How to fix The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable error

This is a common error often encountered on Windows computers when the operating system cannot access data on the external hard drive:

E:\ is not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

( Drive E:\ is inaccessible. The file or folder is corrupted and cannot be read ).

You may get this error after trying to open something from a USB drive. Or, depending on how your computer is set up, the error may appear immediately after inserting the hard drive into your computer.

This “not accessible” error can happen at any time, even if you’ve just recently used the drive. The beginning of the error message is the location where the data cannot be read, so it could be E:, H:, K:, etc.

Table of Contents

• Cause of error "The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable"
• How to fix "The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable" error
  • 1. Repair system files using SFC scan
  • 2. Use the Check Disk tool
  • 3. Scan your hard drive with a malware removal program
  • 4. Change the location of the file
  • 5. Set a new drive letter
  • 6. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool
  • 7. Use the Startup Repair tool
  • 8. Format the drive

Cause of error "The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable"

There are several reasons why you might get this error:

• The drive is safely removed without disconnecting it.
• Malware has infected your drive : It's no secret that you can infect your computer with viruses or malware when you download something from unofficial sources. This can lead to corruption of connected external devices and prevent you from accessing your files.
• Physically damaged external hard drive : If the storage device is permanently damaged, you will not be able to access the stored information. Also, check the integrity of the hardware connection by looking for any damaged USB ports or cables.
• Corrupted MFT or FAT : MFT (Master File Table) contains the file or folder type, size, creation or modification time, and many other information. So, you will not be able to access your files if MFT is corrupted or has problems. FAT (File Allocation Table) is a system similar to MFT and it is designed for hard drives. If FAT is corrupted, it can also lead to the same error.

This error can occur on any Windows operating system. The steps below apply to Windows 10 and earlier.

How to fix "The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable" error

The best way to fix the error “The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable” is to perform these troubleshooting steps, in order:

1. Repair system files using SFC scan

Corrupt or missing system files can sometimes cause the "File or directory is corrupted and unreadable" error on Windows. System File Checker (SFC) is a handy command-line tool that can check and repair any problematic system files that may be causing file operation problems.

To run a System File Checker scan, follow these steps:

• Press Win + S to open the search menu.
• Type cmd into the box and select Run as administrator.
• Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Wait for the scan to complete, then restart your PC. Next, check to see if the error reappears.

2. Use the Check Disk tool

Another thing you can do is scan your external hard drive with the CHKDSK tool. If the error is caused by bad sectors or directory errors on the drive, this tool will help fix the error.

Quantrimang.com's guide to running CHKDSK on Windows explains how to start a Check Disk scan. To run the scan, you'll need to connect your external hard drive to your PC and specify the drive letter in the command. For example, the CHKDSK command to scan your external D: drive would be:

chkdsk d: /f /r

Windows will scan the drive for bad sectors, directory errors, or lost clusters. Depending on the read speed and data size of the drive, this process may take a while.

3. Scan your hard drive with a malware removal program

If malware is causing the error, removing it may restore access to the drive. See: Completely remove malware from Windows 10 for more details.

4. Change the location of the file

In case you get an error when trying to open a specific folder or file, try changing its location. So if you want to open a file or folder from an external hard drive, copy it to your internal hard drive and try to access it from there.

5. Set a new drive letter

Although this is a weird trick, it can help you fix the "The File or Directory is Corrupted and Unreadable" error on your Windows computer. Follow these steps to change the drive letter:

B1: Press Win + R to launch the Run dialog box.

B2: Type diskmgmt.msc and click OK.

B3: In the Disk Management window , right-click on the external hard drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths .

B4: Select the drive letter and click the Change button.

B5: In the Change Drive Letter or Path window , select Assign the following drive letter and choose a new letter from the drop-down menu.

B6: Confirm action.

Your external hard drive now has a new letter and you can open it. If you are using a script to open files from the drive, you will need to modify that script as well.

6. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool

It is possible that you are unable to access certain files or folders due to memory-related issues. To fix this, you should use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. The easiest way to launch the tool is to type Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Start menu search bar and select the best match. Then, select Restart now and check for problems.

Note : Before starting a scan, save all your work and close any running applications.

7. Use the Startup Repair tool

If the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool doesn’t help you fix the problem, there’s another built-in feature you can use to resolve corrupted and unreadable file errors. To do so, press Windows key + I to launch Settings and go to Update & security > Recovery > Restart now .

Then, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options . Then, click on the Startup Repair option.

Windows will now search for and fix any possible errors and restart. Once the process is complete, try accessing your files again.

8. Format the drive

If the drive is unreadable, formatting it is unlikely, but try it anyway.

Note: Formatting will erase everything from the drive! Before you complete this step, try to recover files from the drive using a file recovery program .

If the reason for the “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” error is due to a physically damaged drive, repairing the drive will not be enough to recover data and prevent errors. In this case, you will need to replace the drive.

Check out Quantrimang.com 's list of the best USB and external hard drives for recommendations.

Errors are frustrating, especially when they prevent you from accessing your files. But with a little patience, you can fix most errors on your computer. This can serve as a reminder to always back up important files and folders.

While troubleshooting, you may lose data stored on your computer or external storage device. However, you can still get your data back if you use a safe and effective data recovery tool.

See also:

• What is error 0x80070570? How to fix this error?