5 Programs to Repair Hard Drive

Here we will show you the best programs to repair hard driveA computer's hard drive is one of its most critical components.

It contains all the data and information that turns the machine from an interesting conglomerate of electronic components into an extremely flexible tool.

A hard drive that isn't working properly can lead to decreased performance as well as missing or corrupted data. Your computer's hard drive can hold hundreds of gigabytes of data spanning millions of files. Some of these files can easily be recreated by reinstalling software or downloading content.

There's a good chance that at least some of the data residing on your hard drive is valuable and difficult, and sometimes impossible, to replicate.

If you are having trouble with this essential element, you may need to use a disk repair tool to rescue your data. In this article, we will look at five different tools.

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Programs to repair hard drive

Below we show you the best programs to repair hard drives that you can find on the market.

1. Disk drill

The first of the hard drive repair programs that we will consider for Windows is Disk Drill. This utility is compatible with Windows 7 to Windows 10, as well as with older versions of the operating system. It can be downloaded for a free test drive where it is possible to recover up to 500 MB of data.

This is an excellent data recovery tool that can be used to repair a hard drive or recover any kind of unexpected data loss scenario. We focused on the fully-featured Pro version of the application while investigating its features.

Key features

• An intuitive user interface that allows you to easily perform a disk repair or recovery operation.
• Advanced scanning algorithms allow you to perform fast and deep scans to identify and recover your files and folders.
• Smart Recovery recognizes and can reconstruct files in hundreds of different formats to repair your hard drive.
• Flexibility in media types storage from which data can be recovered.
• In addition to repairing a hard drive, you can perform data recovery on virtually any type of disk storage device.
• Create recovery discs Boot and disk image backups.
• Additional free data protection and maintenance tools are included.

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2. EaseUS

EaseUS is the next hard drive repair software we will review. The main purpose of this tool is to resize, repartition and restore lost partitions.

Es compatible with all versions of Windows and is available for a free trial with a limited feature set. This is a very good tool for resizing and restoring partitions. It is not suitable for other data recovery situations.

Key features

• Partition and resize disks of any size.
• Easily clone a disk or partition.
• Convert a partition or disk to another file format.
• Manages dynamic volumes.
• Create a WinPE boot disk.

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3. WinDirStat

This free tool can provide statistics that will allow you to troubleshoot problems with your disk, such as insufficient space. It works with all versions of Windows and is a clone of a tool Linux.

It is not specifically a data recovery tool, but it performs its function of mapping disk usage statistics admirably, which is why it is part of the hard drive repair programs.

Key features

• Create directory listings sorted by file/subtree size.
• Displays an entire directory tree at once.
• Displays a list of extensions that shows statistics about file types.
• Statistical graphical display that uses rectangles of different sizes and colors.
• You can delete files from within the program.

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4. CloneZilla

When it comes to hard drive repair programs, we cannot forget CloneZilla. This is a tool that allows the user to clone disk partitions in a wide variety of file formats, including those used in the Windows operating system.

To use the software, you need to download and burn the application to a CD, after which you will use the newly created disk to boot your PC. At that point, you can use the tool to create disk clones and partitions. It is a good tool for disk imaging and cloning.

Key features

• Support for multiple file systems.
• Restore an image to multiple targets simultaneously.
• Disk Image Encryption.
• It can be used for full backup and recovery.

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5. Recuva

Recuva, of course, is one of the most widely used hard drive repair programs. It works with all versions of the Windows operating system, and it is for this reason that it has become so popular among users. It can help you with hard drive repair and recovery of accidentally deleted files.

Key features

• It can recover formatted or damaged disks.
• Recover files deleted by mistake.
• Has an assistant quick start for a quick recovery.
• Provides deep scanning facility.

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The reasons behind hard drive failure

Hard drives can fail for a number of reasons. Here are some of the most common causes of hard drive failure:

• Excessive heat
• Exposure to high humidity or water damage
• Power surges
• Firmware corruption
• infection of malware
• Physical shock
• Human error

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How to prevent hard drive data loss

It is often possible to recover from hard drive data loss. However, it is always much better to prevent it in the first place by following these best practices:

• Take care of your computer: If you like to take good care of your body to stay healthy, you need to take care of your computer to avoid hard drive data loss. Make sure your computer is well ventilated and avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures, humidity, and other harsh conditions.
• Use high quality hard drives: Not all hard drives are equally reliable. For example, it is highly unlikely that a SSD A cheap SSD from a no-name company can have the same lifespan as an enterprise-grade SSD from a reputable manufacturer. If avoiding data loss issues is important to you, then spending extra money on high-quality hard drives can save you a lot of trouble down the road.
• Create backups of important data: Any file that isn't backed up in at least one additional location can disappear at any time. We recommend the 3-2-1 backup strategy, which states that you should always have three copies of your data on two different media, with one copy stored off-site (such as in the cloud).
• Use reliable antivirus software: Viruses and other malware can cause widespread data loss on your hard drive, so you should always protect yourself against them with reliable antivirus software. If you are a Windows user, then you already have good antivirus software, Windows Defender, installed on your computer, but you can always install a different solution.
• Separate system and user data: System hard drives (usually the C drive) are heavily used, so they are much more likely to fail than hard drives used only for data storage or backup. For this reason alone, it is a good idea to avoid storing important data on your system drive.

