• The file system is defined as raw. The volume file system is not recognized (USB flash drive). What to do, how to restore

    A number of users may be unable to access their hard drive (or flash drive). In the operating system, such devices receive the “Raw” status, and their file structure becomes inaccessible to the user. In this article, I will examine this dysfunction in detail, tell you what to do in a situation where the file system is RAW, as well as how to return NTFS, FAT32, what tools will help us with this, and how to use them.

    To understand that this is a RAW file system and how to return the NTFS, FAT32 format, you need to determine the meaning of the term “RAW” itself. Translated from Shakespeare’s language, the lexeme “Raw” means “raw”, “raw material”. Accordingly, in our case, this term refers to disks that are either not yet formatted, or the data structure on them is damaged (errors in the MBR partition table and MFT file table, viruses, PC hardware problems, and so on.).

    Simply put, RAW disks are disks that are not recognized by Windows for various reasons. Typically, in this case, Windows recommends formatting such a disk, which should not be done, since the data on the disk will be lost as a result of formatting.

    Reasons why a disk from NTFS and FAT32 becomes RAW

    The reasons for the appearance of RAW disks instead of the usual NTFS and FAT32 file systems are as follows:

    • Sudden shutdown of such disks (loss of voltage in the network, physical disconnection by the user, problems with the power supply, etc.), as a result of which the integrity and structure of the data on the disk is disrupted;
    • Problems with cables connecting the motherboard and hard drive;
    • The operation of virus programs that violate the integrity of the bootloader, partition table, file structure, and so on;
    • Bad sectors on the hard drive, as a result of which the system structure on the hard drive is damaged;
    • Error in installing or updating the operating system;
    • Errors when working with various hard disk partition managers;
    • Not a tight connection between the flash drive and the USB connector of the PC (in the case of a flash drive);
    • Problems with the computer motherboard and so on.

    How to return NTFS, FAT32 from RAW

    • Just try restarting your computer, the problem may be random;
    • Check the tightness of the cable connections to the hard drive, try using a different connector for connecting the hard drive on the motherboard, as well as a different USB connector on the computer when connecting an external flash drive;
    • Use the built-in CHKDSK() utility. Launch a command prompt as administrator and type

    chkdsk X: /f (where X is the RAW drive letter)

    The “f” parameter means correcting errors on the disk, that is, the CHKDSK utility not only looks for problems, but also fixes them.

    I also note that this command is relevant, first of all, for those disks that were formatted in the NTFS file system. Moreover, if you cannot boot the operating system, then boot using a bootable system disk or flash drive (you can use various “Live CD” builds), select “System Restore” there, go to “Advanced options” and then to “Command Line” , and there type the above command.

    If you cannot access the command line from your PC, then it is recommended to connect your hard drive to another computer and check your disk for errors from it.

    • Use the capabilities of another system utility, sfc, created to check the integrity of system files. Also run the command line as administrator and write in it:

    sfc /scannow

    and press enter.

    • If you have access to the operating system, then it is worth checking your computer for viruses using special anti-virus programs (for example, Web CureIt! or Malware-AntiMalware);
    • If there is no important information on the problem disk (or it is not significant), then the problem disk (or flash drive) can be formatted. Click on the “Start” key and type diskmgmt.msc in the search bar, the Disk Control Panel will appear. Right-click on the raw disk and select “Format” from the menu that appears.

    If you have a RAW file system, return NTFS, FAT32 - using third-party programs

    If you want to restore the NFTS and FAT32 file system, then you should use the functionality of special programs that will help us with this. I suggest programs such as Recuva and TestDisk.

    Recuva

    One of the popular programs for recovering lost files is Recuva. Download, install and run this product, select the option to restore all files, indicate the problem disk, enable the in-depth analysis option and click on “Start”.

    After the scan is completed, the program will display a list of found files, mark them with checkboxes and click on “Recover”.

    TestDisk

    The second program that can help with the issue of the RAW file system is TestDisk.

    1. Download and install this program, run it as administrator.
    2. Select the “Create” command and press enter, select the raw disk with the cursor and press “Enter”.
    3. After selecting the desired type of partition table, press enter, then select “Analyze” and “Quick Search” (a quick search for problematic partitions will be carried out).
    4. After TestDisk finds the problematic volumes, click on “Write” to record the structure of the found partition.

