When you plug in an external hard drive and Windows says "You need to format the disk before you can use it", do not click Format. That message usually means Windows cannot read the filesystem, not that your data is gone. In many cases the files are still intact inside the drive. The full Indonesian guide is here: How to Fix an External Hard Drive That Asks to Be Formatted (https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-memperbaiki-hardisk-eksternal-yang.html).
First, close the dialog and check the simple things: try another USB port (preferably a direct USB 3.0 port, not a cheap hub), try another cable, and try another computer. If the drive works elsewhere, the problem is your computer, not the drive. Then open Disk Management (Win + X) and note the status: RAW, Unallocated, or missing drive letter.
Second, and most important: save your data before any repair. Tools like CHKDSK are designed to make a filesystem consistent, not to save your files, and they can overwrite the very structures recovery depends on. Scan the drive with a recovery tool such as Recuva or PhotoRec, install it on your system drive (never on the drive you are recovering), and save recovered files to a different healthy drive. I tested this principle directly: on a 64 MB FAT32 test image, I zeroed the 512-byte boot sector so the filesystem became unreadable, yet all 300 lines of a sample text file were still readable from the raw bytes, and TestDisk still detected the partition. An unreadable filesystem is not the same as lost data.
Third, only after your data is safe, repair the filesystem with CHKDSK. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run: chkdsk X: /f /r (replace X with your drive letter). The /f flag fixes errors, /r finds bad sectors and recovers readable information. For large drives this takes a while, so do not unplug the drive mid-process. If CHKDSK says it is not available for RAW drives, move to TestDisk: this free, open-source tool can find a lost partition and rewrite its boot sector. Only press Write once you are sure the partition it found is the right one.
Finally, reformat only after your data is safe elsewhere. Use NTFS for Windows-only use, or exFAT if the drive moves between Windows and Mac. After formatting, test it: copy a large file, eject properly, reconnect, and confirm the file opens. If the drive asks to be formatted again soon after, suspect the hardware: cable, enclosure, or the drive itself.
Stop and get professional help if the drive clicks, grinds, smells burnt, or is not detected on any computer. Physical damage cannot be fixed by software, and every extra power cycle can make it worse. For the complete step-by-step version with prevention tips, read the original guide: How to Fix an External Hard Drive That Asks to Be Formatted (https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-memperbaiki-hardisk-eksternal-yang.html).
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