How to Check USB Health and Resolve USB Errors on Windows 11 and Mac

Updated by

Linda 

Written by

Linda 

Updated on April 22, 2024

Why Need to Check USB Health?

It is highly recommended that USB flash drive users regularly check the health of their device. Here are some common reasons why you should inspect your USB drive's health: 1. **Preventing Data Loss**: One of the primary reasons to check your USB drive's health is to prevent unexpected data loss. A failing drive can lead to corrupted files or the complete loss of important information. 2. **Early Detection of Issues**: Regular checks can help identify potential problems early on, allowing for timely repairs or data recovery before the situation worsens. 3. **Performance Decline**: Over time, USB drives can experience a decline in performance due to wear and tear or storage issues. Monitoring its health can alert you to these changes, enabling you to take necessary actions like defragmentation or upgrading to a new drive. 4. **Virus or Malware Detection**: USB drives can be susceptible to virus or malware infections, which can harm both the drive and your computer. Checking the drive's health can help detect any such threats and protect your system. 5. **延长使用寿命**: By keeping track of your USB drive's health, you can take steps to prolong its lifespan, such as avoiding overwriting data excessively or exposing it to extreme temperatures. 6. **Backup Planning**: Knowing the health status of your USB drive can prompt you to create a backup plan for your critical data, ensuring that you have a reliable copy in case of a failure. 7. **Maintaining Warranty**: Some manufacturers require proof of regular maintenance or checks for warranty claims. Keeping a record of your drive's health can be useful in such cases. Remember, it's always better to be proactive about maintaining your USB drive's health rather than dealing with the consequences of a sudden failure.

Here are the translations for the given languages into English: 1. Malfunctioning USB drive: If your USB drive functions intermittently, it's crucial to inspect its health. Checking the USB drive's health can reveal the source of errors. 2. Windows Warnings: Sometimes, when you insert your USB drive, Windows prompts you to fix it due to detected errors. To prevent such issues, you should verify the USB's health. 3. Data Safety: A USB drive with low health is a potential risk, as data loss can occur suddenly when it stops functioning. Hence, it's advisable to regularly check the USB's health proactively.

The USB transfer speed also plays a role in its performance. To determine the read/write speed of your USB, you can click to check the USB speed:

How to Check USB Speed on Windows [100% Working Solution]

This article will present two efficient and quick methods to test USB flash drives. Let's explore how these two approaches work for checking USB speed.

Here are some common signs and symptoms indicating a USB with low health remaining:

Quick Guide to Check If USB Is Physically Damaged

Before we get to the methods to check USB health on Windows and Mac, make sure that your USB isn't physically damaged.

A physically damaged USB drive can also throw errors and behave unpredictably. Go through the checklist mentioned below to detect your USB's external condition. Translation: A physically damaged USB drive can also result in errors and exhibit unpredictable behavior. Go through the checklist below to assess the external condition of your USB drive.

1. Check if the USB Case is damaged

First, you need to inspect your USB drive's exterior casing thoroughly. Check if the USB's casing is damaged in any area. Sometimes, a damaged USB case can also lead to various issues for its users.

< b > 2. Check if the chips in USB connection ports are damaged < /b >

If the connection ports are damaged, you won't be able to use your USB. Carefully inspect both the USB device plug and your computer's port to make sure they're not damaged.

3. Check if the USB itself is damaged

A USB device requires specific voltage levels to function properly with your computer. Altering the power input can potentially damage your USB. Hence, it's crucial to prevent your USB drive from getting damaged in any way.

4. Check if the USB is draft

Another sign of physical damage to your USB is if it feels drafty. Make sure to dry it out completely before using it again.

By going through the checklist, you'll determine whether your chip's USB case is damaged or not. If your USB has issues but isn't physically broken, there might be a logical error with your USB.

The sections below outline methods to check USB health on both Mac and Windows computers. By following this guide, you can resolve USB errors on both platforms.

Check USB Health on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

There are several ways to check the health of a USB device on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7. Let's examine each method in turn. These methods assist you in assessing the logical health of your USB drive.

