s being backed up, or at least acts as a backup.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>In this article, we learned how to recover files from an external hard disk without formatting it (even from drives that are unreadable in some aspects) and how to \u201cfix\u201d it to continue using it. However, we\u2019ll have to close with a reminder.<\/p>\r\n<p>Wasn\u2019t this the first time something like this happened? Was it really your external hard disk drive that \u201cmisbehaved\u201d and not user error? Then, you shouldn\u2019t trust this storage device anymore with your precious data.<\/p>\r\n<p>Even if you managed to save most of your files from it and render it usable with one of the above solutions, make sure to at least double-check a S.M.A.R.T. analysis of its condition. You never know when it might fail again, and it\u2019s better to replace it instead of betting your data on a faulty storage device. And, in challenging data loss cases, don\u2019t forget that you can lean on a data recovery expert for help.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"related_posts\"><div class=\"related_posts__inner\"><div class=\"h4\">Read also<\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Frame-61.png\" alt=\"recover data\" width=\"140\" height=\"160\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-data-from-dead-external-hard-drive.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How To Recover Data From a Dead External Hard Drive<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-62.png\" alt=\"disk\" width=\"140\" height=\"160\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/help\/external-hard-drive-recovery.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Recover Data from External Hard Drives<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/drive-letter-icon-1.png\" alt=\"drive letter icon\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/repair-corrupted-external-hard-drive.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Repair Corrupted External Hard Drive Without Losing Data<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<div><section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 0px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq1\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq1\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_can_i_recover_files_from_my_external_hard_drive_without_formatting_for_free\"><\/span>How can I recover files from my external hard drive without formatting for free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>You can recover files from a corrupted external hard disk drive or any other storage device using an app like Disk Drill. There&#8217;s no need for formatting.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Download the app <a href=\"\/data-recovery-software.html\">from its official site<\/a>. Install it on a different device than the one from which you want to recover data, and run it.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose your external hard disk drive from Disk Drill&#8217;s list, and initiate a scan on it.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>When the scan completes, click on Review found data and select the files you want to get back. Use Disk Drill&#8217;s filters to make it easier to locate the ones you seek. When done, click on Recover.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose where you want to store the recovered files, and soon you&#8217;ll find them there.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 0px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq2\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq2\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can_you_recover_external_hard_drive_data_after_formatting\"><\/span>Can you recover external hard drive data after formatting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>Depending on the scenario you&#8217;re facing, it&#8217;s probably possible to recover most files from an external hard drive after formatting it, but only if the format process was a quick one and not a full one. To get your files back, you can:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Download an app like Disk Drill.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Have it scan your external hard disk drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose the files you want to recover.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Save them on another device.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>However, data recovery is unfortunately impossible after a full format.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 01px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq3\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq3\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_is_it_possible_to_fix_a_corrupted_external_hard_drive_without_formatting\"><\/span>How is it possible to fix a corrupted external hard drive without formatting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>Many methods exist to &#8220;fix&#8221; a corrupted external hard drive without formatting it. Formatting should be used only as a last resort if you no longer care about the data on the device and want a &#8220;quick fix&#8221; to continue using it.<\/p>\r\n<p>Some methods for fixing storage devices without having to format them are:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>In a Windows Terminal or PowerShell window, type &#8220;CHKDSK \/r DRIVE_LETTER&#8221; (replace &#8220;DRIVE_LETTER&#8221; with the letter of the drive you want to scan).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If you can&#8217;t get to your drive because its letter is missing, press Windows Key + X to open Disk Management. Then, right-click on your drive, select Change Drive Letter and Paths, and choose the letter you want to assign to it.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>In a Windows Terminal or PowerShell window, type &#8220;sfc \/scannow&#8221;, then &#8220;DISM \/Online \/Cleanup-Image \/RestoreHealth&#8221;.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press Windows Key + X, launch the Device Manager, and locate your drive and any related IDE ATA\/ATAPI and Storage controllers. Right-click on each, choose Update driver, and go through the steps on your screen to have Windows seek better drivers for those devices.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Having issues with a drive that\u2019s constantly asking you to format? This is a sign that the file system on your drive has become corrupted. In this state, your data still physically remains on the drive, but it\u2019s in a&#8230;","protected":false},"author":7884,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1753],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-45642","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-hard-drive-data-recovery-tips"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/og-cleverfiles.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jordan Jamieson-Mane\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Cleverfiles\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Cleverfiles\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jordan Jamieson-Mane\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"19 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting","description":"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting","og_description":"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html","og_site_name":"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/og-cleverfiles.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jordan Jamieson-Mane","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting","twitter_description":"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Disk_Drill_Install.jpg","twitter_creator":"@Cleverfiles","twitter_site":"@Cleverfiles","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jordan Jamieson-Mane","Est. reading time":"19 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html"},"author":{"name":"Jordan Jamieson-Mane","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/480ecc911a5da8b0b26038d678da4563"},"headline":"How to Recover Files From an External Hard Drive Without Formatting","datePublished":"2022-12-21T19:01:25+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-16T10:30:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html"},"wordCount":3318,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Hard Drive Recovery Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html","name":"6 Ways to Recover External Hard Drive Without Formatting","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-12-21T19:01:25+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-16T10:30:28+00:00","description":"Before performing a format, you should first try to recover your files from your external hard drive without formatting, as we see here!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-without-formatting.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u0413\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0430\u044f","item":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/fr\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Recover Files From an External Hard Drive Without Formatting"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/","name":"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization","name":"CleverFiles","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dd-mac-1024-flat.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dd-mac-1024-flat.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"CleverFiles"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/Cleverfiles"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/480ecc911a5da8b0b26038d678da4563","name":"Jordan Jamieson-Mane","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jordan-jamieson-mane-pfp-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jordan-jamieson-mane-pfp-96x96.png","caption":"Jordan Jamieson-Mane"},"description":"Jordan Jamieson-Mane is a technology content writer with a passionate interest in technology. Starting from a young age, this interest gradually turned into a career, with Jordan studying in the field of IT and moving into a technical role right out of tertiary education. After gaining valuable first-hand experience in the field, he started his journey as a technology content writer. As a tech enthusiast, his interests within the realm of technology include hardware, networking, smart technology, and consumer electronics. He also creates his own websites with a keen understanding of what it takes to grow and manage a website. Jordan is motivated by creating content that will benefit others. He has a strong work ethic and loves working with others that are just as enthusiastic as he is. During his time as a content writer, Jordan has written dozens of articles across many different niches with the intention of educating others in a way that's easy to understand. When he's not researching and writing articles, Jordan spends his free time reading, traveling the world, getting hands-on in his garden, or absorbing anything and everything he can about self-development to get the most out of his life.","sameAs":["jordanjamiesonmane"],"url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/author\/jordan-jamieson-mane\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7884"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45642"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56271,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45642\/revisions\/56271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}