How to recover data from a Kingston Flash Drive

Are you looking for a way to recover data from Flash Drive Kingston? Have you lost data because your Flash Drive Kingston does not work properly or because of hard disk errors? Is the data lost forever, or is there some way to recover it?

Kingston Flash Drive Data Recovery in 2024

Repair your media, fix errors that cause failures and restore the lost data on your own.

If you need to recover an internal or external hard disk (HDD, SSD or SSHD), a memory card or a USB pen drive, the first step is to connect it to a computer. If you want to recover data from a dashboard camera, phone, camera, or a music player, you should remove their memory card and connect it to a desktop computer. Also, you can try this tutorial for internal phone storage, if you connect your phone to a computer and it displays your device in This PC folder as a USB drive.

The Program For Recovering Kingston Flash Drive Data

Are you looking for a way to recover data?

If files have been deleted from a Kingston Flash Drive, and it is impossible to recover them by using standard tools of your operating system, the most effective way will be to use Hetman Partition Recovery.

For this purpose, do the following:

  • Download the program install and launch it.

  • By default, users are suggested to start with File Recovery Wizard. Click «Next» and the program will ask you to select the disk you want to recover your files from.

  • Double-click on the disk and select analysis type. Choose «Full analysis» and wait for the disk scanning procedure to finish.

  • When the scanning is over, you will be show files for recovery. Select the ones you need and click «Recover».

  • Select one of the options to save files. Do not save the recovered files to the disk from where they have been deleted previously because they can be erased.

Recover Data From Kingston Flash Drive After Formatting or Deleting Partition

Recover Files After Formatting

Are you looking for a way to recover files from a Kingston Flash Drive after formatting? Follow this guide:

  • Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and launch it. After launch, the program will find and display all physical disks as well as available and unavailable partitions and areas on your disks, showing this information in the left part of the main window.

  • Double-click on the disk or the area from which you need to recover files and select analysis type.

  • Choose «Full analysis» and wait for the disk scanning procedure to finish.

  • When the scanning is over, you will be show files for recovery. Select the ones you need and click «Recover».

  • Select one of the options to save files. Do not save the recovered files to the disk from where they have been deleted previously because they can be erased.

Recover Data From Deleted Partition

Are you looking for a way to recover files from a deleted partition in a Kingston Flash Drive? Follow this guide:

  • Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and launch it. After launch, the program will find and display all physical disks, flash drives or memory cards in the left part of the main window. The list of physical devices is shown after logical drives

  • Double-click on the device from where a partition was deleted.

  • Choose «Full analysis» and wait for the disk scanning procedure to finish.

  • When the scanning is over, you will be shown files for recovery. Select the ones you need and click «Recover».

  • Select one of the options to save files. Do not save the recovered files to the disk from where they have been deleted previously because they can be erased.

Recover System Partition With LiveCD

If there is no possibility to connect a hard disk with a lost or damaged system partition to another computer, you can recover such partition by starting your computer with LiveCD, an alternative portable version of an operating system. For this purpose, do the following:

  • Find a LiveCD which is good enough for your needs, download it and copy it to a CD\DVD or a flash drive.

  • Connect the LiveCD to your computer and turn it on. The computer will reboot automatically with the LiveCD.

  • Copy files from the system partition to another media (often it can be an external hard disk).

Recover System Partition Data on Another Computer

If the system partition is lost, a computer will not boot. That is why:

  • Take out of the computer or disconnect the hard disk where the system partition was lost.

  • Connect this HDD to another computer.

  • Make sure that your hard disk is recognized by the other computer correctly.

  • Now, follow the steps as shown in the previous section.

SMART Parameters Of Kingston Flash Drive

Large hard disk manufacturers include S.M.A.R.T. technology into their products. S.M.A.R.T. analyzes a great number of mechanical attributes. This analysis allows detecting hard disk errors before it breaks down completely, and it can also help to find out why it happened.

In spite of S.M.A.R.T. ability to predict future problems, most of them cannot be prevented. Therefore, S.M.A.R.T. is a technology which often warns users of the hard disk nearing its end. S.M.A.R.T. values cannot be corrected and there is no need to waste time on that.

Every hard disk manufacturer sets a threshold value for every operation. Under normal circumstances, threshold values are never exceeded. Otherwise, we encounter errors.

There are 256 values, each having its own ID. Some errors and extreme values are critical. There is no solution for such errors. The only way out for them is to replace the hard disk as soon as such error is detected.

There are no methods to correct critical SMART errors. If the hard disk is not replaced, the error will be displayed again and again. The only justified reason for still keeping the disk will be the need to save data from the sectors which are still available. If the error warning comes true, the disk will become unavailable for any program known. That is why there are steps to be taken to save your data.

