How to Fix a Corrupted Master File Table (MFT) in Windows 10/8/7

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to fix a corrupted MFT and recover your data in Windows 10, 8, or 7. Follow these steps carefully to resolve the “Corrupt master file table” error and regain access to your files.

Step 1: Stop Using the Drive

To avoid permanent data loss, do not attempt any further fixes via Disk Management or any third-party partition manager tool after you see the “Corrupt master file table” error. Immediately stop using the affected drive to prevent further damage.

Step 2: Use Error Checking Tool

Right-click on the corrupted drive volume in File Explorer and choose Properties.
Click the Tools tab and click the Check button. Grant admin permission to begin drive repair.
Click “Scan drive” and wait for the process to finish.
Restart the system and check if the issue is resolved.

Note: If you see an option to format the drive instead of “Scan drive”, click “No” or “Close” and proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Restore Data

If the error checking tool fails to fix the corrupted MFT, you’ll need to use a powerful data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery Professional. Follow these steps to recover your files:
Download and install Stellar Data Recovery Professional on your Windows PC.
Launch the software and select the corrupted drive from the list of available drives.
Choose the file types you want to recover and click Next.
Select a location to save the recovered files and click Scan.
Once the scan is complete, preview the recoverable files and select the ones you want to restore.
Click Recover to save the selected files to a safe location.

After recovering your important files, you can proceed to format the drive to fix the “Corrupt master file table” error permanently.

Step 4: Format the Drive

Press Windows R and type diskmgmt.msc to open the Disk Management tool.
Right-click on the corrupted disk volume and choose Format…
Follow the format wizard to complete the disk formatting process.
Once done, open File Explorer to access the drive and transfer the recovered files back to the drive.