    How to change the file system of a flash drive [video]

    Above I analyzed the problem when the file system is RAW. The most optimal tool for returning NTFS, FAT32 is to use the CHKDSK system command, as well as special programs that can restore the file structure of the problem disk. If none of the tips I suggested turned out to be effective for you, then I recommend contacting a service center - perhaps your hard drive has problems not of a software, but of a hardware nature, and it needs a thorough repair.


    What is RAW actually? In fact, there is no such RAW FS (file system) at all.

    In practice, the file system of a partition such as RAW means that none of the FS (file system) drivers installed in the OS determined the name of the disk system or any partition.

    If the disk FS is recognized as " RAW", then assigning a volume label, reading data and other actions with a partition or disk become impossible. At the same time, the OS displays the capacity of the partition, and when accessing it, it advises you to format the partition.

    1. RAW hard drive

    If the OS is unable to recognize any file system of the disk, it will automatically display it as RAW. This way the user will not have access to data and disk partitions. But its capacity, free memory and other space will be displayed as the number “0”. This means only one thing - all data on the disk is lost. They are also not available for copying or viewing.

    2. RAW partition on your hard drive

    It often happens that as a result of some attack or damage, one disk partition is displayed as RAW. When you try to interact with such a partition, the OS will display an error and prompt you to format it.
    By formatting the proposed partition, it will again become available for future use, but will lead to the loss of all data that was in it before formatting.

    3. Why does the hard drive or partition become RAW?

    The reasons for such problems are very different, I will try to generalize them.

    For hard drive:
    - The drive or connection cable is damaged. It happens that the hard drive is detected as RAW if the connection cord does not fit well into the connector or it is damaged.
    - The so-called “Broken Sectors”. A large number of such “white” sectors on the hard drive leads to damage to files and the file system as a whole.
    - The file system structure is damaged. The file system can be damaged not only due to bad sectors, but also for other reasons.
    - Partition tables are corrupted. If for some reason the partition tables are damaged, the entire disk will be detected as RAW.
    - Restoring or completely reinstalling the OS (operating system).
    - Action of viruses. Viruses, malware, etc. can delete some important parameters or change them, thereby damaging the hard drive information.

    For hard drive partitions:
    - Malware and Viruses. Programs that contain viruses, ways to damage parts of the table or hard drive partitions, which leads to damage to information.
    - System reinstallation (Windows).
    - Many hard drives and partitions. A large number of partitions and disks on a PC can also lead to RAW partitions.

    4. How to recover a RAW disk

    In the event that the data on the RAW disk is not of particular value and Windows boots.
    The fastest and most reliable way to recover a RAW disk or partition. In this case, we only need to format it in order to use it fully further.

    You must understand that data recovery and storage is not available. If an error occurs from Windows, click on the button " Format disk».


    If the OS did not inform the user about the error, but the disk properties show that the file system or disk is not in the “My Computer” folder, then formatting can be done using the special “Disk Management” menu.


    Go to the "Disk Management" section through "Start". In the window, find the desired disk with a RAW file system, it will be signed just like that. Next, right-click on it and select “Format”.

    If the data on the RAW disk is valuable, Windows boots

    If the data of a partition or disk is important, but it is defined as RAW, do not rush to format the partition or disk as a whole. Try checking the disk for errors and fixing them later. This can completely or temporarily restore the functionality of a partition or disk.
    - Go to Disk Management as described above.
    - Remember the name (letter) of the disk with the RAW file system.


    - Go to the command line. In the Start menu, look for the “Command Prompt” section and run it “as administrator.”
    - In the window that opens, enter chkdsk D: /f, where D is the letter of the desired drive and confirm with the Enter button.


    Once the command is launched, the verification and repair process will begin. At the end, Windows will notify you that the errors have been corrected. After completion, try going to the section again and interacting with the files.
    Windows does not boot, and the disk on which the OS is installed is detected as RAW

    If the installation disk is missing:
    - disconnect the hard drive from the computer itself and connect the hard drive to another. Using a new computer, check the disk for errors and use the programs listed above to recover data.
    If you have an installation disk:
    - boot your PC using this installation disk and, instead of installing a new OS, select the “computer recovery” option.


