Fix The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable in Windows 10/8/7
When you encounter the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable, you may use feasible ways to solve the problem quickly.
| Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
|---|---|
| Free Error Repair Tool - Qiling Partition Manager | To repair disk problems such as lost clusters, cross-linked files, and directory errors, use the 'Check File System' feature in Qiling partition management software. This feature can help identify and fix issues within the file system.Full steps |
| Run CHKDSK in Command Prompt | The CHKDSK command checks the file system and file system metadata of a volume for logical and physical errors. To run CHKDSK, simply open the Command Prompt, type "chkdsk" followed by the drive letter of the volume you want to check (e.g. "chkdsk c:"), and press Enter. This will initiate the scan and report any issues found.Full steps |
| Format the Hard Drive Partition | Formatting the problematic hard drive can effectively fix the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable issue, but it will also restore files on the hard drive, potentially avoiding data loss.Full steps |
The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable Symptoms
When you plug in an external hard drive, USB flash drive, SD card, or other storage devices into your computer running Windows, it may prompt an error message saying "Drive H:\ is not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable."
The symptoms of a corrupted file or directory include "file or directory is corrupted and unreadable" error message, inability to access or open the file, file not found error, file is missing or deleted, file is locked or in use by another program, file is damaged or incomplete, file is encrypted or compressed incorrectly, and file system errors or crashes.
- If you check the device's file system, you're likely to find that it's a raw file system.
- When location is not available error 0x80070570 the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable error message happens, you can not access your device. You might end up with huge data loss at most times.
- The 'H:\ is not accessible' error message appears when trying to open a storage device on a Windows PC, specifically when the drive letter is 'H'.
If a file or directory becomes corrupted and unreadable, it's essential to solve the problem promptly to avoid losing your data. Fortunately, you can easily fix the error on Windows 10 with some simple solutions. Let's go through them together.
Repair Disk Errors or Corrupted File System to Fix The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable Error
Checking disk errors and repairing corrupted file systems can solve the file directory is corrupted and unreadable error caused by bad sectors and file system corruption. Two tried-and-true methods are available: one involves checking disk errors, while the other involves repairing corrupted file systems. This can help resolve the issue and make the file directory readable again.
1. Free Disk Error Repair Tool - Partition Management Software
To fix a corrupted file system and hard drive, the simplest solution is to use Qiling Partition Master, a user-friendly partition tool that helps organize your hard drive and optimize disk partitions, ultimately extending your computer's lifespan and capabilities.
Qiling partition manager has a "Check File System" feature that helps fix file system corruption issues, making corrupted and unreadable files or directories readable again.
- To transfer free disk space from one drive to another, you can use the built-in Disk Management utility in Windows. Here's a brief summary of the steps: Open Disk Management, select the drive with free space you want to transfer (e.
- To manage partitions, you can resize or move them, merge them to free up space, clone a partition to create an exact copy, check for file system errors, or wipe data from a partition, such as wiping an external hard drive.
- You can convert a logical partition to a primary partition or vice versa, convert a FAT partition to an NTFS partition, and change the disk type from MBR (Master Boot Record) to GPT (GUID Partition Table) or from GPT to MBR using disk management tools or third-party software like EaseUS Partition Master, MiniTool Partition Wizard, or Acronis True Image. These tools allow you to resize, move, merge, split, and convert partitions without losing data.
- Migrate OS to SSD to speed up Windows without reinstalling.
Step 1. To check the file system of a partition using Open Qiling Partition Master, open the software, locate the disk, right-click the partition you want to check, and select "Advanced" > "Check File System".
Step 2. In the Check File System window, select the "Fix the error on the disk" option and click "Proceed".
Step 3. The software will start scanning your disk's partition file system. Once it's done, click "Finish".
2. Use CHKDSK Tool in CMD
In addition to using the built-in System File Checker (SFC) tool, you can also run the CHKDSK tool in Command Prompt to check and repair the corrupted file system. However, in some cases, CHKDSK may not work as expected. Alternatively, you can use a partition manager to check and repair the file system with a user-friendly interface.
