A professional had been using a Sandisk Cruzer 8GB USB drive for over five years without any issues. However, after a period of inactivity, the client attempted to use the USB drive to transfer work-related files before reformatting their laptop and updating the OS.
Initially, the USB drive allowed file transfers, but when the client tried to copy the data back to the laptop, the drive suddenly stopped working. The system displayed an error message stating:
“The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.”
After this, the drive would automatically eject, making access to critical files impossible. This USB drive contained all of the client’s work-related files, and without a backup, the risk of permanent data loss was high.
After attempting basic troubleshooting steps without success, the client sought professional help from Manchester Data Recovery, a specialist company with over 25 years of experience in recovering lost, deleted, and inaccessible data from various storage media.
Challenges
- File System Corruption – The USB drive’s file structure had become unreadable, preventing access to stored files.
- Intermittent Connection & Auto-Ejection – The drive would frequently disconnect, making recovery difficult.
- No Backup Available – The files on the USB drive were the only copies of important work-related documents.
- Time Sensitivity – The client needed urgent data recovery before reformatting their laptop.
Solution by Manchester Data Recovery
Upon receiving the Sandisk Cruzer 8GB, the expert engineers at Manchester Data Recovery followed a specialized recovery process:
✅ USB Drive Diagnosis & Imaging – The device was assessed for physical or logical damage. A sector-by-sector clone was created to preserve the original data.
✅ Corrupted File System Reconstruction – Using advanced forensic tools, engineers bypassed the damaged file system and rebuilt the directory structure to restore file accessibility.
✅ Deep Data Extraction & Recovery – Specialised recovery software retrieved inaccessible and deleted files from the drive’s raw data.
✅ File Verification & Secure Transfer – Successfully recovered files were verified for integrity and transferred to a new, reliable storage device for the client.
Results & Client Impact
- Over 99% of work-related files successfully recovered
- File system restored, allowing full access to documents
- Secure data transfer to a new storage device to prevent future data loss
- Client able to proceed with laptop reformat and OS update without losing important files
The client was extremely relieved, as Manchester Data Recovery was able to retrieve critical files that would have otherwise been lost.
Conclusion
This case highlights the risks of USB drive corruption and data loss, especially when no backup is available. If a USB drive starts showing errors or auto-ejecting, continuing to use it may worsen the problem.
For cases involving USB corruption, unreadable drives, and lost files, Manchester Data Recovery provides expert data retrieval services using advanced hardware and forensic techniques.
👉 Experiencing USB Drive Failure? Contact Manchester Data Recovery Today!