Of course, there's a lot more you can do to prevent hard drive data loss, but these five best practices are enough to provide a solid foundation that you can then build upon as you see fit.

How to repair a hard drive manually

There are many different ways to fix a hard drive that isn't working properly, and each is useful in a slightly different situation. Listed below are seven repair methods that can help you fix most logical hard drive problems that prevent you from accessing your data.

Nota: Just keep in mind that none of the six repair methods will help you resolve problems caused by physical damage. Depending on its extent, physical damage to the hard drive can sometimes be repaired by professional technicians in a highly controlled, dust-free environment, but the results are never guaranteed.

1. Run the antivirus

Many varieties of malware, such as ransomware, can prevent you from accessing important files or even being able to boot your computer. The good news is that Windows comes with a capable antivirus, called Windows Defender, and it only takes a few simple steps to tell it to scan your entire computer:

• Step 1:: Open the Settings app (Win + X > Settings).
• Step 2: go to Update & Security > Windows Security.
• Step 3: click Protection against viruses and threats in Protection Areas.
• Step 4: Choose Scan options.
• Step 5: Click the checkbox next to Complete analisis and press the option Analyze now.

The full scan will check all files and running programs on your hard drive, so it may take a while to complete. This is an option if you don't want to use hard drive repair software.

2. Check and repair hard drive errors

Modern file systems, such as NTFS, are robust and reliable, but they are not completely immune to various errors, which can lead to data corruption and file access issues.

The good news is that most of these errors can be fixed with hard drive repair tools built-in, namely CHKDKS. Follow the steps below:

• Step 1: writes "cmd» in the taskbar search box and select Run as administrator.
• Step 2: Enter the following command (make sure to replace X with the letter assigned to the hard drive you want to repair) and press Enter: chkdsk X: /f
• Step 3: wait for it to finish CHKDSK. The process may take several hours depending on the size of your hard drive. The /f parameter tells CHKDSK to fix all errors on the hard drive.

3. Reinstall the hard drive drivers and update the firmware

Sometimes hard drive problems are caused by faulty drivers and firmware. For example, a bug in the firmware of some SAS SSDs (Serial Attached SCSI solid-state drives) produced by Hewlett Packard can cause the hard drives to fail after reaching 40.000 operating hours (approximately 4 years).

Fortunately, reinstalling hard drive drivers and updating to the latest firmware is easy and you won't lose any data. To reinstall hard drive drivers:

• Step 1: press Win + X and select Device administrator.
• Step 2: expand the Disk Drives section.
• Step 3: right click on your hard drive.
• Step 4: choose the option uninstall.
• Step 5: restart your computer.

Windows will automatically reinstall the latest version of the hard drive drivers. As far as firmware updates are concerned, you should start by visiting the support website of the company that manufactured your SSD. There, look for available firmware updates and follow the manufacturer's instructions to install the latest available update.

4. Format the drive

Format Formatting a hard drive that refuses to function properly is a drastic option, but there's no denying its effectiveness. When you format a hard drive, you recreate the entire file system and start from scratch, fixing all the issues with bad sectors and data corruption in the process. To format a non-system drive in Windows:

• Step 1: open the File Browser.
• Step 2: Choose My PC.
• Step 3: Right click on the hard drive you want to format and select the option Format.
• Step 4: Select the desired file system and name your drive. To save time, you can leave the option selected Quick format.
• Step 5: click Home and wait for your hard drive to be formatted.

If you want to format your system drive, we recommend that you start the Windows OS installation and choose the custom installation option. You can then format or delete any partitions.

5. Check the physical hard drive connections

Your hard drive is most likely connected to the motherboard with two cables:

• Power cord: As the name suggests, the job of the power cable is to supply electricity to your hard drive.
• SATA cable: The SATA cable allows your hard drive to communicate with the motherboard.

If either of these two cables is loose or damaged, you may experience all sorts of hard drive issues, from minor to serious. A quick inspection won't take more than a minute or two, but you can avoid wasting software solutions that don't address the core problem.

6. Connect the hard drive to a new computer

If none of the fixes described above have solved your problems, you need to rule out the possibility that some other component, such as the motherboard, is to blame for them. You can easily do this by disconnecting your hard drive and connecting it to a different computer. If the problems magically disappear, then you know that the hard drive itself is fine and you need to identify and fix the actual problem.

How to repair your hard drive with recovery service (if nothing else works)

Just because there are several easy-to-apply DIY fixes doesn't mean you have to do everything on your own. If fixing your hard drive and recovering lost data is important to you, then it makes sense to let highly experienced data recovery professionals with state-of-the-art equipment take care of everything for you.

Clear It will cost you some money (probably not as much as you think), but you will be able to achieve the best possible data recovery results. When selecting a professional data recovery service, you should always check their data recovery guarantee to verify that you will not be charged anything if the recovery attempt is unsuccessful.

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Final thoughts

Does your hard drive seem to be dying? Don't despair. There are plenty of hard drive repair software you can use to diagnose and fix related issues. As you can see from our review, there is a wide range of these tools. We believe the best option is Disk Drill for several reasons: its interface and ease of use allow for easy data recovery.

Advanced scanning algorithms will evaluate your disk sector by sector to recover as much data as possible. Download the free tool today and use it to recover 500 MB before investing a cent in the application. However, the other programs are also excellent, so you will be fine with whatever decision you make.