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ColoradoSky's avatar
ColoradoSky
Copper Contributor
Dec 17, 2024

How to recover formatted external hard drive using cmd?

A few days ago, I mistakenly formatted my external hard drive (Seagate 1TB) while trying to clean up the disk on my Windows 10 PC. Unfortunately, I realized shortly after the formatting that I had im...
device management
Sideny_Strouth's avatar
Sideny_Strouth
Bronze Contributor
Dec 18, 2024

Using the free Windows File Recovery Tool provided by Microsoft.

Windows File Recovery is a command-line utility provided by Microsoft that can help recover lost files from local storage devices, including external hard drives.

How to recover formatted external hard drive using cmd:

Step 1: Download it from the Microsoft Store.

Step 2: Press Win + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin).

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [options]

Source-drive: The drive letter of the formatted external hard drive (e.g., E:).
Destination-drive: The drive where recovered files will be saved (ensure it's different from the source to avoid overwriting).

Step 3: Check the destination drive for recovered files. The tool organizes recovered data into folders based on file type.

Note: Windows File Recovery has a learning curve and requires familiarity with command-line operations. Ensure you read the official documentation for advanced options and usage.

 

 

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