The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable
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How to Fix “The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable” and Recover Data from USB Drives

Katherine May 28, 2026
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The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable? Fix the Error and Recover USB Drive Data

You plug in your USB drive, ready to view or copy your files, but Windows throws up an error: “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.” It’s exasperating, especially if your photos, documents, etc., are stuck on there. Don’t panic, though. There’s a good chance you won’t lose anything important. Stick with this guide, and you’ll find out what’s behind the error, and how to safely get your files back, and fix the drive as well.

Key Takeaways

  • The “file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” error means the USB file system is damaged, not that data is always lost.
  • First, recover files safely before trying fixes like CHKDSK or formatting.
  • Formatting is the last option and erases all data.
  • Prevent issues by safely ejecting USBs, backing up data, and avoiding damage.

Part 1: Why Does “The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable” Happen?

The “the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” error, or error code 0x80070570, means Windows cannot read or interpret the file system on your USB drive. Your USB drive may appear in File Explorer but refuse to open, or Windows may immediately prompt you to format it. Either way, the underlying problem is that the file system structure, the map Windows uses to locate your data, is damaged or unrecognizable. 

Common Causes:

Here are the frequent reasons behind this error:

  1. File system corruption (RAW drive): The USB becomes unreadable, and Windows shows it as RAW with no usable space, even if data is there. This can happen to FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT drives.
  2. Unsafe removal: Pulling out the USB while it’s still being used can corrupt data, even if it looks idle in Windows.
  3. Bad sectors: Flash drives wear out over time. Damaged storage areas can cause errors and make the drive unreadable.
  4. Virus or malware: Some malware hides, deletes, or damages files and can even break the file system.
  5. Interrupted transfer or power loss: Sudden shutdowns or unplugging during file copying can break the drive’s file structure.
  6. Driver issues: Old or corrupted USB drivers can stop the drive from working properly or make it seem damaged.
  7. Physical damage: Broken connectors, water damage, or internal faults can prevent the USB from working and may require professional recovery.

Common Symptoms: 

Here are the frequent signs that indicate your USB drive is corrupted:

  1. The USB drive shows up in File Explorer, but cannot be opened.
  2. An error message appears immediately after plugging in the drive.
  3. Windows prompts you to format the disk before using it.
  4. Files and folders have disappeared or are inaccessible.
  5. The drive appears as RAW or unallocated in Disk Management.
  6. Drive shows 0 bytes of used space despite having files on it.
  7. Unusual sounds (clicking, grinding) are a sign of physical failure.

Part 2: How to Fix “The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable”?

Here are 8 solutions to fix the “the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” error. But always attempt data recovery before executing any repair commands or formatting the drive. Fix 4 below covers this. So, skip to it if your data matters more than the drive itself:

Fix 1 – Quick Checks: Reconnect, Change Ports, Try Another PC

Before assuming the USB is corrupted, first check simple connection issues, since they can look like file system problems. These steps are useful for temporary glitches, bad ports, or driver issues on one computer. Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Unplug the USB, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in. 

Step 2: Try a different USB port, preferably a direct motherboard USB 3.0 port instead of a hub. Step 3: If your device uses a cable, try replacing it.

Step 4: Test the USB on another computer. If it functions elsewhere, the problem is with your PC’s drivers or software. But if it doesn’t function anywhere, then the drive itself is likely faulty. 

Fix 2 – Run Error Checking on the USB Drive

Windows has a built-in tool that can check and fix simple file system errors using a graphical interface. Its purpose is to fix basic file system issues without needing to format the drive or risk losing data. The tool will scan the drive for problems and try to repair them. If successful, the USB may become usable again. Here’s how to execute the error checking tool on the USB drive:

Step 1: Open “File Explorer.” Tap “This PC.” Then, right-click the USB drive.

Step 2: Select “Properties.” Head to the “Tools” tab. Click “Check” beneath the “Error Checking” section. 

Step 3: Hit “Scan drive” and repair the USB drive when prompted. 

Fix 3 – Update or Reinstall USB Drivers

Sometimes a USB drive looks corrupted because of a driver problem between Windows and the device, even if the drive is actually fine. This often happens after a Windows update, and usually affects drives that were functioning before but are now not detected or are not functioning properly. To fix this issue, you can update or reinstall the USB driver:

Step 1: Right-click the “Start” button. Choose “Device Manager.” Expand “Disk drives” or “Universal Serial Bus controllers.”

Step 2: Find your USB device in the list (it may show with a yellow warning icon).

Step 3: Right-click it and choose “Update driver.” Search automatically for drivers.”

Step 4: If updating the driver doesn’t do the job, right-click the driver. Select “Uninstall device.”

Step 5: Restart your PC. Windows will reinstall the USB driver automatically on reboot.

