How to Fix the Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable Error?

The Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable Unable to Determine Volume Version and State

If you suddenly see the message “The disk structure is corrupted and unreadable.” on your system, external hard drive or pendrive well you don’t need to panic at all.

This error usually appears when Windows cannot read the file system of a drive and it may show when you try to open an external HDD, USB drive, SSD or even your internal partition. Many users immediately format the drive and let me tell you this is often the worst possible step you take.

In this our complete solution guide i will explain to you:

• What this error really means
• Why it happens in Windows 10 and Windows 11
• How to fix disk structure is corrupted and unreadable safely
• What to do if CHKDSK fails
• When recovery of your important data becomes necessary for you

So without any delay let’s break it down properly.

Quick Fix Comparison Table

What Does “The Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable” Mean?

When Windows shows you The Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable well this simply means the operating system cannot properly interpret the drive’s file system metadata.

In simple terms your data may still exist on the drive but the “map” that tells Windows where files are stored is damaged and this damage can affect the following:-

• Master File Table (MFT)
• Partition table
• Boot sector
• NTFS file system structure

This is very different from:-

• A drive showing 0 bytes
• A RAW file system error
• BitLocker encryption issues (You can check how you can Recover Data from Bitlocker Encrypted Drive manual and using professional solution)

Here the structure itself is unreadable and not necessarily the files themselves.

Why Does This Error Happens?

1. Sudden Power Failure: If your system shuts down while writing data well file system metadata can get corrupted if there is sudden power failure.
2. Unsafe USB Removal: Sometimes this is one of the biggest reasons for removing external drives without “Safely Remove Hardware” this can damage structure.
3. Bad Sectors: Physical damage or if your HDD ages well this can corrupt data structure completely.
4. Malware or Ransomware: Some malware targets file allocation tables that damage disk structure.
5. Interrupted Windows Update: Incomplete updates sometimes affect your disk consistency and become a reason to damage disk structure.
6. Drive Aging / SSD Wear: Older drives may experience read/write issues.

If you notice hard drive structure corrupted and unreadable well these are the most common causes.

What Are The Devices Commonly Affected With This

1. External Hard Drive: Very common case and you need to search – the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable external hard drive fix. External drives are more vulnerable due to cable issues and unsafe removal.
2. Pendrive / USB: USB drives are very prone to corruption due to the unsafe removal, interrupted file transfers, and because of the malware exposure and when this happens well your Windows may display “The disk structure is corrupted and unreadable” error In most cases. You may need to know at this stage How to Recover Crashed Hard Drive Data safely.
3. Internal HDD/SSD: Sometimes the internal system drive and also your secondary partition becomes inaccessible due to file system corruption, bad sectors or sudden shutdowns. In such cases Windows may report that the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable and even though the actual data may still be recoverable.
4. Windows 10 Systems: On Windows 10 you will see that this error commonly appears due to NTFS corruption, improper shutdowns and due to external drive issues. Older systems are vulnerable if updates were interrupted or the drive has developing bad sectors.
5. Windows 11 Systems: Even on your modern PCs many users report the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable in Windows 11 and especially after forced shutdowns, sudden power loss or external drive crashes. In most cases the issue is related to file system inconsistency and applying the correct Windows 11 fix can restore access without immediate formatting.

How to Fix The Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable

When Windows shows you this error it simply means that the file system structure is damaged and the solution involves diagnosing the cause, repairing logical errors safely and recovering data if needed.

Method 1 – Run CHKDSK

Well you need to securely run this command you just need to open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following:-

chkdsk X: /f /r
Now you need to replace X with a drive letter.

What /f does?

Well it fixes file system errors.

What /r does?

It locates bad sectors and recovers readable data.

This is often the first recommendation that the disk structure is corrupted and an unreadable fix method.

What If You See “CHKDSK Aborted”?

Many users report that the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable CHKDSK aborted well this happens in the following situation when your:-

• File system is severely damaged
• Partition table unreadable
• Drive cannot be mounted
• Disk has hardware issues

If CHKDSK quits well do not run it again and again at this stage as recovery is more important than repair.

Method 2 – Check Disk in Disk Management

1. Press Win + X → Disk Management
2. Check drive status

And now you need to look for:-

• RAW file system
• Unallocated space
• Drive without letter
• Offline disk

If the partition shows RAW well then you should know that it is completely corrupted.

Method 3 – Reinstall Disk Drivers

1. Open Device Manager
2. Expand Disk Drives
3. Right Click Drive → Uninstall
4. Restart PC

This will fix all driver level issues however not structural corruption.

Method 4 – Windows Error Checking Tool (GUI)

1. Just Right click drive
2. Go to Properties → Tools
3. Error Checking

Let me tell you this works well for minor corruption only.

What to Do When Manual Fix Does NOT Work?

How do I fix disk structure is corrupted and unreadable error when manual methods fail? Now this is the situation where many users stuck and don’t know what to do next well first we need to check signs that problem is serious:-

• Drive disappears randomly
• Clicking or unusual noise
• CHKDSK stuck at 0%
• System freezes when drive connected
• Drive becomes RAW

Now at this stage continuing repair attempts will reduce recovery chances so you must focus on recovering data from corrupted drives instead of fixing structure first.

Professional Solution – Recover Before Formatting

You must use reliable and professional solution If your important files are inside the drive:-

• Do not format first
• Do not initialize disk
• Do not delete partition

Using Professional Software can help you:-

• Scan corrupted file system
• Rebuild logical structure
• Extract files safely
• Work even if Windows cannot access drive

Tools like SysTools Data Recovery can deeply scan your drives showing The Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable and recover files before you attempt any formatting so once your data is secured now you can safely format and reuse the drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I fix the broken disk structure corrupted without losing data?

Yes you can fix it but if the corruption is minor otherwise you should recover your data first before formatting.

Q2. Is this Disk Structure is Corrupted error a sign of hardware failure?

Yes sometimes and especially if the bad sectors are involved it is a clear sign of failure of hardware.

Q3. Why does Windows 11 show this Disk Structure is Corrupted error?

Well this error is usually shown due to the unsafe removal or sudden shutdown.

Q4. Should I format the drive?

Yes you can format your drive but only after you safely recover all your important data then you can take attempt to format your drive.

Q5. Is CHKDSK safe?

Yes safe but only for minor issues and it is very risky for severely corrupted drives.

Final Verdict

The error The Disk Structure is Corrupted and Unreadable is very serious but yes at the same time it is not always catastrophic.

Key takeaways:-

• Data often still exists
• Avoid formatting immediately
• Use CHKDSK carefully
• Stop repeated repair attempts
• Recover important files first
• Then repair or format drive

If you handle everything correctly well most of the cases can be resolved easily without any permanent data loss.