SanDisk Cruzer USB flash drives are widely used for portable data storage, offering reliable and quick access to important documents. However, removing a USB drive without safely ejecting it can lead to file system corruption, making stored files inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical patient records from a SanDisk Cruzer USB flash drive, after a sudden disconnection caused it to malfunction, preventing access to nursing home data in Leeds.
As Leeds Data Recovery, with 25 years of forensic data recovery experience, we used file system repair, NAND chip extraction, and deep sector imaging techniques to restore lost data.
The Challenge: USB Drive Not Recognised After Sudden Disconnection
A nursing care home in Leeds contacted us after their SanDisk Cruzer USB flash drive failed, with the following issues:
- The USB drive was removed without safely ejecting it.
- After reinserting, Windows displayed an error: “You need to format the drive before you can use it.”
- File Explorer failed to recognize the flash drive or showed it as RAW (corrupt file system).
- The drive contained important patient records, medication schedules, and administrative data.
Since reformatting the USB would erase all remaining data, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the SanDisk Cruzer flash drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full file system and hardware-level diagnostic. Our findings:
- Corrupt file system (FAT32/NTFS) – The improper ejection damaged the USB’s partition structure.
- No physical damage detected – Meaning a logical data recovery approach was possible.
- Lost file allocation tables (FAT/MFT) – Preventing access to stored files.
Since USB corruption can lead to permanent data loss if improperly handled, we prioritized sector-level data extraction before repairing the file system.
The Recovery Process
1. Cloning & Imaging the USB Stick to Preserve Data
To prevent further corruption, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector clone of the USB drive.
- Used advanced recovery tools to bypass unreadable file system sectors.
2. Extracting Data from the Corrupted File System
Since the USB file structure was unreadable, we:
- Manually rebuilt the FAT32/NTFS file system from fragmented data blocks.
- Recovered missing patient records, medication schedules, and documents.
3. Verifying & Restoring Nursing Home Data
Once data extraction was complete, we:
- Checked all recovered patient records and administrative files for accuracy.
- Repaired damaged Excel spreadsheets and medical forms.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external USB drive.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our file system repair and forensic data extraction techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the nursing home’s lost data, including:
✅ Patient records and medical files
✅ Medication schedules and treatment logs
✅ Administrative documents and care plans
The nursing home was able to continue operations without losing vital patient data, preventing serious disruptions.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading USB and flash drive data recovery specialists in Leeds and the UK. Our expertise includes:
✔ USB drive file system corruption repair
✔ FAT32/NTFS partition reconstruction
✔ Healthcare & patient data recovery
✔ Secure & confidential data retrieval
If your USB flash drive is not being recognised, showing a “format” error, or missing files, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.