Summary: Recovering lost or deleted files from a FAT32 file system requires the right tools and techniques. FAT32 is a common file system used on external drives, USB drives, and some internal drives. In this article we show you how to recover data from FAT32 file system using a specialized data recovery software-Remo Recover.
In this article, we will help you recover your FAT32 File system using professional data recovery software and also guide you to repair damaged or corrupt FAT32 file system using 4 DIY methods.
Before proceeding to the FAT32 data recovery part, let's learn more about the FAT32 file system and explore why most users lose their files.
FAT32 is one of the earlier file systems that Microsoft introduced. FAT, which stands for File Allocation Table, has different file systems like FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32.
With both of its earlier versions being out of use, FAT32 is still used most commonly in USB flash drives, SD cards, and sometimes in hard drives.
With the FAT32 file system mostly used by external storage devices, data loss is not an uncommon issue. Before moving on to recovering deleted files from the FAT32 file system, let us have a look at some of the reasons behind data loss on FAT32 drives or partitions.
Data loss on FAT32 file system drives can happen due to accidental formatting of the FAT32 drive or partition, a corrupt partition, improper or failed conversion of FAT to NTFS or any other file system, Virus intrusion, improper partitioning or repartitioning of the FAT32 drive.
Unfortunately, recovering deleted data from a FAT32 drive is not as simple as recovering files from a computer. One can always rely on backups in any minor or severe case of data loss; however, if you don't have any backup. Then, you have no choice but to use a specialized FAT32 Data Recovery software such as Remo Recover.
Professional tools like Remo Recover are designed to help any Windows or Mac user recover more than 500 file types from any internal or external Hard Drive, Pen Drive, SSD, or SD card that is formatted with the FAT32 file system.
Below, we have added 4 proven methods that can repair your FAT32 file system for free:
If you are trying to recover data from an inaccessible or corrupt hard drive, then you can try repairing the FAT32 formatted file system using CHKDSK.
CHKDSK is a command in Windows that will look for errors in the file system.
Follow the below-mentioned methods to repair the FAT32 drive using CHKDSK:
After you enter the command and hit enter, your Windows will take several minutes to verify your FAT32 file system. By the end of it, if you see a text saying Windows has made corrections to the file system, then you have successfully repaired your FAT32 file system.
The System File Checker is a built-in tool in Windows that checks the health of your system files and repairs the issue if it finds any.
Here are the steps to use the System File Checker to repair a corrupted or missing FAT32 file system:
After running this tool, restart your computer and see if the issue with the FAT32 file system has been resolved. If it's resolved, congratulations. If not, then proceed to the next method.
System Restore is a Windows built-in feature that can help recover files and system settings to an earlier state when the system works properly. It is mainly used to restore the system files and settings, but the good part is it can also be used to recover certain files on a FAT32 file system.
Note: This method will only work if you enable system restore in the past. Also, this method is ineffective when dealing with damaged or corrupted FAT32 file systems.
Here's how to use System Restore to recover files on a FAT32 file system:
Once the restore process is finished, check if you can fix the issue with your FAT32 file system. If this method also didn’t work, proceed to the next method.
If you're experiencing issues with a corrupted FAT32 file system, you can try using the Windows Disk Management tool to recover it. Here's how:
Here is a quick comparison of Features between FAT 32 and NTFS File Systems:
File System Feature | FAT 32 | NTFS |
Max. File Name | Up to 8.3 characters | Up to 255 characters |
Max. File Size | Up to 4 GB | Up to 16 TB |
File/Folder Encryption | Not supported | Supported |
Fault Tolerance | No auto-repair | Auto-detect and repair |
Security | Network security | Local and network security |
Compression | Not supported | Supported |
Conversion | Can convert to NTFS | Cannot convert to FAT 32 |
Compatibility | Windows 95/98/2K/2k3/XP | Windows NT/2K/XP/Vista/7 |
Data loss from a FAT32 drive can happen for any reason, like accidental deletion of the stored data, virus or malware attack, formatting the drive without taking proper backup of the data, incorrect partitioning or repartitioning of the drive, etc. I have explained about Remo Recover as a reliable solution to help you with FAT32 data recovery. I have also provided step-by-step instructions to help you.
To recover data from a FAT32 USB drive, follow these steps using Remo Recover:
1. Firstly, download and install Remo Recover.
2. Next, connect the USB drive to your computer.
3. Then, launch Remo Recover and select the FAT32 USB drive.
4. Proceed by scanning the drive for recoverable files.
5. Additionally, preview the recovered files.
6. Select and recover the desired files to a chosen location.
To Recover a Corrupt FAT32 Partition, all you have to do is download and install the Remo Recover Software and follow the above-mentioned steps.
Follow the below simple steps to Format to FAT32 for USB or external hard drive in Windows 10
1. Connect the USB or external hard drive to your Windows 10 PC.
2. Now, open the File Explorer, locate and right-click on the USB drive, and select the "Format" option.
3. Set the FAT32 as the target file system, tick the "Quick Format," and click "Start" to start the formatting.
4. Wait till the process ends and click on "OK" to confirm. And now your USB is FAT32.
Yes, Linux supports the FAT32 file system and the other two types of FAT file systems (FAT12 and FAT16).
All Linux filesystem drivers are designed to recognize and support all three FAT types, which means that any storage device formatted in FAT32 can be accessed and read from a Linux computer without any compatibility issues.