Help for recovering files from corrupted USB drive?

Mayarose · Jul 20, 2009, 04:28 AM

The USB flash drive is Sandisk, 4GB, formatted for Mac.

It became corrupted and I don't have access to stored files.
The messages on screen is that disk can not be read and invitation to reformat it...

I found special software for recovering files from corrupted drives but it is not affordable for a student like me...

I've tried to find in forums and word of mouth some shareware/freeware working on Mac OS 10.3.9 but all I got is programs that take space on HD and do nothing, that is, software that is about selling and marketing stuff, not the real thing. Tried with 3 different such a programs, sheer time wasting!
I found that this area is pretty much absolutely dark!

Do experienced fellow mac users know about some
truly working shareware/freeware that can help me retrieve the files from this corrupted Sandisk USB flash drive?

Thank you
Maya

Tumbleweed666 · Jul 20, 2009, 06:11 AM

Whats on it, files or pictures?

Sandisk used to and might still give away file recovery software with some new USB sticks, I've thrown a few of those mini CD's away that come with a new stick or otherwise you'd be welcome to one, probably you could buy a new stick that comes with it.
I also bought a recovery app a couple years ago after I accidentally reformatted a windows partition, it was only about USD $30 and there are also various apps at about that price that will look just for pictures on USB sticks and cards and many if not all will tell you what they can recover before you pay. There used to be a very good free one lurking around, DIR but it went pay and a lot of the free versions were removed, you might find an older version one lurking in the recesses of the net. It was called digital image recovery, DIR.exe, unfortunately that's a pretty generic term so it will be hard to find that specific app.

Most if not all are PC only apps but presumably you can get access to a PC for this one-off task? I really wouldn't hamper yourself to a specific OSX OS release or not spending $30 or so. If that's an issue for you, ask yourself if the files are really that big a deal?

Jul 20, 2009, 04:28 AM	#1
Mayarose macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2009	Help for recovering files from corrupted USB drive? The USB flash drive is Sandisk, 4GB, formatted for Mac. It became corrupted and I don't have access to stored files. The messages on screen is that disk can not be read and invitation to reformat it... I found special software for recovering files from corrupted drives but it is not affordable for a student like me... I've tried to find in forums and word of mouth some shareware/freeware working on Mac OS 10.3.9 but all I got is programs that take space on HD and do nothing, that is, software that is about selling and marketing stuff, not the real thing. Tried with 3 different such a programs, sheer time wasting! I found that this area is pretty much absolutely dark! Do experienced fellow mac users know about some truly working shareware/freeware that can help me retrieve the files from this corrupted Sandisk USB flash drive? Thank you Maya

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Jul 20, 2009, 06:11 AM	#2
Tumbleweed666 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2009	Whats on it, files or pictures? Sandisk used to and might still give away file recovery software with some new USB sticks, I've thrown a few of those mini CD's away that come with a new stick or otherwise you'd be welcome to one, probably you could buy a new stick that comes with it. I also bought a recovery app a couple years ago after I accidentally reformatted a windows partition, it was only about USD $30 and there are also various apps at about that price that will look just for pictures on USB sticks and cards and many if not all will tell you what they can recover before you pay. There used to be a very good free one lurking around, DIR but it went pay and a lot of the free versions were removed, you might find an older version one lurking in the recesses of the net. It was called digital image recovery, DIR.exe, unfortunately that's a pretty generic term so it will be hard to find that specific app. Most if not all are PC only apps but presumably you can get access to a PC for this one-off task? I really wouldn't hamper yourself to a specific OSX OS release or not spending $30 or so. If that's an issue for you, ask yourself if the files are really that big a deal?