Step 1. Click Search > type command prompt.
Step 2. Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator".
Step 3. To run a disk check on an unreadable drive, open Command Prompt and type the command "chkdsk /f h:" followed by pressing Enter, replacing "h:" with the drive letter of the unreadable drive.
Format Disk to Solve The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable Issue
If a disk check doesn't work, you can try formatting your external hard drive or USB drive to solve the issue, as formatting configures the hard disk with a new file system, replacing the corrupted or damaged one.
To avoid data loss, it's essential to recover your data from the hard drive before formatting it, as the disk format will definitely cause data loss. This way, you can settle the file directory is corrupted and unreadable issue without losing any data.
Recover Data from Unreadable Hard Disk First
To recover data from external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, and other devices, download and use Qiling free data recovery software, which can be done in just 3 steps.
Step 1. Run Deep Data Recovery, select the external hard drive or USB drive where you lost data, and click the "Scan" button to start the file search process.
Step 2. The software starts scanning the selected drive immediately, displaying recovered data in the results as the scan progresses.
Step 3. After scanning, you can preview the file by double-clicking on it. Then, click "Recover" and select another location to save the recovered data.
Format the Unreadable Hard Drive
After recovering data from the inaccessible hard drive, you can proceed to format it. This can be done using Disk Management or a third-party tool like Qiling Partition Master.
Windows Disk Management has a limitation when it comes to formatting partitions to FAT32, only allowing it up to 32GB in size. However, if you need to format a larger partition to FAT32 for use on a PS4, you can use Qiling Partition Master, which can bypass this limitation and allow you to format larger partitions to FAT32.
- Right-1. Connect the external drive or USB to your computer.
- Set the Partition label, File system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and Cluster size, then click "Proceed".
- Check the warning message and click "OK" to format the hard drive partition.
The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable Causes
The "file or directory is corrupted and unreadable" error can occur due to several reasons. Users may encounter this issue when the file or directory is damaged due to a virus or malware, or when the file system is corrupted, perhaps due to a power outage or disk failure. Additionally, the error can also occur if the file or directory is locked by another process or user, or if the file is corrupted due to a software or hardware issue. Being aware of these potential causes can help users take precautions to avoid this error in the future.
Cause 1. MFT or FAT Corruption
MFT (Master File Table) is a component of the NTFS file system that contains file information such as size, creation time, and access permissions. It is similar to FAT (File Allocation Table), which is part of the FAT file system, and serves to inform the operating system where files are stored. Corruption of either MFT or FAT can prevent the system from accessing data on NTFS or FAT partitions.
Cause 2. Virus or Malware Attack
When a virus infects your computer, USB flash drive, or memory card, it can cause file system corruption, leading to an error message stating that a file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.
Cause 3. Physical Damage
Data storage devices like hard drives, USBs, flash drives, and memory cards can become corrupted due to physical damage or bad sectors, rendering them inaccessible or unwritable.
Partition information, such as file system data, is typically stored in a specific location. If this location contains bad sectors, the operating system may fail to access the data, resulting in a "file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" error message.
Cause 4. Unplug USB Without Using Safely Remove Option
Unplugging a removable disk without using "Safely Remove" while it's transferring or reading data can result in losing file system information, often leading to the "file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" error.
Conclusion
A corrupted file or directory on your hard drive can be frustrating, preventing you from accessing your drive and reading your data. This issue can arise from various causes, including software bugs, file system errors, or physical damage to the hard drive.
To resolve the issue of a corrupted file or directory, you can either repair disk errors or format the hard drive partition, and a tool like Qiling Partition Master can provide a straightforward solution to this problem.
Useful Tips for Protecting USB Drive from Damage/Corruption
- Handle your USB drive with care to avoid physical damage
- Regularly disinfecting the disk can help prevent virus attacks that may cause a "partition not accessible" error, ensuring the disk remains secure and functional.
- Remove your external hard drive properly after each use to avoid corrupting caused by improper operation
- Always back up important files on your USB drive
- To avoid losing important files, always back up your data before formatting your USB drive. This ensures that your files are safe and can be easily restored if needed.
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