[Solved] The Disk Structure Is Corrupted and Unreadable

You plugged in an external hard drive to your computer. But instead of the regular folder that opens when you click the disk’s icon, you receive a disturbing error message, “The disk structure is corrupted and unreadable.” What happened? The disk was functioning fine a few days ago, you think, horrified. Can I fix it? But most importantly, can I recover my crucial data from it?

All these thoughts will play like a kaleidoscope inside your mind, making you fearful. However, there’s no reason to feel worried at all. In this article, we’ll investigate the root causes of an unreadable and corrupted disk, share solutions to restore vital files and repair the disk.

Part 1: Overview of ‘the Disk Structure Is Corrupted and Unreadable’ Error

Symptoms

Before you can find ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable fix,’ you must know what this error’s symptoms are and what causes it. So, you can resolve it accordingly. This error affects external storage devices and manifests when Windows tries to read a corrupted partition, preventing users from accessing or opening files. The ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ error is accompanied by a message like ‘Drive: \ is not accessible.’

Causes

The external hard drive ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ error could manifest due to the following reasons:

1. Corrupted File System: Errors like RAW format can block access to the drive.
2. Connection Issues: Faulty USB ports or cables can disrupt communication.
3. Virus Attack: Malware can damage the file system, making the drive unreadable.
4. Lost Partition: A missing or corrupted partition table can make the drive inaccessible.
5. Bad Sectors: Damaged disk areas can lead to data loss and corruption.
6. Power Failure: Sudden outages can interrupt data writing, causing corruption.

Part 2: How to Recover Data From a Corrupted or Unreadable Drive?

Prior to employing a ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ fix on Windows 11/10, you must recover data from it. This is crucial because this error has already rendered your drive unreadable and you might have to format it to use again, which will cause data loss. Therefore, only a specialized data recovery tool can extract files from an unreadable disk.

Conveniently, 4DDiG Data Recovery can perform this task with utmost success. It can not only reclaim files from unreadable disks but also from various data loss situations. Here are its key features in detail:

• It supports various types of external devices from external hard disks, to USBs, SD cards, SSDs and more.
• This file retrieval tool can extract 2000+ file formats including videos, archives, RAW files, images, documents, etc.
• It can retrieve files from inaccessible, unreadable, or RAW drives with a high success rate.
• This app allows you to pick your desired file formats to recover and offers a free inspection of recovered files.
• Designed for all users, even those without technical expertise, making recovery simple and hassle-free.

Following are the steps to recover vital data from an unreadable and corrupted external disk with the help of this tool:

Step 1: Connect your error-ridden drive to your computer. Then, install the recovery tool on the same PC. Next, pick the drive and choose file types you wish to extract. Hit “Scan.”

Step 2: Once the tool scans for and finds your desired data type from the problematic disk, pause or stop the scan. Examine the recovered files by their name or path.

Step 3: If fine with the results, hit “Recover” and shift the recovered files to a secure place on your computer or cloud drive.

Part 3: Methods to Fix ‘the Disk Structure Is Corrupted and Unreadable’ Error

Following are 5 methods for ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ fix on Windows 11/10. Start with the basic solutions and proceed to advanced ones:

Method 1: Reconnect Your Hard Drive

For a ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ fix, first unplug and then reconnect your external device to your computer. This is because most of the time the issue is related to improper ejection, a USB cable or port issue.

Thus, make sure you safely eject the drive, and not just pull it out. Next, restart your computer, and plug it back in. If the issue remains, try a different USB port, as a faulty one could be the cause. You can also check your drive by connecting it to another computer as your PC might be the one with the malfunction.

Method 2: Run CHKDSK on Your Drive

In case your external hard drive ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ malfunction is because of bad sectors or corrupted file system, fix it via CHKDSK. It’s a Windows embedded tool that scans and repairs file system issues on storage devices. Here’s how to execute CHKDSK:

Step 1: Plug in your external drive into your computer. Then, input “cmd” in the Windows search field. Next, open “Command Prompt.”

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

• CHKDSK [drive letter]: /f /r /x

Method 3: Reinstall the Disk Driver

Sometimes, the issue is with the disk’s driver that’s leading to the external hard drive ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ error. The driver could be corrupted, which you can uninstall and reinstall again. To do so:

Step 1: Plug in your external drive into your computer. Then, right-click “Start.” Choose “Device Manager.”

Step 2: Expand the “Disk drives.” Then, right-click the driver that’s causing the issue. Hit “Uninstall device.”

Step 3: To reinstall the driver, head to “Action” in the above menu and choose “Scan for hardware changes.” Wait for reinstallation. Then reboot your computer.

Method 4: Run the Windows Troubleshooter

The Windows Hardware Troubleshooter is another Windows embedded tool you can use as a ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ fix. It can repair minor hardware problems that might be making your drive unreadable and corrupted. Here’s how to execute the Troubleshooter:

Step 1: Plug in your external disk with error into your computer. Then, press and hold “Win + R” keys. This will open “Run” dialog.

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

• msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic (This will deploy the Hardware Troubleshooter.

Step 3: Follow the on-screen prompts to scan for and fix hardware malfunctions on the external disk.

Step 4: After the scanning is finished, preview the report to check whether it has fixed the issue in the drive and it’s readable again.

Method 5: Format the Corrupted Drive

In a situation where your drive’s file system is corrupted, you’ll need to format it for the ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ fix on Windows 11/10. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: Connect the faulty disk to your computer. Then, right-click “Start.” Next, execute “Disk Management.”

Step 2: Right-click the problematic disk. Then, choose “Format.” Adjust “Volume label” and “File system.” Keep the “Allocation unit size” as “Default.”

Step 3: Tick mark “Perform a quick format.” Leave the other option unchecked. Hit “OK.”

Method 6: Send It for Manual Repair

As a last attempt, if no earlier-mentioned solutions seem to resolve ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ malfunction, your drive could be physically damaged. So, contact a credible disk repair service and send it to them for manual resolution.

Part 4: How to Prevent Hard Drive Failure in the Future?

If you’ve successfully repaired your external disk and also extracted data from it, go an extra mile and also take some preventative measures. This to prevent your drive from failing in the future:

1. Keep Your Hard Drive Cool: Avoid overheating by placing your computer or external drive in a well-ventilated area. Also, clean vents and fans regularly, and use cooling pads or extra fans if needed.
2. Handle with Care: External drives are fragile. Avoid drops or bumps, use padded cases for transport, and always safely eject before unplugging.
3. Back Up Your Data: Regularly save important files to cloud storage, external drives, or NAS devices to prevent data loss.
4. Monitor Drive Health: Use disk utility tools with S.M.A.R.T. technology to check performance, scan for errors, and defragment when needed.
5. Keep Software Updated: Update your OS, drivers, and antivirus software to reduce security risks and prevent hard drive strain.

Conclusion

The ‘the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable’ malfunction often stems from unsafe ejection, file system corruption, or hardware problems. The possible fixes for this issue are drive reconnect attempts, CHKDSK execution, driver reinstallation, and running Windows Troubleshooter. You can progress to drive formatting when nothing else works.

Professional help could also be obtained for serious physical drive issues. However, before you try any solution, use a data recovery tool such as 4DDiG Data Recovery to recover any critical data lest you lose it permanently. It allows you to extract your desired file types from internal/external devices and various data loss situations with high success.