Method 1: Run CHKDSK

The CHKDSK utility in Windows helps you identify and correct logical errors on your USB drive. Follow the steps below to run CHKDSK through the Command Prompt: 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer. 2. Press the "Windows key + X" on your keyboard, then choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" from the menu. You'll need administrator privileges to run the command. 3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command, replacing "X:" with the actual letter assigned to your USB drive: ``` chkdsk X: /f /r ``` 4. Press "Enter" to execute the command. The /f switch tells CHKDSK to fix any errors it finds, while the /r switch locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. 5. Wait for the process to complete. This may take some time, depending on the size of your USB drive and the number of errors. 6. Once CHKDSK finishes, remove the USB drive safely and check if the logical errors have been resolved. Remember that running CHKDSK might temporarily delete some files if they're corrupted. Always make sure to back up important data before using this tool.

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt.

Press the Win + R keys, and the Run window will appear. Type CMD in it and click enter to open the Command Prompt in Windows.

Step 2: In CMD, type the chkdsk *:/f command and hit Enter. (Make sure to replace * in the command with your USB drive letter).

Once you enter this command, the CHKDSK utility will scan your USB drive and assess its condition. If it detects any errors on the USB drive, it will also repair them.

Running the chkdsk utility

Method 2: Run Disk Scan

Another brilliant tool that Windows provides to scan and fix USB logical errors is the Disk Scan utility.

Follow these steps to run a disk scan:

Step 1: Connect your USB to your computer and then open This PC.

Step 2: Right-click on your USB drive and select Properties.

Step 3: Proceed to the Tools tab in your USB drive Properties window.

Step 4: Choose the Check option beneath the Error-checking section.

It will perform a disk scan on your USB drive. Additionally, after the scan is complete, it will fix any errors that were detected during the scan.

Method 3: Run Disk Health Checker - Partition Master Tool

Windows built-in tools are great, but they don't necessarily guarantee to fix your USB drive. In this case, you might consider using a third-party tool like tools Partition Master.

tools Partition Master is an all-in-one disk health monitoring tool. With this software, you can rectify any file system errors and scan for bad sectors on your USB flash drive. Additionally, it enables you to address any logical issues with your external USB drives.

Download the tool Partition Master to assess the health of your USB drive and resolve any issues. Follow the steps below to utilize this software.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on your computer. Then, locate the disk, right-click the partition you want to check, and choose "Advanced" > "Check File System".

Step 2. In the Check File System window, select the "Try to fix errors if found" option and click "Start".

Check the pop-up instructions:

Step 3. The software will begin checking your partition file system on your disk. When it completes, click "Finish".

AOMEI Partition Assistant is also one of the best USB speed test tools. If you want to know detailed information about USB benchmarks, download it and enjoy the benefits it brings to you.

Check USB Health on Mac

The previous section detailed methods to assess USB health on Windows computers. In this section, you'll learn how to use Disk Utility to examine USB health on a Mac.

Follow these steps to check USB health on a Mac:

Step 1: Open Disk Utility on your Mac by going to your Applications folder.

You can also press CMD + Space bar and type Disk Utility to open it with a shortcut.

Step 2: Select your USB drive from the left panel.

Select your USB drive

Step 3: Click on the First Aid button, and it will run and show you logs concerning the health of your USB drive.

Checking the health of a USB is straightforward, but what's more crucial is to take good care of your data.

The sole reason why it's highly recommended to check USB health is to protect the crucial data stored within it. Though USB users might find it daunting to inspect their USB health, the process is actually much simpler than anticipated.

Checking the health of your USB drive is straightforward, and performing this task helps ensure the security of your data. The primary objective of checking your USB's health is to safeguard your data against any potential loss.

遵循以下提示，保护USB驱动器的健康和数据安全：

Here are the translations of the provided text into English:
• Regular backup of your data: Ensure that the data on your USB is backed up regularly on another storage device.
• Use of Antiviruses: A reliable Antivirus software can protect your USB drive from malware and viruses.
• Keep USB drivers updated: Always use the latest USB drivers. Whenever your Windows updates, verify and make sure that your USB drivers are also updated.
• Cloud Backup Sync: Cloud storage is the best method to prevent data loss. Hence, synchronize your cloud drive account with your USB drive.

Following the tips above can help you protect your USB drive health and also helps to keep your data safe.

You can use the methods outlined in this article to check the health of your USB and fix logical errors. The most recommended approach is to utilize the tool Partition Master, which provides an all-in-one solution for checking disk health.