How to Repair NTFS File System and Recover Data

Amy Dennis

Dec 16, 2024 • Filed to: Recover Files • Proven solutions

NTFS (New Technology File system) is the file system that provides Windows 11/10 an amazing feature of storing as well as retrieving files from Hard Disk. This feature allows the system to revert to the previous condition in case of any system failure.

But here the question that is common among many of us, "Can we repair the NTFS files system?" The answer is yes, it has many built-in features for self-recovery and additionally there are different ways to repair NTFS. But before knowing about them we need to understand the reasons for data corruption in NTFS.

Part 1: Reasons for NTFS File System Corruption

The following might be the reasons for NTFS file system corruption:

1. The primary reason for NTFS file system corruption can be due to hardware issues like damaged cable or a Hardrive crash.
2. NTFS corruption can also be due to a virus or malware attack that can lead to unexpected data loss in the system.
3. Corruption of disk partition can also be a reason for NTFS file system corruption.
4. If the boot sector of Windows fails, NTFS also fails and leads to the loss of huge data.

Part 2: How to Repair the NTFS File System on Windows 11/10

Solution 1: Check the partition for file system error with chkdsk

To repair the NTFS file system on Windows 10, let's use the built-in startup repair available in Windows 11/10. This allows us to detect and resolve the errors preventing windows to start normally. Below are some simple steps to follow initially:

1. Restart your computer while holding down the "SHIFT" key.
2. Now, select "Troubleshoot" -> then "Advanced options".

3. Select "Command Prompt" to enter the command prompt.
4. Enter the command "chkdsk C:/f/r" and press enter. In this command.

• C is the drive that needs to be fixed
• /f is to fix the disk errors and
• /r to recover information from the corrupted sectors.

5. When it prompts "Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)", press Y on your keyboard and enter.
6. Restart your PC manually, to allow the check disk utility to detect and resolve the file system errors.
7. Once the scanning process reaches 100%, Windows will restart normally.

Solution 2: Format corrupt partition to NTFS again through Disk management

Before formatting a corrupt partition, it is always important to take a backup to avoid any kind of data loss.

As there is a data backup available, you can go ahead and follow the below process to repair the raw partition to NTFS.

1. Right-click on "My Computer" on the desktop. Select "Manage" -> "Disk Management".

2. The available partitions will be displayed from which right-click on the partition which needs to be formatted and select "Format".

3. In the format window displayed, select the "File system" as NTFS and click "OK".

4. Restart your computer for the new NTFS file system to work fine.

Part 3: How to Recover Data from the Corrupt NTFS File System

When the NTFS partitions are damaged or failed, the internal built-in functions can barely help to resolve and make them work properly. To recover data from the corrupt NTFS file system you can use recovery tools like the Recoverit Data Recovery tool.

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Step 1: Launch Recoverit on your Computer

• Install Recoverit on your Computer. Double click on the "Wondershare Recoverit" icon available on your desktop. Or look for it through the search bar to launch it on your computer.

Step 2: Select a location

Select the location on your computer from where the data has been lost following the below steps:

• Select the hard disks available under the "Hard Disk Drive tab" or any other available under the "Select Location" tab.
• Click on Start.

Step 3: Scan the selected location

Recoverit will start an auto-scan of the selected location. Generally, this scan time may differ from minutes to hours based on the size of the files available in the location.

• Pause or Stop Scanning: Though Recoverit starts the scan automatically, you have options to pause or stop the scan at any time.
• If you wish to cancel the scanning temporarily, click on the" pause" button and continue the process by clicking the "play" button available.
• If you have found the missing file and wish to stop the scan, click on the "Stop" button, and the scan gets aborted.

Step 4: Preview and Recover Files

Recoverit allows you to preview the files before you recover them. This comes with a preview interface that pops up after clicking on the preview button available under the image on the right-hand side. This interface allows you to view your file on full screen, zoom in, and zoom out.

After seeing the preview, you can click on the "Recover" button available under the preview to get that file back to your computer.

After recovering data following the above-mentioned steps, make sure to store them in safe locations like external storage devices.

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The Bottom Line

Yes, we can repair the NTFS file system by the above-mentioned solutions like using the "chkdsk" command and raw partition to NTFS using data management. We also understood the reasons for the corruption of NTFS which will help us to better analyze the condition.

If none of the solutions helps you to recover lost data, Recoverit Data Recovery is highly recommended as it is the user friendly and easy to use interface that allows you to scan the computer, get the files that need to be recovered and ensure that the files are recovered back to the Computer and stored in a safe place.