Restore File System On Kingston Flash Drive

If it is impossible to recognize the file system on Kingston Flash Drive, hard disk, format the device.

File System In Kingston Flash Drive Is Recognized as RAW

Sometimes the operating system cannot recognize the file system structure (for example, FAT or NTFS). If you check properties of such device, its file system will be identified as RAW. In this case, Windows suggests formatting the disk.

There are utilities specialized in restoring RAW disks, but we recommend using a versatile solution, Hetman Partition Recovery. This function is an additional component, so you only have to launch the program and analyze such disk.

Run CHKDSK Command

In some cases, the file system on a Kingston Flash Drive can be repaired with the command CHKDSK.

  1. Launch the Command prompt as Administrator.

  2. Type in the command “chkdsk D: /f” (instead of D: type in the letter of the corresponding disk) and press ENTER.

  3. As you launch the command, the process of error checking and correcting will start; it can help to restore your file system back to normal.

Restore Partitions On Kingston Flash Drive With “Diskpart” Command

If a USB drive, a memory card or another media work incorrectly, cleaning the disk and its partitions with the command “Clean” and Diskpart tool can become one of the ways to solve the problem. This tool can correct errors if the device cannot be formatted or when its size is identified incorrectly.

  1. Launch the Command prompt as Administrator.

  2. Run the command DISKPART.

  3. Show the list of disks with the command LIST DISK and find the number of the disk which you need to recover.

  4. Select the disk you need: SELECT DISK # (instead of # enter the disk number).

  5. Run the command CLEAN.

  6. Create a partition in the cleaned disk and format it into the file system you like.

Find Bad Sectors And Errors, Run The Defragmentation

Scan The Disk For Errors And Bad Sectors Snd Correct Them

Check all partitions of the hard disk and try to correct the mistakes which have been found. For this purpose, do the following:

  • Open the folder «This PC».

  • Right-click on the disk containing an error.

  • Select Properties / Tools / Check now (in the tab Error-checking).

As a result of scanning, the errors found on the disk can be corrected.

Run Disk Defragmentation

  • Open the folder «This PC» and right-click on the disk.

  • Select Properties / Tools / Optimize (in the tab Optimization and defragmentation).

  • Select the disk you need to optimize and click Optimize.

Note. In Windows 10 defragmentation/optimization can be scheduled so that it is performed automatically.

Repairing Kingston Flash Drive

It is important to understand that any of the ways to eliminate errors in a Kingston Flash Drive hard disk is only a virtual solution to the problem. Often it is impossible to remove the cause of the error completely, because the device needs repairing.

You can go to a service center to fix the breakage or replace parts/microchips of a Kingston Flash Drive. Yet in this case the cost of works will be several times as expensive as buying a disk or memory card. So this step is only worth taking if you need to recover very important data.

Creating Backup Copy Of Kingston Flash Drive

There are several solutions to create data backup copies:

  1. Applications built into the operating system. Microsoft Windows offers methods of data backup that suggest saving files and data to external or intrernal (built-in) media storages. All modern versions of Windows are already equipped the fuction of creating a backup copy of certain files or the entire hard disk if necessary. The functions offered by Windows are comprehensive and self-sufficient, and they are meant to be convenient enough so that you do not go looking for third-party services or software.

  2. Manual backup. You can always use the good old method of creating a backup copy by manually copying the data to an external medium. it is a long process but if you work with small amounts of data, such solution can be acceptable for you.

  3. Online services. Recently the most up-to-date way of data backup is becoming popular, represented by numerous online services. These are companies that provide backup for your files right on the Internet. A small background application installed on your computer creates copies of thnecessary data and saves them to a remote server. However, the space allowed for storing files in a free version is too small to use this method as a complex solution. Often this space is under 10 Gb so there is no way to create a backup copy of the entire hard disk. Such services are more practical when things come to backing up a series of files.

  4. Creating a disk image. This is the most comprehensive solution to create a backup copy which is preferred by advanced users. This method suggests using a third-party program to create a backup copy of the entire disk which can be used on another information-carrying medium if necessary. With this solution, you can get access to all data which was there on the disk at the time of copying - documents, software and media files - within a short period of time.

Models Flash Drive Kingston:

  • DataTraveler;
  • HyperX;
  • IronKey;

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Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

How do file system errors or corruption affect the data stored on a Kingston USB Flash Drive, and what are the common causes of such errors?

File system errors or corruption can have various effects on the data stored on a Kingston USB Flash Drive. Some of the common effects include:

  1. Inaccessibility: The files and folders stored on the USB drive may become inaccessible. You may not be able to open or view the data.
  2. Data Loss: File system errors can lead to data loss. Some files or even the entire contents of the USB drive may get deleted or become unreadable.
  3. Data Corruption: The files may become corrupted, making them unreadable or causing errors when trying to access them.
  4. Slow Performance: File system errors can also slow down the performance of the USB drive, making file operations sluggish or causing the drive to freeze or hang.

