USB Drive Not Showing Data - How to Fix & Recover Data?

Updated on March 16, 2020

A USB storage device such as pen drive, external hard drive or other device may show empty when connected to a Windows/Mac system even though data exists within the device. This can happen due to virus/malware infection, drive encryption, and hidden files.

Here, you will find a quick solution for USB drive not showing data when connected to the system. Further, if any solution doesn't work out, you will find an easy way to recover data from USB drive that is not showing any data, with Yodot Data Recovery, a professional tool to recover data from any storage devices including hard drives, memory cards, pen drives, and other USB storage devices.

Imagine a scenario!!!

You downloaded some essential project related files on cyber café PC and transferred those documents to your USB drive. After returning back to home, you connected the USB pen drive to system and shocked to see no data on USB flash. Now, what should you do when USB drive does not show up any data? Instead of worrying about lost data, it is suggested to know about the reason and solution for such illusions. Let us discuss possible reasons behind USB drive that is not showing any data:

  • Harmful virus attacks become one of the major reasons for USB drive showing no data. Dangerous virus may completely vanish USB drive data
  • Improper handling or using USB drive on various devices may lead to its file system corruption. In such instants, file system status of USB drive may turn into RAW this tends to loss of entire data stored in it
  • When accidentally erased, Recycle Bin doesn't show deleted items from USB thus causing data loss

By chance if you met with similar problem and lost files from USB drive, then before going for any expensive solution here it is advised to try some manual method to restore files from USB drive displaying no data. In some instances harmful viruses or unexpected disasters may hide essential files on USB drive even if you enable “Shown hidden files and folders” option. In such situations, one can restore hidden files from USB drive by following below mentioned steps:

  • Locate your USB drive on system
  • Open command prompt using Start -> Run -> type cmd
  • On command prompt type the letter assigned to your USB drive (Example if J, type J)
  • Later type cd and press Tab key until you get hidden folders
  • At last make those files and folders unhidden by typing attrib “foldername” - h. Now you can find hidden files on your USB drive

In case this method fails to restore files from USB drive, then make use of relevant file recovery software.

Recovering Data from USB Drive Not Showing Data with Yodot:

One can use Yodot File Recovery application to retrieve missing files from USB drive that not showing any data on Windows system. This utility can rescue all types of files such as documents, presentation files, multimedia files and other files based on files name, file size, files extension and other related details. Apart from USB flash drive, it can bring back lost files from different storage devices like memory cards, hard drives, portable hard drives and other storage media on Windows system. In addition, you can extract files from formatted or corrupted USB drives using this tool. The software works efficiently on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 2008 operating systems.

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Steps to restore files from USB drive that is not showing data:

  • Connect you affected USB drive to Windows system
  • Download Yodot File Recovery utility and install it to that Windows desktop or laptop
  • Setup the application and follow the steps mentioned in main screen
  • The first screen displays two options, choose “Lost File Recovery” option to bring back missing file from USB drive
  • The software now explores all the drive present in the system
  • Opt the drive that symbolizes your USB drive and click on “Next” button
  • Later the application scans the chosen drive and displays all the recoverable files
  • To have easy collection of files you can move over two different views such as “File Type View “ and “Data View”
  • Choose your necessary files from the list that showed and click “Next” button
  • Finally, browse for the your preferred location to save your rescued files (Do not save to the same USB drive)

Suggestions to avoid data loss:

  • Make sure that each time you ejecting USB drive from your system using the “Safely Remove” or “Eject” option
  • Avoid using the same USB device in multiple systems as there is possibility of its corruption
  • Whenever there takes place loss of file from USB drive, immediately stop storing new data on that flash drive as its storage space may overwrite and thereby lessen the chances of data retrieval

Other Popular Software

Yodot Hard Drive Recovery (Windows)

Accidentally deleted a partition in an attempt to make a dual boot system? Relax you can recover your important with ease using Yodot Hard Drive Recovery software for Windows. The software can find and recover data from deleted partitions.

Yodot Mac File Recovery

The only undelete application for Mac that can recover deleted files from HFS+, HFSX partitions on Mac. The software also has the ability to recover lost files using RAW signature method.