How to Fix Invalid media type reading drive C ?

Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C Errors are one of the most dreaded errors in the tech world. They can cripple your system overnight. And you might not be able to access any stored data on your hard drives. This is especially true if you have recently tried to change your Operating System. Let’s understand what exactly this error is and how you can go about fixing it.

Messages that users get during this error include:

‘An invalid media type was specified.

‘Invalid media type reading drive C error’.

What is an Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C Error?

The Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C Error is a common partition error. This is encountered when the computer is not able to read the partition on the hard drive. The C partition of the computer gets an invalid file system. This makes the drive unrecognizable for the Operating System. And since the OS is often stored on the C drive, it can leave the system inaccessible. Not only this but not solving the error can lead to data loss. The Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C Error follows as a result.

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This is an error and can take place due to three major reasons: Reasons for Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C Error

• The C Drive Has Been Formatted into an Invalid File System
  This occurs when you try reinstalling the operating system or choose to install a new operating system. If you have not checked the format of the C Drive in Disk Management before you format the C drive, this error can arise. This is because you can format it into an invalid file system type. This will not allow the system to read the drive. For example, this error can occur if your system file type is FAT32 and you format the C Drive in the NTFS file type.
• The Partition Has No Valid Format
  This occurs when you have recently created a new drive partition. It has not been formatted even once and the operating system installation is attempted right away. Since the C drive has no file system specified, it will not be readable.
• The Hard Disk Has Bad Sectors
  The Invalid Media Type Error can also occur if your hard disk has bad sectors. These develop naturally over time. This means that the system is not able the read a part of the drive. Read more about hard drive bad sectors

Ways to Fix Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C Error

By now you may have understood that fixing this error revolves around proper formatting of the C drive. There are three different ways in which you can do this. Let’s take a look at them one by one:

1. Format the C drive with the help of  windows setup disc or a flash drive

This is the simplest method. But you would need the Windows Installation media for it. Simply boot from the Windows disk. Follow the onscreen steps. On the page where Windows asks you where to install itself, look for the ‘Format’ option. You can choose the partition where drive C is installed and click on Format, while also choosing the right file system. Please note that this will also remove your Operating System and stored files in the C drive. You will be required to install the OS again later.

2. Format C drive with a system repair disc

You can also create a System Repair Disc or Recovery Drive. This can be done by using a working copy of Windows 7, 8, or 10. Once the disk is ready, you can boot from it and format the C drive.

An advantage of this step is that it can be used no matter which Operating System is installed on the C drive.

3. Format C drive from a recovery console

This method will work if you have installed Windows XP on your system. You must also have the Windows XP setup CD. Boot from this disk and enter the recovery console. Type in the following command.

Format c: /fs:NTFS

This will format the C drive with the NTFS file system. This is the recommended file system to use in most cases.

Note: If none of the methods is working for you, it can indicate a problem with your hard drive. The drive may have developed bad sectors. If you are not able to access it, then you can approach the data recovery company. Any further delay can put your data at risk.

Best Practices to Follow While Fixing the Error

As discussed, formatting the C drive would also delete the Operating System. This includes all the programs that you had installed. And also the data that is saved on the C drive.

Therefore, it goes without saying that you should back up the drive first if you do not want to lose the data. You can do this in the following ways:

• If losing the installed programs is okay with you, you can simply transfer the saved files to an external drive. And if your files are less than 15GB, you can also upload them to Google Drive.
• If you don’t want to lose the installed programs, you can also take a complete backup of the C drive. But you would surely need an external drive for this.

Data Recovery Software – Formatting device merely leads to wiping a hard drive which means all the files & data stored in the hard drive inaccessible or lost. But it does not erase the data permanently. You can recover your data by using data recovery software. It is advisable to download free data recovery software and check if it previews your files or not? If the software is able to preview the files then you can buy the software and easily recover the data.

Watch the video to know more about “how to fix invalid media type reading drive C.”

It does not erase the data on the disk but the address tables. So, if the user has formatted a disk, do not panic, Stellar Windows Data Recovery software can help you recover all the vital information from the drive.

Conclusion

The Invalid Media Type Error is nothing but mismanagement of the file system type. Restoring the right file system will snap things back into place. But bad sectors might keep you from doing so.

If you are suffering from an inaccessible drive, your data might be at risk. Recovering the drive will not be easy without external help. Stellar data recovery can help you there. Our range of Data Recovery software and services can help you recover all your files.