    - in the recovery menu you need to find the command line item. Run it and check the disk for errors.
    What is needed for this:
    - in the command line that opens, enter Notepad, which should open a notepad.
    - select “file” and “open”, thus check the letters of your drives.


    - in the command line, check the disk with the OS.


    Data recovery using programs from a RAW disk

    If none of the methods help, then you can try using data recovery programs.

    To do this, you can try using the programs: “RAW Recovery” or “Partition Recovery”.

    Consider the process of recovering data from a RAW disk using the second program, Partition Recovery.

    After launching the program, you will be provided with a list of existing partitions and disks of this PC. You need to click on the RAW section twice. In the picture there is a RAV section under the letter E.


    The peculiarity of the program is that it can work with any file system. It displays file systems automatically without the user making additional settings.
    The user only needs to select the “analysis type” and wait for the end of the check.


    The analysis process usually takes 15 minutes. The scanning speed depends directly on the disk size. As a result, the program will show all the files and arrange them into folders.
    All necessary files for recovery must be added to the list and click on the “Restore” button.

    .

    The hard drive of a normally operating computer device is always formatted in the NTFS or FAT file system. If one of the HDD partitions begins to work incorrectly, an entry appears in the disk properties about converting its format to RAW. This means that the standard file system is damaged and needs to be restored. In practice, you can find out about such damage as follows. When accessing the disk, the latter does not open, and a message appears on the monitor indicating that it needs to be formatted.

    What does this message mean:

    • The structure of the file system being used is destroyed.
    • There is no access to the contents of the hard drive.
    • Writing incorrect or damaged data to the boot sector of the disk.

    When opening the properties of the hard drive, you will notice that the partition supposedly does not contain any information. In any case, it is necessary to restore the file system to return the data on the disk.

    What could cause a crash?

    The reasons for such a failure may be:

    • Impact from a virus that has entered the computer.
    • Critical operating system failure.
    • An incorrectly working program that replaces the original system files with its own files. This also includes “crooked” drivers.
    • User errors when shutting down the computer. This is how the file system on flash media is often damaged.
    • External factors that can cause damage to the file system. In particular, frequent power outages can trigger a similar problem.

    How can I restore the file system and information on my hard drive?

    Even though the operating system will prompt you to format the damaged partition, it is better not to agree with such actions. However, if you were in a hurry and gave the formatting command, all is not lost. However, in this case, it will be much more difficult to completely restore the contents of this section. First, you should restore all the information available on the faulty partition, and then restore the file system itself.

    It is recommended to restore data and functionality of a logical partition using the RS Partition Recovery program.

    This program allows you to:

    • Recover files from a HDD on which the file system has been changed. That is, with RAW.
    • Recover data from a hard drive that you formatted.
    • Obtaining the most complete information from a logical partition that was deleted.
    • Complete recovery of damaged partitions.
    • Copying data from damaged partitions to other media.
    • The program copes well with the assigned tasks on any medium.

    Working with RS Partition Recovery

    The program interface is quite simple. The main menu is divided into three main parts. On the left you can see a list of hard drives and logical partitions. In the center, the disks are filled with information, as well as data on the sizes of all disks. The files we selected appear in the right column. The program even displays hidden files, as well as partitions managed by other operating systems.

    It's time to move on to direct data recovery using this wonderful program. To do this, just click on the upper left button, designated “Wizard”. The wizard's work menu will open in front of the user. The selected disk will be analyzed.

    The program divides all partitions into three categories: logical, removable and hard drives. To restore data, you must select the appropriate partition. Enter it and then click “Next”. You will be prompted to select an analysis type.

    The choice consists of two options:

    • Quick scan.
    • Full analysis.
    • 1 filter will detect NTFS system files. Most internal partitions operate in this space.
    • 2 filter will process files belonging to the FAT system. This formatting is more typical for removable media, but such files can also be found on the computer’s hard drive. Linux OS also works with the FAT system.
    • Deep analysis works regardless of the file system. During its operation, the program simply finds on the disk all the files that were once there or are currently there. However, it is undesirable to use in-depth analysis alone, since some information may be lost. It is best to analyze a section using all three filters.

    When choosing quick scan, some files simply will not be found. Only intact files will be found, without any signs of damage.

    After completing the analysis, the program will tell you how many folders and individual files were found in this section.

