How Can I Recover Data from Internal Hard Drive?

Every user will at some pointer encounter an issue with their internal hard drive and face the possibility of data loss. Fortunately, recovering data from an internal hard drive is tricky, but not impossible – even if you’re doing it by yourself. So, in this article, we’ll show how to recover data from internal hard drive according to different cases. You can find one that suits you and follow our detailed steps to try to retrieve your lost data files.

Different data loss cases on internal hard drive

Although it’s not rare that data loss from internal hard drive, the specific cases are also different. Therefore, to guarantee that no data is lost throughout the procedure due to a mistake, you need first discover the difficulties (if any) that your hard disk is experiencing. The following are some of the most prevalent data loss issues that internal hard drives encounter:

How to recover data from internal hard drive

As we’ve analyzed some common cases of why you might need to recover data from internal hard drive, in this part, we’ll show you how to recover data from hard drive in different cases on a Windows computer.

Case 1. Recover accidentally deleted/lost data (OS running)

First, we’ll show you how to recover any lost or deleted data. In cases where you have lost files that aren’t operating system-related, you can use data recovery software to scan for and recover them from the internal hard drive.

In this scenario, the most effective method is to use professional data recovery software like AOMEI FastRecovery. Its “Recover Data” function is able to recover 200+ file types from a corrupted hard drive in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 and Windows Server OS.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Case 2. Recover data from crashed/corrupted internal disk (OS dead)

If your internal hard drive fails and you can’t boot your computer, the operation will be a little complex. But first, we need to mention, that if your hard drive is physically damaged, you can’t solve the problem by following the steps. After you check your hard drive and expel the physical hurt, we can start.

Since you can’t boot OS successfully, now you need to create a repair USB for your system. Luckily, AOMEI Partition Assistant also supports its function. Here are the steps.

Step 1. On a working computer, download and install AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Step 2. Connect the USB drive to a working Windows computer, and run AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Click “Make Bootable Media” and hit on “Next” to proceed.

Step 3. Choose the right USB drive under “USB Boot Device” and click “Proceed”.

Step 4. Then you will be told the USB will be formatted, please back up important data. If you have done that, click “Yes”.

Step 5. Then wait for the process to be completed.

Note: the bootable USB drive contains the pre-installed AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional.

When the process is done, insert the bootable USB drive into the computer with boot issues, and change the boot order in the Boot menu to make it boot from the bootable USB stick. Now, you can follow the operation in Case 1 to recover data from your internal hard drive.

Tips to fix or recover corrupted hard drive

Here, we also list some solutions for you to repair a corrupted hard drive. When your computer can still boot, you can try the first four options.

Method 1. Try a different computer or a motherboard port.

If your drive is inaccessible, it might be due to a faulty USB port or the machine itself, in addition to the damaged disk. To rule out these options, connect your disk to the motherboard's USB port and another functional computer. If you still can't access the disk, the issue is with the disk.

Method 2. Fix disk errors on a corrupted hard drive

Step 1. Start This PC or My Computer. Right-click the corrupted hard drive and select Properties.

Step 2. Then go to Tools on the upper-left side and click Check.

Step 3. Click Scan Drive to find any error on the disk and fix it.

Method 3. Repair corrupted hard disk using Chkdsk

Step 1. Type cmd in the search box, select it and Run as administrator.​

Step 2. Type chkdsk g: /f /r. Replace g: with the drive letter of your corrupted disk.

The /f parameter is to fix any found errors.

The /r parameter is able to fix any errors on the disk, search for bad sectors, and mark the space as usable.

To forcibly dismount the corrupted disk, you need to add the /x parameter.

If you don’t add any parameter, this command only displays the disk status and does not fix any errors.

Step 3. If the corrupted disk is a system disk, it will ask you to run this command at the next system startup. Type yes and press Enter to restart the system now.

Method 4. Maintenance of the corrupted hard disk

Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security and select Security and Maintenance.​

Step 2. Scroll down to Maintenance and click Start Maintenance.​

If your computer can’t boot, don’t worry, AOMEI Partition Assistant can also offer you CMD and disk check functions to help you repair a corrupted disk. You can follow the steps in Case 2 to create a bootable media and boot into this handy tool. Then, you can:

Opt 1. Rebuild MBR

Master Boot Record (MBR) and Boot Configuration Data (BCD) are both part of the boot record. If the MBR file is corrupted or unavailable, your system may not boot at all.

Opt 2. Check Partition for errors

This tool also provides check functions using Chkdsk.exe.

Opt 3. Reformat hard drive

Formatting hard drive is the final choice for repairing a faulty hard drive since it will lose data on the disk or entirely erase the disk, depending on the disk formatting option selected.

Opt 4. Run surface test on hard drive

In addition to checking partitions, it can also check disk. 

Further reading: How to prevent hard drive failing

Hard drive failures, in reality, contain warning indications. You only need to pay attention to them and take preventative actions ahead of time to avoid the inconvenient data loss caused by a hard disk failure. Many hard drives will display warning signs of a problem before the full disaster. So, if you notice some strange issues coming to your PC, you need to pay attention to them.

◤Overheating
Many causes, such as dust collection or an old and dirty fan, might cause your hard drive to overheat. The ensuing heat might damage the components within and around the hard drive.

◤Strange sounds
Unusual noises, such as grinding or whining, may signal an internal component nearing the end of its life. Overuse may result in the failure of a fan or hard disk.

◤ BSOD
BSOD errors are often shown as a result of data being unexpectedly unavailable. A computer can automatically repair this by moving critical system files to a different part of the drive. Repeated blue screens suggest that your hard drive is failing and that your computer is struggling to keep your data safe.

◤Frequent freezes
A slower and more frequent computer breakdown might suggest that your data is becoming more difficult to access. Corrupted sectors can accumulate and cause file fragmentation.

Of course, there are various symptoms that will show up when your hard drive has a problem. Frequent attention to hard drive issues can always avoid some serious consequences in advance.

Final lines

This article has provided an overview of symptoms and potential causes of data loss in internal hard drives, along with guidance on how to perform data recovery from such drives. It's important to highlight the need for immediate data recovery to prevent potential data overwriting, which can significantly complicate the recovery process. Utilizing data recovery software like AOMEI Partition Assistant is the most efficient approach in this regard.