Troubleshooting NTFS: How to Repair Corrupted NTFS File System

About NTFS File System

Before learning how to fix a corrupted NTFS file system, one must understand it. NTFS refers to the New Technology File System, i.e., a file system program for Windows OS. It surpasses the FAT file system which is a preferable format for Microsoft Windows systems. NTFS stores and retrieves data and also provides other benefits to users. It includes metadata support, high performance, efficient disk utilization, and much more. Moreover, it has great storage capacity and offers file-level security. Still, there are scenarios when anything could possibly go wrong, like NTFS corruption.

What Causes NTFS File System Corruption?

To know how you can repair a corrupted NTFS file system, first identify its root causes. These are:

• Hardware issues or files or programs are not found.
• Invalid partition table or file system is displayed RAW.
• OS not found or the hard drive is formatted.
• Corruption in MBR or repetitive data formatting in NTFS.
• Faulty drivers or BSODs and viruses or malware attacks.

Due to these and many other similar reasons a need for NTFS corruption repair arises. As it affects the data badly, resulting in the following:

• Unexpected data loss or missing files and partitions.
• Disappeared NTFS partition or data inaccessibility.
• Unreadable files or leaked data from the NTFS file system, etc.

Recommended Ways to Repair Corrupted NTFS File System

There are several manual methods and a professional tool to recover data from a corrupt NTFS file system. These are explained briefly here with specific limitations and features. Let’s get started to fix NTFS corruption and recover data.

Manual Methods for NTFS File System Corruption Fix

We have various manual methods available to resolve the issue of NTFS corruption. These are:

Way 1: Using the CHKDSK Command to Fix NTFS System Corruption

It is a built-in startup repair solution to identify and repair errors on Windows systems. The steps are:

1. Restart the PC by pressing the Shift key and click Troubleshoot.
2. Click Advanced Options and then, Command Prompt to open the window.
3. Further, in cmd, type, “chkdsk drivelettertofix:/f/r”. Hit Enter.
4. When prompted to “Schedule the volume check on the next time the system restarts”, click Yes.
5. After that, click Enter and restart the system to enable the check disk utility to detect and fix errors.
6. Once the process completes successfully, Windows will restart normally automatically.

Way 2: Use Disk Management to Repair Corrupted NTFS File System

Ensure to take a backup of your NTFS file system data before you use this method. Follow these steps:

1. First, right-click This PC, choose Manage, and go to Disk Management.
2. In the displayed NTFS partition, select the corrupted or RAW system.
3. Further, right-click and press Format. Set file system to NTFS.
4. Finally, click OK and restart the PC to work with the new NTFS system.

Way 3: NTFS File System Corruption Fix by Diskpart Command

If your label is missing or lost and you need to fix NTFS, use some cmd commands. Follow these steps:

1. Open cmd and type diskpart to open the new window. Click Enter.
2. Further, type list volume and press Enter to see the volume list and details.
3. Then, type select volume (volume no.) and hit Enter.
4. Type active and afterward, assign letter = (new letter) and press Enter.
5. In the end, exit this window and check if your NTFS system works or not.

Using these three manual methods you can troubleshoot NTFS to fix the errors. However, the manual method is never free of limitations and contains possible risks.

Shortcomings of the Manual Method

• Technical knowledge is necessary to perform the manual solutions.
• Essential to maintain a backup beforehand to avoid severe losses.
• Processes are tricky and complex and provide no guarantee.
• Does not help fix severe corruption or all the errors in the NTFS file system.

Therefore, experts recommend opting for a professional tool to deal with NTFS corruption accurately.

Automated Tool to Repair Corrupted NTFS File System

When none of the manual methods works to handle NTFS corruption, the SysInfo NTFS Recovery Tool comes in handy. This comprehensive software is specially built to deal with NTFS file corruption and recover data. It provides advanced scanning and recovery modes to retrieve data without losses. Additionally, the tool supports both MBR and GPT partition tables. Moreover, it offers different features before the recovery such as:

• Option to preview the NTFS file data and volumes in a tree structure.
• Facilitates adding new custom volumes or setting the previous ones.
• Smart search feature and option to add new file signatures.
• Easy-to-use application for all beginner and expert users.
• Works smoothly on all Windows OS and retrieves NTFS system data easily.

Steps to Repair Corrupted NTFS file system

1. Run the NTFS Recovery Tool and select the drive containing the NTFS system.
2. Further, click Next, choose the Standard/Advanced scanning mode, and click Next.
3. Then, select existing volume entries or create new custom volumes and tap Next.
4. Afterward, choose Standard, Advanced, or Deep recovery mode and click Next.
5. Now, select the desired folders to check and preview them in the panel.
6. At last, click Save to recover the NTFS file system and save files at a desired location.

Conclusion

If you are worried about how to repair a corrupted NTFS file system, then follow the above-mentioned solutions. All the solutions are verified and provide results. While using the manual ways, you can face some difficulties and disappointments. So, it is far better to take a professional tool for 100% accurate results with complete data safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author:

Simran Bhatia

Simran Bhatia is a technical content writer engaged in writing clear, concise, and SEO-optimized content. With a background in computer science and a passion for writing, I thrive to deliver complex technical content in simple layman terms.