Some events cause a file to become corrupted before it can be used in its entirety. And this is very frustrating, because sometimes you only have that one copy.
To help you in these moments, we’ve put together this article to teach you how to recover a corrupted file in 9 different ways. And the best thing: in simple and extremely easy ways.
Is it possible to recover corrupted files?
Most people who use technology in their daily lives have probably experienced the situation of a corrupted file. However, what few people know is that it is possible to recover them.
When a file becomes corrupted, a fault has probably occurred in its data structure 一 and this can be caused by different factors, as we’ll see below. However, there are some ways to recover that corrupted file.
So don’t panic!
What are the most common causes of corrupted files?
A file, whether it’s on a desktop or a mobile device, can become corrupted due to various causes.
Check out the main ones in the list below:
- System shutdown during an update;
- Virus attacks that copy your files and leave the originals corrupted or encrypted;
- Removing the USB flash drive without using the safe eject feature;
- Attempting to save files on a device that has no space available.
How do I recover corrupted files?
To recover a corrupted file, it is not always necessary to use an external program or a specific method.
See:
Repair the file
As soon as you realize that a file has been corrupted, look for online software to repair it. A quick internet search will find what you need.
Virus scan
Another option for recovering a corrupted file is to run a virus scan on your computer. Often, the file is not corrupt, but has simply been infected by a virus that prevents it from opening properly.
Volume shadow copy
A simple and very practical Windows feature, volume shadow copy automatically creates a copy of your corrupted file. To do this, simply right-click on the file you want to copy and select the “Previous Versions” option.
If this option is not available, a list of several older versions will be shown and you can choose the one you want to recover.
Error checking
In “My Computer”, select the disk drive where the corrupted file is located. Then right-click on it and click on “Properties”. When a window opens, select “Tools” and then click on the “Scan” button.
This procedure may take some time to complete, so make sure you do it at a time when you don’t need the equipment.
System restore
When you restore the system, you are allowed to restore the entire operation of the machine to a previous point in time. This way, you can recover corrupted files.
To start the function, go to the “Control Panel” and select the “System Restore” option. Follow the instructions and choose which point you want the system to go back to.
Just like error checking, system restore can also take a while to complete.
Use the CHKDSK command
Created in the now-defunct MS-DOS, the CHKDSK command is able to check the integrity of the hard disk and try to repair any faults that may exist.
To use it, first open the Windows command prompt and run it as an administrator. Then type the command “chkdsk” and wait for your disk to be scanned for problems. When finished, a report will be displayed.
Run the command SFC /scannow
As with the CHKDSK command, open the command prompt, type “sfc /scannow” and hit enter. This command will scan all the protected files on your system, replacing corrupted files with a cached copy.
It’s important to note that you shouldn’t close the prompt window before the scan is complete, as the results are displayed as soon as the process is finished.
Changing the file format
If you have ever tried to open a file that didn’t match the actual format and you don’t know how to solve the problem, no problem. We’re here to show you what to do.
To change the format of the file you’re not opening, you just need to change its extension (example: from .doc to .txt). However, be aware of where the file came from, as it may have been sent by a hacker who wants to harm you.
Use an online file repair tool
If the previous options haven’t worked to recover a corrupted file, you can download a data recovery tool, such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Recuva or Disk Drill.
In this article here, we suggest 8 more tools, in addition to these 3, to help you in the process.
Conclusion
To prevent corrupted files from appearing on your machine, make sure they are backed up, either on an external disk or in the cloud. It’s very important to pay attention to these issues, as the procedures mentioned here don’t always guarantee 100% recovery of your file.
If you haven’t had any success with the 9 ways we’ve outlined here, you can always count on Bot, a data recovery company with a presence in 2 countries and which has been working in the field for over 10 years.
To start your recovery, click here, fill in the form and leave the rest to us!
