
Enter the following command: chkdsk X: /r.Typically, scanning the problematic USB drive with CHKDSK is all it takes to make the error message go away and your data become accessible again. The message usually states: ‘ You need to format the disk in drive X: before you can use it’, as shown below. In cases like this, it’s usually the fault of the USB flash drive as it’s gotten corrupted or damaged. If you’re concerned that you can’t retrieve your data from a USB drive because it’s unreadable or inaccessible via Windows File Explorer, rest assured that there are methods available to resolve this issue without needing to alter the drive’s structure. Various third-party tools let you securely format your USB drive by overwriting its content at least one time with new data, making data recovery impossible.ĭo You Need Formatting to Access Your Data? This formatting type works exactly like Quick formatting, but it also scans the formatted USB drive for bad sectors, which is a time-consuming process, that makes data recovery next to impossible. Yes, your data can be restored if it has not been overwritten by further use of the device. In this scenario, your operating system creates a new file system on your device without permanently deleting the data on it. If you choose this formatting type, all files will be instantly removed from your USB drive, but the drive won’t be scanned for bad sectors. After formatting a USB drive, the chances you’ll have for recovering data depend on the type of formatting you choose.
