Top USB Stick Recovery and Troubleshooting

USB sticks are important tools for us to store and transfer data. But what should we do when the files in them become inaccessible or lost due to device corruption or human error? After reading this blog, you will find the answers.

Here, we will incorporate its data storage principles to explain the story behind what happens and provide effective USB stick recovery solutions for different mishaps.

Table of contents
  1. Physical Layer
  2. Transport Protocol Layer
  3. Flash Management Layer
  4. File System Layer
  5. Application Layer
  1. Accidental Deletion or Quick Formatting
  2. Erasing with a File Shredding Tool or Performing Low-level Formatting
  3. Virus or Malware Infection
  4. Accidentally Overwriting Files in USB Stick
  5. Data Loss Due to Incorrect Usage
Reasons and Solutions for USB Physical File Loss
  1. USB Not Show Up in File Explorer or Finder
  2. File System Corruption or Logical Errors
  3. File Locked or Unable to Transfer (Only Mac)
Tips for Preventing USB Stick Corrupted or Data Los
Summary
FAQs

Underlying System Architecture for USB Flash Drive Data Storage

We can transfer files to a USB drive or create a new one with just a few clicks. However, this is only on the surface. In fact, this involves the collaborative work of hardware (USB interface, controller, flash chip), protocol (USB Mass Storage, SCSI), and file system. To facilitate your understanding, we have summarized it into five modules.

  1. Application Layer (file operations, e.g., copy, paste, delete)
  2. File System Layer (FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, and more)
  3. Flash management Layer (SCSI command set, e.g., read, write, erase commands)
  4. Transport Protocol Layer (e.g., mass storage protocols)
  5. Physical Layer (Hardware)

The following is a detailed analysis of each module from a technical point of view:

1. Physical Layer

As a hardware part for data storage, which includes flash memory, PCB and USB controller chips, crystal oscillators, surface mount resistors, etc.

2. Transport Protocol Layer

It acts as a bridge for communication between USB flash drives and computers, i.e., rules.

3. Flash Management Layer

It is used to manage the characteristics and limitations of NAND flash memory. Details are as follows:

4. File System Layer

It is the logical layer of a USB stick for organizing and managing files, consisting of the following four parts.

5. Application Layer

Most of our interaction with a USB flash drive occurs here. The following are common operations with their access areas or corresponding module changes.

Reasons for Non-Physical Data Loss and How to USB Stick Recovery?

As mentioned, non-physical data loss occurs mainly at the application and flash management layers. Because the content in the file system layer's data area is not involved, reconstructing this file's information in the boot sector and root directory is usually sufficient for recovery.

#1. Accidental Deletion or Quick Formatting

Most of the users have experienced it. Since the data is still in the storage media, it can be recovered easily and efficiently.

What Happened Behind the Scenes:

Solution:

Why do we recommend iBeesoft Data Recovery? Because its following highlights are enough to ensure a good recovery success rate.

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How to recover deleted files from a flash drive using iBeesoft Data Recovery

For Windows 12/11/10:

  1. Connect this USB drive to a PC and ensure that it can be recognized.
  2. After completing the installation of iBeesoft Data Recovery, double-click the icon on the desktop to launch it.
  3. In the main interface, click "Settings" at the bottom and deselect the file types you don't need to retrieve. Then, select the USB drive and press the "Scan" button.
  4. Find the lost data by the directory on the left side of the page. Tick them and click the "Recover" button.
  5. In the dialog box, choose a location to save these items. Please note that when selecting the storage source, don't select the location where they were originally located, i.e., the USB drive itself.

For macOS:

  1. After running iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac, select the USB drive and click the "Scan for lost files" button at the bottom right of the page.
  2. After completing the scanning, view the recoverable data by type or path on the left side.
  3. Select the ones you need and click the "Recover" button to save them.

For Linux:

Although iBeesoft does not provide a Linux version, R-Linux is a trustworthy option. Except for not supporting network drives and rebuilding RAID, it has the same functionality as R-Studio. Here are the steps to use it to recover data from USB stick.

  1. Download and install R-Linux.
  2. Select the flash drive in the device list on the left side of the page, and then click "Scan" in the top menu.
  3. Click on the file type on the left side of the page, and then select the data that needs to be recovered from the list on the right. Finally, click on "Recover" in the menu.

#2. Erasing with a File Shredding Tool or Performing Low-level Formatting

Since such operations overwrite or reset the information in the data area, it will be an irretrievable disaster for users who wish to perform flash drive recovery.

What Happened Behind the Scenes:

Scenario Analysis:

Solution:

#3. Virus or Malware Infection

Nowadays, although infected viruses and malware programs rarely attack us, it is undeniable that they are still one reason for file loss from USB sticks.

What Happened Behind the Scenes:

Scenario Analysis:

Solution:

#4. Accidentally Overwriting Files in USB Stick

In our survey, many users will experience this situation due to carelessness. However, compared with other data loss, its remedies are limited.

What Happened Behind the Scenes:

Scenario Analysis:

Solution:

#5. Data Loss Due to Incorrect Usage

In this case, the tools applicable to USB stick recovery will become ineffective, and you can only try to repair the class of service or program.

What Happened Behind the Scenes:

Scenario Analysis:

Solution:

Reasons and Solutions for USB Physical File Loss

This is caused by the failure of the storage device's physical media, i.e., the physical layer. Retrieving data from a flash drive is usually very difficult, but there is still a chance.

Symptoms:

Reason Analysis:

Solution:

Symptoms of A Corrupted Flash Drive and How to Fix It

Non-physical corruption occurs mainly at the file system and transport protocol layers. These failures are usually repairable. Depending on the symptoms, you can choose different troubleshooting methods.

#1. USB Not Show Up in File Explorer or Finder

Symptoms:

Reason Analysis:

Troubleshooting:

#2. File System Corruption or Logical Errors

Symptoms:

Reason Analysis:

Troubleshooting:

#3. File Locked or Unable to Transfer (Only Mac)

Symptoms:

Reason Analysis:

Troubleshooting:

Tips for Preventing USB Stick Corrupted or Data Loss

Summary

There are many reasons why files in flash drives can be lost or inaccessible during our use. With the help of this comprehensive USB stick recovery and troubleshooting guide, we believe anyone can benefit from it.

Finally, although these methods can save your life in a pinch, the most important thing is to follow the tips to keep files safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

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