    To view all files found during analysis, you need to go to the main menu of the program by clicking the “Finish” button.

    In the center of the program window you will see a folder called “Deep Analysis”. Double clicking on it will open the contents of the folder. In order to restore selected files, you need to select them in this folder, and then click the “Recover” button on the top panel. In this case, the following choice of location for saving them will be offered:

    • To the hard drive.
    • To removable media.
    • Mounting the image.
    • Uploading to the Internet via FTP protocol.

    In this window, you should select the location to save the files, the option to restore the structure of deleted folders, as well as restore file streams to NTFS. After this, click the “Restore” button. All found files will be restored to the location you specified.

    recoverit.ru

    How to return NTFS from RAW file system without data loss?

    What is the RAW file system and how to return the NTFS format without data loss - in this article we will look at these issues in detail, as well as recovery methods.

    It often happens that after an incorrect shutdown of your computer, for example, if you unplug the power cord or the power in your house suddenly turns off, or your computer experiences a virus attack, an unpleasant situation may occur. The file system of the disk on your computer or laptop changes its format to RAW and for the device to function correctly (as a rule, you want to do this as quickly as possible), you need to return it to the NTFS format.

    What is a RAW disc?

    So, the RAW file system type, let's figure out what it is. The RAW system is a non-existent system. If the computer indicates that the storage medium has this format, then the drivers cannot determine the type of its file system (FAT, FAT32 OR NTFS).

    If the media is in RAW format, Windows 10 will display it among the hard drive partitions, but any actions with it will be impossible, such as defragmentation, checking for errors, and, of course, viewing the data on the disk. The computer will constantly give an error and prompt you to format the disk, and “RAW” will appear in the “logical disk properties” line. So how do you restore a file system from RAW to NTFS format on a hard drive?

    Restoring a file system from RAW to NTFS

    The system will offer you the easiest way - to format the disk. But don’t rush to do this, because your data is not lost, now there is simply no access to it. If you format a RAW disk to convert the file system back to NTFS, you will have to spend a long time recovering data from the media using special programs. We offer several ways to restore a disk from RAW to NTFS without losing data.

    Restoring a file system to NTFS from RAW without formatting

    Method 1: Windows Tools

    Mainly, to change the file system from RAW to NTFS, the standard utility from the operating system chkdsk helps. Follow these steps:

    • Right click "Start" and select "command prompt"
    • Type the command chkdsk drive_letter: /f
    • The computer will begin a scan, after which it will repair the damage and the NTFS system in the problem area

    Chkdsk will also help if the system disk is damaged. For this you will need a flash drive or boot disk.

    Here are your steps:

    • Start your computer from a flash drive or disk, and then select “Recovery”
    • Then open “advanced options”, and then “command prompt”. There, enter chkdsk drive_letter: /f

    When restoring, the partition letters may differ from the disk names. In order to prevent errors in operation, open the list of computer partitions in the command line, then enter diskpart, then list volume and you will see which disk is the system one. This will be indicated in the list.

    You can also try restoring your system from previously saved backups.

    Method 2: Using special programs

    Here's how to make NTFS from a RAW file system using third-party programs.

    First of all, we recommend using the free Testdisk program. This is a utility that interacts with hard disk partitions. She will help correct the situation. The disadvantage of working with the Testdisk program is that it does not work with Russian names and they may not be displayed correctly.

    Here's how to convert RAW to NTFS using Testdisk:


    RAW format on your flash drive

    Reasons for conversion:

    1. When the flash drive is connected, the computer is turned off incorrectly or there is a voltage drop
    2. Windows crashes
    3. Banal viruses
    4. External damage to the flash drive, from impact or fall

    How to change the wrong system format to the correct one:

    The MiniTool Power Data Recovery converter gives good results. The principle of its operation is that the program does not convert RAW to the desired format, but makes all the files on your flash drive visible, which makes working with them possible. The disadvantage of the program is that only the trial version is free, which works with files no larger than 1 GB.

    How to use the program:


    Also on our website you can familiarize yourself with the following topics:

    • Merging hard drive partitions on Windows 10
    • How to change hard drive partitions
    • How to change the page file in Windows 10

    windows10x.ru

    Recovering the HDD file system while saving all data

    The problem with the appearance of the RAW file system can affect not only removable media, but also a hard drive with data or a separate hard drive partition. If the malfunction is of a software nature, then it can be corrected using formatting. However, changing the format using standard Windows tools is fraught with the appearance of deleted data.

