Have you encountered an error message saying, "You need to format the disk before using it" or "Drive is not accessible. File or directory is corrupted and unreadable" when accessing an HHD, SSD, or external storage device? It is caused by the disk's file system becoming RAW. At this moment, are you worried that the data will be lost? Don't worry! This article will explain what it is, why it happens, how to perform RAW drive recovery, and how to convert it to NTFS/FAT32.
Unlike disk images, RAW images, etc., it refers to a file system that is not recognized by the computer, i.e., unknown or unavailable. This means that the original file system (NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and more) for the hard disk, partition, USB drive, and SD card has failed, and the specific manifestation is that the storage device is shown as RAW in Disk Management and its capacity is displayed as 0 bytes. The file system not only manages how the data is stored but also determines how it interacts with the operating system. Therefore, when we try to open a storage device with a RAW file system, we get an error message. It is due to the following reasons.
It can be. Once you understand what a RAW file system is, you should know that it is only the file system of this drive that has been corrupted and not the data in it. Therefore, it is possible to restore the data through specific technical means. While this can still be done after formatting, it will add even more uncertainty. It is because formatting first erases all the data and then resets the file system. There is no guarantee that the files will not be corrupted in the process.
Solving the problem of the RAW hard drive is not really complicated; if it is not physically damaged and the data in it is not important, you can reuse it after formatting. But if the storage device contains essential files, returning them will be your first task. Therefore, please check out these methods for data recovery from a RAW drive.
Although the RAW file system will prevent the computer from reading the data stored in that drive, it is possible to skip this error to do so using specialized tools. However, like the computer, many file system-based disk recovery software may fail to recognize the RAW drive. How to choose? In this case, there are two programs for you to explore.
We prefer to use iBeesoft Free Data Recovery here because it is not only easy to use but also has these features to ensure you can get a good result.
Here's how to recover data from the RAW drive free with iBeesoft Free Data Recovery:
Video Tutorial:
Step-by-step guide:
Tip: These steps also apply to restore deleted files in Windows 12/11.
It works differently from iBeesoft Free Data Recovery; ADRC Data Recovery Tools can only bypass the file system to extract data from RAW drives. Therefore, when some files are corrupted due to file system corruption, you cannot open them. Here's how to use it.
Please note: If you have very important files in this storage device, we recommend using iBeesoft Free Data Recovery first because it can repair these damaged items.
When performing RAW disk data recovery, if you want to keep the original directory structure, please check "Copy Sub Folder."
If the file system damage is minor, using the CHKDSK tool that comes with Windows can fix these errors so that we can access the data in it again. The following are the steps for RAW HDD recovery without formatting.
After verification and repair are completed, you should be able to reaccess this storage device.
Sometimes, partition table corruption can also cause your drive to become RAW. In this case, you can use free partition manager software to rebuild the MBR. Here, we take AOMEI Partition Assistant as an example of how to recover RAW disk/partition without losing data.
If you used File History to back up your entire disk partition or the important files in it before the drive became a RAW, then you can quickly retrieve them using the following methods.
As mentioned above, physical damage to the hard disk or USB drive, such as head damage or circuit board failure, is also one of the reasons why its file system becomes RAW. If so, the above methods will not work. In this case, we recommend contacting its manufacturer or typing "RAW Drive Recovery near me" in the search engine to seek help from professionals.
When the important data is safe, converting the RAW file system to one that can be recognized by the computer so that you can use this drive again will be your next thing to do. So, check out the following information.
We suggest FAT32 as its file system for an external storage device. This is because it has better compatibility, and you can use this drive on the Mac.
Now, with the help of the above RAW drive recovery and file system conversion methods, everything is back to normal. If you want to keep your drive and files safe, here are some tips.
Anyone facing a RAW hard drive or partition will have a headache. However, when your drive's file system is slightly damaged, you can fix this error by using the CHKDSK command and rebuilding the MBR without formatting or losing data. If there is no file backup, using free RAW drive recovery software to retrieve them and then converting the file system by formatting is a DIY method you can try. When everything fails, you can still seek advice from professionals. Anyway, we believe that these methods introduced in this article can successfully help you.
It depends on the circumstances. To avoid losing important data or becoming unreadable, We suggest that you use a disk management tool such as DiskGenius to detect the detailed condition before using this drive. When there are fewer damaged sectors, you can repair them to continue using it.
If it is empty or has no important files, you can use this USB again by formatting it. However, please do not repeat this operation as it will shorten its life. If you need data in it, then use iBeesoft Data Recovery to recover those files before formatting.
Yes, you can. This is similar to RAW file system drives, where the data has not been corrupted. So, using a file recovery software like iBeesoft Data Recovery can scan and retrieve them.
Even though this is a paid program and hasn't been updated for a long time, it still recovers data from a RAW drive in most cases. If you are looking for a similar tool, then iBeesoft Free Data Recovery would be a good alternative. Not only is it easy to use and free, but it also integrates the algorithms for reorganizing corrupted files to ensure a higher success rate in RAW Drive Recovery.
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