What to do right now
- A deep scan reads the whole disk, so hours for a 2 TB hard drive are normal.
- If it stops at one point or the disk clicks, stop the scan and check the disk's health.
- Save the quick scan results first, and run a deep scan only when you need it.
What to check
Estimate the time
Deep scan speed depends on how fast the disk reads. At 100 to 150 MB per second, a hard drive takes about 2 to 3 hours per terabyte, so a 4 TB disk takes 8 to 12 hours. On a USB 2.0 port it takes several times longer.
Check the connection
Connect external disks directly to a USB 3 port. Hubs and long cables reduce speed and cause disconnects.
Check the disk's health
If progress stops at one position or the speed drops sharply, check reallocated and pending sectors and read errors in FileFix Ultimate's disk health view. If they are growing, do not keep scanning.
Image the disk first
If you suspect bad sectors, image the disk to another disk first. Hard-to-read areas are skipped and retried later, and further scans run on the image.
Work in sessions
From version 1.0.4 you can pause a scan and resume it later, and save files that have already been found while the scan is still running. There is also an option to save automatically when the scan finishes.
Quick scan and deep scan
A quick scan reads only file system records, finishes within minutes and returns results with original names and folders. A deep scan reads every sector looking for signatures, so it takes longer the bigger the disk.
Recently deleted files are often found by the quick scan. Save those results first and run a deep scan only for files that are still missing; that saves time and puts less load on the disk.
Warning signs
Clicking or scraping noises during the scan, a disk that disconnects and reappears, or a scan that stops at the same position again and again are signs of physical damage. Continuing to read can cost you the remaining data, so power it off and contact a recovery lab.
When software cannot fix it
- The disk makes strange noises or keeps disconnecting.
- SMART values are getting worse quickly.
- The device itself is slow, such as an SMR hard drive or a slow USB stick.
How FileFix Ultimate helps
- Shows quick metadata scan results first and continues with the deep signature search.
- From version 1.0.4, pause and resume, saving during a scan and automatic saving when it ends.
- SMART and a surface read test show slow and bad areas.
- Images a disk with bad sectors to another disk, and resumes imaging after an interruption.
FileFix Ultimate is free, works offline and never writes to the drive you are recovering from. Check the signature before you run it.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a recovery scan usually take?
A quick scan takes minutes; a deep scan reads the whole disk, roughly 2 to 3 hours per terabyte on a hard drive. Connection and disk health change this a lot.
The scan is stuck at 0% or at one percentage.
It may be retrying an area that is hard to read. Check the disk's health, and if you suspect bad sectors, image the disk first.
If I stop the scan, do I have to start over?
From FileFix Ultimate 1.0.4 you can pause and resume, and files found so far can be saved right away.