    If the file system of your hard drive is detected as RAW, and the system persistently asks you to format it, then it is better to abandon this procedure. Disconnect the hard drive and do not perform any further operations on it to avoid accidental overwriting.

    Important: if the hard drive is physically damaged, you should not try to restore it yourself.

    If upon inspection you find that the hard drive is physically intact, then first try restoring the file system using the CHKDSK utility. This will help avoid the subsequent time-consuming recovery of deleted files.

    Using the CHKDSK utility

    The CHKDSK utility is a built-in hard drive diagnostic and recovery tool. The problem is that if the file system is damaged, then you will not be able to start the system. Therefore, you will have to run the CHKDSK utility using the installation disk:


    The parameter in the command syntax means to start searching and fixing errors. The letter “d:” indicates the drive that will be scanned. If the operation is successful, errors are detected and eliminated, then you will again receive a working disk with a normal file system and without deleted important data.

    Extracting files using R-Studio

    If the TestDisk program did not help get rid of the RAW format, and you did not return the NTFS or FAT32 file system, then you will have to go another way. You will need:

    • Another computer with a working disk and the installed system.
    • R-Studio program.

    Remove the HDD with the RAW file system and connect it to another computer. To avoid the appearance of deleted files, run the R-Studio program. Here you need:


    You need to save the files to a different drive than the one from which they were just extracted. The hard drive format will not change - it will remain RAW. To restore the HDD, format it as suggested by the system. The format will change, but there will be no problems with deleted files, since you previously “pulled them out” from the damaged media.

    Formatting to NTFS

    If you need to format your hard drive to the NTFS file system without losing information, you can try doing this via the command line. This will not solve the problem with the RAW format; This method cannot be used to change to FAT32. But if you need to change the disk or partition format from FAT32 to NTFS, then try the following steps:


    Enter the command “convert G: /FS:NTFS /X”. Instead of “G” there should be the letter of the hard drive you connected, the partition format of which you want to change from FAT32 to NTFS. Running this command will help you avoid data loss, that is, you will not have to recover deleted files, since formatting will not be required.

    easyrecover.ru

    How to restore a hard drive file system

    Photos from open sources

    A situation in which a hard drive requires recovery can happen to every PC user. It may be needed for various reasons. One of them is file system corruption.

    If the disk is used for its intended purpose, it has a FAT or NTFS file system. These formats indicate that it works well and does not require restoration. But sometimes it turns into RAW. How can you understand that a failure has occurred? If you access the disk, but it does not open and a message appears about the need to format it, then a failure has occurred.

    This message may mean the following:

    1. The structure of the file system used was destroyed;
    2. There is no clear access to the content;
    3. Invalid data was written to the boot sector.
    If you open the properties section, you can see that it seems to contain no information. But you will still need to restore the file system to get back your lost data. It is offered free of charge. It makes it possible to return lost data to a state that is close to ideal. Let's say our hard drive has several partitions. For example, partition D turned out to be damaged. We select the damaged partition in the program, then indicate the type of structure that we have. In our example, this is the Intel/PC partition. Select the Analyze item. An analysis will be carried out and a list of partitions for recovery will be provided. Select the Quick search option. She, in turn, will select all files from the partitions. Once you find what you need, click the Write button. After all the actions performed, the lost information will be restored. Its interface is quite simple. The main menu has 3 parts. On the left is a list of hard drives and logical partitions. The center shows their data load. The files selected by the user are displayed on the right.
    1. To start the recovery, you must click “Wizard”. After this, the operation menu will appear. The hard drive will be analyzed.
    2. In the program, all partitions are divided into 3 categories: hard, removable and logical drives. In order to start data recovery, you will need to select the desired partition. After that, click "Next". You will be asked to select the type of analysis: operational scanning or full analysis.
    3. It is better to immediately conduct a full analysis. It processes 3 filters at once. The first filter will calculate NTFS systems. The second one will process files that belong to this system. Deep analysis will work regardless of the file system.
    4. If you choose the first option, then some of the files simply will not be found. In this case, files may be found that do not show signs of damage.
    5. After this you can start scanning. The larger the volume of the disk being checked, the longer the process will be.
    6. After the analysis is completed, you will find out how many folders are in this section.
    7. In order to familiarize yourself with all the files found during the analysis, you need to go to the main menu and click “Finish”.
    8. The “Deep Analysis” folder will appear in the center of the window. Next, you will need to select them in this folder, and then click “Restore”. All that remains is to choose a place to save them.
    9. In this window, you will need to select the location to save the data, the option to restore the folder structure that was deleted, and restore file streams to NTFS. After this, you will need to click the “Restore” button.