Fix 4 – Recover Data from Corrupted USB Drive 

This step is often ignored, but it should be done first if your data is important. Tools like CHKDSK, formatting, or even built-in repair options can delete or overwrite files that might still be recoverable. That’s why you should recover files from corrupted USB drive with a specialized USB Drive Data Recovery tool before any fixes. 

4DDiG Data Recovery is designed for this situation. It scans the drive at a deep level without relying on the file system and recovers files in read-only mode. So, it doesn’t damage or overwrite existing data. 

Key Benefits of 4DDiG USB Drive Data Recovery:

  • Recovers data from RAW USB drives that Windows cannot read.
  • Supports recovery from a corrupted flash disk, or if the USB drive is unreadable and won’t open.
  • Supports FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS file systems.
  • Can recover 2000+ file types like photos, videos, documents, and archives.
  • Retrieves data from BitLocker-encrypted drives even if you have lost the recovery key.
  • Uses AI tools to help repair damaged photos and videos.
  • The free version allows recovery of up to 2GB of data for Windows users.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Here’s how to use 4DDiG to retrieve data from the corrupted and unreadable USB drive:

Step 1: Plug the corrupted USB into your computer. Don’t open or try to fix it yet. Then, install and open 4DDiG on your PC (not on the USB drive).

Step 2: Select your USB drive from the list in the program. Start the scan. It will deeply search the drive and find recoverable files. 

Step 5: You can pause or stop the scan to preview files and make sure they are not damaged before recovering them.

Step 6: Once you have the files you want, select them and hit “Recover.” Save them to a different location like your PC, another drive, or cloud storage. 

Fix 5 – Repair the Corrupted USB Drive Using CMD 

CHKDSK is a built-in Windows command-line tool to repair file system tables, fix folder structure issues, and mark bad sectors so they are avoided in the future. It is more powerful than the basic Error Checking tool and can manage deeper corruption. But it also carries a risk of deleting data from badly damaged drives.

So recovering files first is important. However, CHKDSK cannot recover deleted files, fix physical damage, or repair severely corrupted file systems. To repair minor file corruption, follow the instructions beneath to repair the corrupted USB using CMD:

Step 1: Write “cmd” in the search menu on the desktop. Then, choose “Command Prompt.”

Step 2: Type the following command. Hit “Enter” afterward:

  • chkdsk H: /f /r 

Replace H with your USB drive’s actual drive letter. /f  fixes file system errors, and /r locates bad sectors and recovers readable information from them.

Fix 6 – Format the USB Drive to Fix Corruption

In case CHKDSK fails to fix the USB drive, formatting is the last option. It rebuilds the file system and makes the drive usable again, but it deletes all data on the drive. So, always recover your files before formatting. Follow the steps beneath to format the USB drive:

Step 1: Right-click the “Start” menu. Choose “Disk Management.” Next, find your USB drive in the list.

Step 2: Right-click the partition. Select “Format.” Choose a file system. Give the drive a label. Hit “OK.”

After formatting, the drive should function normally again. The corruption will be gone because the entire file system was rebuilt.

Fix 7 – Special Case: RAW USB Drive or BitLocker Encrypted Drive

There are some special cases where it’s challenging to fix corrupted USB drive, such as a RAW or BitLocker-encrypted USB. A RAW USB drive is one where Windows cannot recognize the file system. So, it may show as RAW or display 0 bytes even though the data is still there. 

In this case, tools like CHKDSK usually won’t function. The best approach is to first recover your files using a tool like 4DDiG, then format the drive, and finally copy the recovered files back. Formatting first can erase your data.

For BitLocker-encrypted USB drives, the problem may affect the encryption information instead of the actual files. You will need the BitLocker password or recovery key to access or recover the data. But a recovery tool like 4DDiG can retrieve data from the BitLocker-encrypted USB even if the recovery key is unavailable or lost.

Part 3: How to Prevent USB Drive Corruption

Fixing a corrupted USB drive is challenging and not always fully successful. But the following habits will help you avoid corruption in the first place:

  1. Always safely eject the USB drive before unplugging it to avoid data corruption.
  2. Wait until file transfers are fully finished before removing the drive.
  3. Keep backups of important files in another location or on cloud storage.
  4. Scan USB drives regularly for viruses and malware.
  5. Avoid using loose or damaged USB ports that may interrupt connections.
  6. Keep Windows and USB drivers updated to prevent compatibility issues.
  7. Don’t completely fill the drive. Leaving free space helps reduce errors and improve performance.

Final Words

The “file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” error in a USB drive usually means the file system is damaged, not that your data is permanently lost. In many cases, the files can still be recovered. The most important step is to recover your data before trying any repairs, since repair tools or formatting can permanently erase files. 

4DDiG Data Recovery is the best option for that. It can recover data from RAW drives, corrupted file systems, formatted drives, and BitLocker-encrypted devices using a safe read-only scan. After saving your files, you can try the repair methods given in this post.

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