Summary: if you have formatted your USB accidentally and are looking for ways to recover important files, then you need to follow this blog post as it suggests what should be your best course of action and why going with a professional recovery software is a viable option.

They are portable, faster, smaller, more reliable, more durable and have larger storage capacity. You might have already guessed what we are talking about. USB/ Flash drive/USB stick/pen drive as you call it. The most common purpose of USB is to transfer the data on the go. Individuals store their important data such as personal info, photos, videos etc. on it so that they can access it anytime anywhere with ease.

Irrespective of what type of USB you use, it serves the purpose of transferring files from one device to another without having to worry about enough ports for peripherals. One of the good things about USB sticks is that they are auto-configured i.e. it removes the complexity of hardware requirements for different peripherals or connector types, and your PC automatically detects the new device and installs the software for it.

At some point or another, you might have faced some connectivity issues while connecting your USB that your system fails to detect it or that you accidentally format your USB drive losing all the important files stored on it. The possible reasons could be a corrupt file system or header file, logically damaged drive, physically damaged drive, bad sectors etc.

You may try different approaches to resolve the issue and if still the problem, then you can go with the option of a reliable USB drive recovery software and recover the lost/damaged/corrupt data.

Why your pen drive is inaccessible

Below are some instances which can result in loss of your data from the USB stick.

• Inappropriate insertion/ejection of the USB
• Virus intrusion
• Accidentally formatting the USB
• Disconnecting the device before the files were completely read
• Compatibility issues
• Your PC is unable to load USB manufacturer’s firmware

Having known some of the common reasons behind the inaccessibility of your USB, it is time to fix them. Here’s what you can do.
STEP 1: Recover files from the backup:
You may lose your data due to unintentional deletion of files or formatting your USB, hardware failure etc. so, it is always advisable to have multiple backup copies of your important data so that you can quickly restore your lost data from the backup files. Windows has some back up features which you can utilise. Remember that cautious users always have a backup of their important data.

If you have a backup, then restore the files else follow these next steps.

STEP 2: Check USB port
If your PC is unable to detect the connected USB, then plug it in a different port. There are a few ports and if it works, then probably you have a dead USB.

STEP 3: Uninstall unknown USB device
To uninstall unknown USB device, follow these steps:

1. Run the command prompt and type in “devmgmt.msc” and hit OK
2. Now select Universal Serial Bus Controllers

• Plug in your USB device

1. You’ll see an Unknown USB device (Port reset failed) preceded with a yellow sign
2. Right-click on the device and uninstall it
3. Restart your PC. It will fix the issue as the drivers are automatically reinstalled after rebooting.

Still unable to fix the issue, then follow this step

STEP 4: Check Disk Management
Improper formatting could also be one of the probable reason behind the detection issue. You can check whether your USB is recognized by the disk management or not. Follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Disk Management
2. You will see a list of drivers. Identify your driver

• Check the status of the driver whether it is healthy with the drive letter or not

1. Assign a new drive letter to the USB

Important: The drive letter assigned should not be used by another drive already.

Professional approach

What if the above-mentioned steps fail? Is there any other option left? Is there any USB recovery utility available? Well, yes. This is the time when you need an expert that can recover data from formatted USB/pen drive. Moreover, trying these alternatives may resolve the issue or maybe not. There is always a risk associated with them, the risk of losing the data.

On the other hand, a reliable recovery software recovers all your important data without modifying original content and also abides by data integrity and accuracy. One such software is Stellar Photo Recovery. It can recover lost or corrupt data from almost all of the storage media. Some of its notable features are:

• Supports a wide range of file formats
• Resume recovery option
• Edit existing files types of add new header types
• Create image of the selected media
• Intuitive interface

All of its features make it a dependable formatted USB recovery software, without any doubt.