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    RAW format of HDD disks: how to fix it in NTFS using Windows tools or third-party software

    Most often, the disk file system changes to RAW after the computer was turned off incorrectly, when the lights were turned off, or the user saved time and pulled out the power cord of the system unit from the outlet. Another reason is viruses that change the NTFS to RAW format of HDD drives. How to fix this problem, read this article.

    What is the RAW file system?

    If the disk is in RAW format, Windows will display it among other hard drive partitions. But when you try to open it, the computer will give you an error and ask you to format it. In addition, any actions with this volume will be unavailable: checking for errors, defragmenting, etc. (it is useful to read “How to check the integrity of Windows 10 system files and restore them?”).

    There is no RAW file system as such. If the disk receives this formatting, it means that the computer drivers are not able to determine the type of its file system - NTFS, FAT or FAT32. In practice, this happens in several cases:

    • the file system structure is damaged;
    • The partition has not been formatted;
    • There is no correct access to the contents of the volume.

    If the OS volume is damaged, the “Reboot and select proper boot device” or “Operating System not found” warnings will appear when the computer boots.

    Recovery

    If the problem occurs on a non-system drive, but it contains important information that will be lost when formatted, use standard Windows tools or third-party programs to fix the error.

    Basically, the standard chkdsk utility helps fix problems with formatting in RAW.


    After checking, the computer will repair damaged sectors and the NTFS file system on the problematic volume.

    Important! This method is effective if the flash drive or hard drive has been formatted in NTFS.

    The chkdsk utility will also help when the system disk is damaged. But for this you will need a boot disk or flash drive.

    1. Start the computer from a bootable USB flash drive or disk → Select “System Restore”.
    2. Additional options → command line → enter chkdsk drive_letter: /f.

    In the recovery environment, the partition letters are different from the names of the logical drives. To avoid mistakes, open the list of computer partitions in the command line.

    Enter diskpart → list volume → the list will indicate which disk is the system one.

    Good to know! If these methods do not help, try restoring your system from previously saved backups.

    There are third-party programs that help restore the NTFS file system if for some reason it was reformatted to RAW. They do not damage the user’s information stored on the volume, unlike the chkdsk utility, which can “affect” them during the recovery process.

    MiniTool Power Data Recovery

    Important! This method is most effective if the RAW file system appears on a flash drive.

    The utility does not restore the required format, but makes all files stored on the media visible. Therefore, you can work with them. The main disadvantage of MiniTool Power Data Recovery is that it is shareware. The trial version works with files whose size does not exceed 1 GB (also read “Recovering information on disks using Disk Drill for Windows”).


    TestDisk

    This is a multifunctional free utility that works with hard drive partitions using a large number of options. The program is presented in a portable version, so it does not require installation. The main disadvantage of TestDisk is that it does not have a Russified interface.


    An alternative way to restore NTFS formatting of a partition is presented in the video.

    Every operating system contains storage devices, and for them to work, a file system is required. With its help, the computer converts information (photos, music, videos) into a binary system, in other words, into a language that it understands. After this, the data is organized and further transformed for viewing by the user.

    Storage devices- This is very vulnerable technical equipment. Damage occurs in both the logical partition and the physical partition. Most hard drive problems are fatal and require hardware replacement, but there are also solvable problems. The RAW file system is of this type.

    Raw file system - what is it?

    As previously said, a hard drive has a file system. The most popular are NTFS and FAT, which can be used for both hard drives and flash drives.

    But what is the RAW file system? No matter how contradictory it may sound, this is the absence of any system at all! In other words, this is a critical error in the existing file system and Windows does not recognize it. It occurs due to the inoperability of the file system. As a result, technical information about the media is not displayed and access to files is impaired.

