Top 2 Ways to Perform Thumb Drive Data Recovery

Can you recover data from a thumb drive?

A thumb drive (USB flash drive/pen drive) is a small data storage device with flash memory and a built-in USB interface.

This portable device renders convenience for users to store or transfer data between PCs. Nevertheless, accidental deletion, intentional deletion, hardware failure, incorrect connection, or other mishandling could cause USB data loss.  

How to recover deleted files from USB?

So how to recover deleted files from thumb drive? At the moment, both Windows File Recovery and another USB data recovery software could give you a hand. Furthermore, please follow these suggestions for a better thumb drive data recovery.

In practice, the deleted performance cannot wipe out the deleted files from your thumb drive. There still exists the free storage space as ready for overwriting. 

After data loss, please stop the USB flash drive immediately. Moreover, please don’t add new data to it because new data could overwrite the deleted/lost files.   

Disconnect the USB stick from your PC until you’re ready to start performing flash drive data recovery. 

Do not attempt to repair bad sectors of your thumb drive because the repair process may destroy the deleted/lost data.

Option 1. Perform thumb drive data recovery with Windows File Recovery

How to recover deleted files from USB? Computer-savvy users can try to use Windows File Recovery to perform flash drive data recovery. Please tap into this command-line software   

Please designate the mode and switches first, and you’re ready to resemble your needed command lines with the basic command format winfr source-drive: destination drive: [/mode] [/switches].

• The source drive (which contains data you want to restore) is different from the destination drive (which store the recovered data).
• Four (Extensive, Regular, Segment, and Signature) modes can support four (NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and ReFS) file systems.

Step 1. Connect the thumb drive to your PC. Then click “This PC” > right-click on the source drive > “Properties” to check the file system of your source drive.

Step 2. After figuring out the file system of your source drive and data loss scenarios, please choose a recommended mode.

Step 3. Select some switches you need from the following form.

Step 4. Download Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store by clicking the “Get” button. Then install and “Open” it.

Step 5. Let’s perform how to restore the recently deleted PDF file from the thumb drive (assume it’s the F drive) to the D drive.

the basic command format: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]

the adjusted command line: winfr F: D: /regular /n*.pdf

Step 6. Please enter the adjusted command line in the window. Then press “y” to go on. If you need to stop the recovery process, press the “Ctrl + C” keys.

Option 2. Use the best USB data recovery software

For newcomers, Windows File Recovery is not a well-designed data recovery software. Are you looking for another more user-friendly flash drive data recovery software?

Maybe MyRecover can satisfy your various needs. For deleted files, there’s no need for you to open the recovered files to check their contents because you can judge the content according to the original filenames.

Let’s have a closer look at other highlights. 

Step 1. Install and run MyRecover on your PC. Then connect your USB flash drive to the computer.

Step 2. Hover the mouse over your thumb drive, and click Scan.

Step 3. During the scanning process, you can search your needed files by typing the filename in the search bar. After running Quick Scan and Deep Scan automatically, this tool will show all the deleted files and other missing files.

Step 4. Go to the Deleted files folder, select your needed files and click the “Recover x files” button. Remember to store the recovered data in your specified saved path.

Q&A for thumb drive recovery

How do you recover hidden files on a flash drive?

In this case, you can use the attrib command to recover hidden files from USB because ATTRIB allows you to change the file attribute (read-only, hidden, system, or archive) of a file or folder.

Please connect your thumb drive to the computer. Then press “Win + X” and select the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option.

Type “attrib –h –r –s /s /d G:\*.*” in the command prompt window and hit “Enter” to recover your files. Remember to replace “G” with the drive letter of your USB.

After the restoration process, you’ll find these hidden files become visible to you in the original location.

How to perform flash drive partition recovery?

AOMEI Partition Assistant Wizard is a good helper for users to recover the deleted/lost partition on the USB drive.

For flash drive partition recovery, you’d better don’t add new data to overwrite the flash memory. Otherwise, the deleted partition will be unrecoverable and sanitized.

How to recover files from USB without drive letter to computers?

If you fail to access your USB drive due to a lack of drive letter, at the moment, please assign a new drive letter to the USB flash drive to fix this issue.

Connect the thumb drive to your PC. Then press “Win + R” and type “diskmgmt.msc” in the Run window. Please click “OK” or hit “Enter” to open the Disk Management.

Right-click on your USB drive, then click “Change Drive Letter and Paths” > “Change” > “Assign the following drive letter” (Please note the assigned new drive letter is different from all the drive letters).

After assigning, you can press “Win + E” to open Windows File Explorer to view your thumb drive.

In conclusion

Although this post shares two thumb drive data recovery solutions with you, most users could prefer the latter USB data recovery software with a GUI. In brief, please select a suitable recovery solution based on your situation.

Moreover, perhaps relevant thumb drive recovery tips can give you some inspiration. To prevent data loss, this free data loss prevention software-AOMEI Backupper could be your second-to-none choice. With its aid, several clicks can help you backup files, folders, disks, partitions, or the system.