Stop using the USB drive
New files can overwrite deleted content. Do not accept a format prompt or run repair commands first. Safely disconnect the device until a separate recovery destination is ready.
Scan only when the device is stable
When Windows consistently recognizes its capacity, Super Recovery can read NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, or readable RAW media. If folders cannot be parsed, a deep scan may find content by file signatures without preserving names or paths.
Save recovered files to another computer drive, never back to the USB source.
When to stop software scanning
Stop if the device repeatedly disconnects, reports changing capacity, stalls at zero throughput, or becomes unusually hot. These signs can indicate hardware failure and repeated reads may worsen it.
Common question
Should I format a USB drive when Windows asks?
Not before recovery. Formatting changes file-system information, so scan the stable device read-only first.