What can you do?
The next question that will come to your mind is, 'how can I recover files from the hard drive?' First and foremost, don't panic if you are experiencing a malfunction or inaccessible external or internal hard drive. Think strategically and do certain things to avoid further and permanent loss of data.
Don't delay! The first line of defense is to put safeguards to protect your essential data. This includes antivirus protection, security patch updates, perimeter security, strong passwords, physical security, etc.
Data corruption can also happen due to virus attacks. Having good antivirus software can confirm your computer's protection from the virus, and it will help you safeguard your valuable data. Restricting data loss is always safer than recovering it.