If your WD Passport external hard drive has become corrupted or unreadable, there are several steps you can take to try and recover your data without formatting the drive. Here are the key steps to fix a corrupted WD Passport drive:
Check the Connection and Cable
The first thing to check is the physical connection of the drive. Make sure the USB cable is firmly plugged into both the drive and your computer. Try using a different USB port or cable to see if that resolves the issue. If the drive is still not recognized, the problem may be with the cable or port.
Use Windows Disk Management
If the drive is showing up in Windows but you can’t access it, try using the Disk Management tool. Right-click on the Start menu and select “Disk Management”. Look for your WD Passport drive and see if it’s listed as “Unallocated” or “RAW” file system. If so, you may be able to right-click and select “Format” to restore it.
Run CHKDSK
The CHKDSK command in Windows can scan the drive for errors and attempt to fix them. Open an elevated Command Prompt, type “chkdsk E: /f” (replace E with your drive letter), and press Enter. This will check the drive and fix any errors it finds.
Use Data Recovery Software
If the above steps don’t work, you may need to use data recovery software to try and retrieve your files. Programs like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard or iCare Data Recovery Pro can scan the corrupted drive and attempt to recover your data. Be sure to stop using the drive immediately to prevent further data loss.