How to: Fix the “disk Structure Is Corrupted and Unreadable” Error in Windows

Here we can see, “How to: Fix the “disk Structure Is Corrupted and Unreadable” Error in Windows”

When a hard disk’s partition is corrupted, the error “Disk structure is corrupted and unreadable” appears. When this happens, Windows cannot access and open the corrupted partition’s files. While the issue is more common on external drives, it can also happen on internal hard disks.

If this happens on your internal HDD, it’s a lot more serious because it contains your Windows installation. You might not be able to boot into Windows in the worst-case situation. On external storage disks, the problem is less severe. A few solutions for the “Disk structure is corrupted” issue in Windows are listed below.

How do I fix “Disk structure is corrupted and unreadable” HDD error in Windows

1. Unplug and re-plug the external HDD or USB drive

If you’re receiving this problem using a removable storage device like a USB drive, unplug it. Then, close all programs on your taskbar and reconnect the external storage. Alternatively, reboot Windows before reconnecting the external HDD. Then, when you get the “Disk structure is corrupted” error, try opening the same files you did before.

2. Run a Check Disk (CHKDSK) Scan

The Check Disk software in Windows scans hard disks and resolves any faults it finds. It verifies the integrity of the disk’s file system, including those in the Master File Table. This is undoubtedly the most effective Windows tool for resolving the “Disk structure is corrupted” issue.

1. 1. On the Windows taskbar, press the File Explorer button.
   2. On the left side of the File Explorer window, click This PC.
   3. You can now right-click the C: drive or other external storage devices with faulty disk structures and choose “Repair Disk Structure.” From the context menu, choose Properties.
   4. The Tools tab, which includes a Check button, should be selected.
   5. To run a CHKDSK scan, press the Check button and then Scan drive.
   6. You can also use Command Prompt to launch CHKDSK, which offers parameter switches. First, select Command Prompt by using the Win key + X hotkey (Admin).
   7. In the Command Prompt, type ‘chkdsk /r c:’ and press Enter to scan the C: HDD. Replace C with the appropriate drive letter for external storage or another drive partition.

The scan will most likely take many hours, depending on the size of your HDD. For external drives, it will be a little faster. It’s worth noting that Windows may schedule the scan to begin after the next system reboot.

3. Reinstall external hard drives

This problem may be resolved by reinstalling the storage device. You can’t do this with HDDs with Windows installed, but you can reinstall external storage drives with a disk structure issue. To do so, follow these steps:

1. 1. Select Device Manager after typing ‘Device Manager’ into the Windows search box.
   2. Expand the Disk drives section by clicking it, then right-click the external disk drive to correct it.
   3. On the context menu, select the Uninstall option.
   4. To reinstall the disk drive, use the Scan for hardware changes button.
   5. After the disk has been reinstalled, restart Windows.

4. Fix the HDD with M3 RAW

You can use a variety of third-party tools to remedy disk structure issues. M3 RAW is a file system checker and repairer. While it isn’t freeware, you can download the trial version from this website and use it to repair a disk drive.

1. 1. Open M3 RAW and choose the drive you want to fix.
   2. To scan the disk drive, press the Next button.
   3. The software will display a list of files on the disk drive. To fix the disk drive, press the Fix Drive button.

5. Fix the HDD With MiniTool Partition Wizard

MiniTool Partition Wizard is a popular freeware disk partition manager with a 20 million user base that supports a wide range of storage devices. This can also be used to correct disk structure issues for drive partitions. Get MiniTool Partition Wizard and use it to repair your disk drive as follows.

1. 1. Open the MiniTool Partition Wizard window, which displays a list of all attached hard disks.
   2. On the left side of the window, choose the faulty disk drive and click Check File System.
   3. The Check File System window appears, and you can choose to Check & Fix Detected Errors.
   4. To begin the scan, press the Start button.
   5. After the MiniTool Partition Wizard file system scan, restart Windows.

6. Format the external disk drive

This is a patch for external disks that don’t have Windows installed, such as flash USB sticks. Formatting a disk removes all of its contents and replaces the corrupted file system with a new one. This is an excellent solution if the files on the storage drive aren’t critical. If you truly need to save part of the drive’s content, use a data recovery software program like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to save the files. Then do the following to format the drive:

1. 1. Connect the external storage device to your computer or laptop.
   2. To see a list of devices and drives, open File Explorer and click This PC.
   3. Then, to open the window below, right-click a drive listed there and select Format.
   4. From the File system drop-down menu, select a file system format.
   5. If it isn’t already chosen, choose Quick Format and press the Start button to format the drive.

These are some of the most effective methods for using Windows tools and third-party software to repair broken disk structures.

Conclusion

I hope you found this guide useful. If you’ve got any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to use the shape below.

User Questions

1. Will CHKDSK be able to repair corrupt files?

If your file system has become corrupted, CHKDSK may be able to recover your lost data. ‘Automatically correct file system faults’ and scan for and try the recovery of faulty sectors’ are two options accessible.

2. How can I fix a faulty and unreadable disk structure?

1. 1. Unplug the corrupted/unreadable device and re-plug it.
   2. CHKDSK can be used to check and repair disk errors.
   3. Disk Drivers should be reinstalled.
   4. Format the hard drive.
   5. Data should be recovered.

3. Is it possible to repair an external hard disk that has been damaged?

CMD, in general, can be used to correct external hard disk errors. It’s worth noting that the initial f in “chkdsk f: /f” should be replaced with the drive letter of the external hard disk.

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