The common causes of file system errors or corruption on Kingston USB Flash Drives include:

  1. Improper Ejection: Removing the USB drive without safely ejecting it from the computer can cause file system errors. It is important to always use the "Safely Remove Hardware" option before physically disconnecting the drive.
  2. Power Outages or System Crashes: Unexpected power outages or system crashes while the USB drive is in use can lead to file system errors or corruption.
  3. Virus or Malware Infections: If the USB drive gets infected with a virus or malware, it can corrupt the file system and affect the stored data.
  4. Physical Damage: Physical damage to the USB drive, such as dropping it or exposing it to extreme temperatures or moisture, can lead to file system errors.
  5. Software or Firmware Issues: Problems with the software or firmware of the USB drive can cause file system errors or corruption.
  6. Bad Sectors: Over time, the USB drive may develop bad sectors, which can result in file system errors or data corruption.

To prevent file system errors or corruption, it is recommended to:

  1. Safely eject the USB drive before unplugging it from the computer.
  2. Keep the USB drive protected from physical damage and extreme conditions.
  3. Use reliable antivirus software to scan the USB drive regularly.
  4. Update the USB drive's firmware and keep the operating system and software up to date.
  5. Regularly backup the data on the USB drive to another location to minimize the risk of data loss.

What are the potential consequences of file system errors or corruption on a Kingston USB Flash Drive, and how can it lead to data loss or inaccessibility?

Potential consequences of file system errors or corruption on a Kingston USB Flash Drive include:

  1. Data Loss: File system errors or corruption can result in the loss of files and folders stored on the flash drive. This can happen due to the inability of the operating system to read or access the corrupted files.
  2. Inaccessibility: File system errors can make the USB flash drive inaccessible, meaning that you won't be able to view or retrieve any of the data stored on it. This can occur if the file system becomes damaged or if the drive is unable to be recognized by the operating system.
  3. File Corruption: Errors in the file system can lead to file corruption, where the data within the files becomes unreadable or unusable. This can result in the loss of important documents, photos, videos, or any other type of file stored on the flash drive.
  4. Unreliable Performance: A corrupted file system can cause the USB flash drive to perform poorly or become unstable. It may result in slow read/write speeds, frequent crashes, or system freezes, making it difficult to use the drive effectively.
  5. Formatting Requirement: In some cases, severe file system errors may require you to format the USB flash drive to fix the issue. Formatting erases all the data on the drive, leading to complete data loss if you haven't backed up your files.

To prevent or minimize data loss and inaccessibility due to file system errors or corruption, it is recommended to:

  1. Regularly backup your important data stored on the USB flash drive to another storage device or cloud storage.
  2. Safely eject the flash drive from the computer before physically unplugging it to avoid any potential data corruption.
  3. Scan the flash drive for errors using the built-in error-checking tools provided by the operating system.
  4. Avoid abruptly disconnecting the USB flash drive while files are being transferred or accessed.
  5. Use reliable antivirus software to protect the flash drive from malware or viruses that can cause file system errors.

If you encounter file system errors or corruption on a Kingston USB Flash Drive, it is advisable to seek professional help or use data recovery software to recover the lost or inaccessible data.

What are some effective methods or techniques that can be employed to recover lost or inaccessible data from a Kingston USB Flash Drive affected by file system errors or corruption?

There are several methods and techniques that can be employed to recover lost or inaccessible data from a Kingston USB Flash Drive affected by file system errors or corruption. Here are some effective approaches:

  1. Use data recovery software: Utilize reliable data recovery software such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Recuva, or Disk Drill. These tools can scan the USB drive and recover lost files even from a corrupted file system.
  2. Check the drive on another computer: Connect the Kingston USB drive to another computer and check if it is accessible. Sometimes, the issue might be with the computer's USB port or drivers rather than the drive itself.
  3. Run CHKDSK utility: Use the built-in Windows CHKDSK utility to repair file system errors on the Kingston USB drive. Open the command prompt, type "chkdsk [drive letter]: /f" (e.g., chkdsk E: /f), and press Enter. This command will attempt to fix any file system errors on the drive.
  4. Format the drive: If the data on the USB drive is not crucial or you have a backup, you can try formatting the drive. Right-click on the drive in Windows Explorer, select "Format," and follow the instructions. This will erase all data on the drive, but it may resolve file system errors or corruption.
  5. Seek professional data recovery services: If the above methods fail or the data on the Kingston USB drive is extremely important, consider consulting professional data recovery services. They have specialized equipment and expertise to recover data from physically damaged or severely corrupted drives.

Remember to always back up your important data to prevent data loss.