    Let's look at the features of the RAW system
    1. Access to the device is denied, and if the file system on your computer or laptop is faulty, Windows will not boot and you will see an error.
    2. If such an incident occurs with a removable drive, an advertisement will pop up telling you about the need for formatting.
    3. Open the “properties” of the drive and in the displayed information column, you will see “File system type – RAW”.

    Why does the flash drive have the RAW file system?
    For such drastic changes to occur in the file system, one reason from the “gentleman’s set” is enough:

    • Incorrect shutdown of the computer, power surge and disconnection of the computer from the network with a USB flash drive connected! Such treatment can also affect the computer’s file system and cause fatal problems with other components.
    • Operating system failures can also cause this problem.
    • The most common cause is viral infection. After all, it was not fools who came up with the idea of ​​installing anti-virus programs.
    • Physical damage to the drive, which can also cause loss of information.
    • Processes occurring at the file system structure level. Problems with the boot sector, broken partition geometry values, etc.

    The appearance of a RAW file system is not fatal in most cases, and recovery of user data is possible. There are exceptions, this is due to physical damage incompatible with life.
    It is recommended to contact a service center, where specialists will carry out the necessary operations to restore the flash drive and the data on it. This can be done with your own efforts, but you should be very careful not to aggravate the situation and not lose all the information.

    To return the NTFS file system, you can use one of these programs:

    • Hard DISK Format Tool,
    • Recovery Tool,
    • Acronis Disk Director.
    • Online service – RecoveryOnLine.
    • Reformat the disk to NTFS using MS Windows.

    If using these programs did not help solve the problem, then in the global storage you need to find out which controller the drive has and reflash it, but this is a very difficult procedure and even experienced users may not be able to cope. If even such manipulations did not help, then your flash card is dead.

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    Situations when an unreadable RAW format appears on a computer or laptop instead of a regular partition are very unpleasant for the user. And many simply do not know what to do to bring the disk to normal condition, since the system initially does not recognize the RAW format of HDD disks. How to fix this problem? To do this, you can use several recommended tools, including Windows tools and specialized programs.

    RAW format - what is it?

    Some users mistakenly believe that the appearance of this format is solely due to the fact that the RAW file system appears instead of the usual one. We restore the disk by rolling back the system state to the previous state, and... the result is zero! Why?

    Yes, only because the RAW format is not a file system, but rather the absence of one. This is why the operating system does not see the hard drive or logical partition (damage may also affect partition tables).

    Sometimes the system can perceive a damaged HDD, but there is no information that should supposedly be present on it. That is, it is there, but it is impossible to read it. However, often when you try to access such a partition, Windows immediately displays a message about the need to format it before further use. Unfortunately, formatting does not always produce the desired effect, and information is destroyed. It will be very difficult to restore it later, although special programs can be used. But this is not the best method that allows you to convert the RAW format of HDDs. How to fix the situation with saving information? For such purposes, you should first turn to the system’s tools, which will be discussed separately.

    Why is the format changing?

    Among the reasons that cause the replacement of the desired format with an unreadable one, the main place is occupied by purposefully acting viruses, power surges, sudden power outages in the process of performing some system or user operations, etc.

    It also happens that the system defines the hard drive as RAW, files and folders seem to be displayed, but it is impossible to do anything with them (copy, open, move, delete). In this case, you cannot even format the partition, change the volume label, or change its conditional or actual size.

    RAW format of HDD disks: how to fix it using the simplest method?

    The very first thing to do is to use the command console and run as administrator. You can call it from the “Run” menu (Win + R) using the cmd line.

    The chkdsk command is used as a universal tool for restoring the format without data loss. Please note that if the system partition is damaged, you can only call the command line if you boot from removable media such as a LiveCD, a Windows installation disk, or from a bootable flash drive. As a rule, the combination Shift + F10 is used to open the console.

    To run the command itself, you need to know the drive or partition letter (the so-called volume label). Let's say the damaged partition in the system is designated by the letter “D”. In this case, the command to be written will look like this: chkdsk d: /f. After entering it, you need to press the Enter key and wait for the file system recovery process to complete, after which you must restart the computer.

    RAW format of HDD disks: instructions for using partition management tools

    Windows has another powerful tool in the form of the Disk and Partition Management utility. It, along with the above command, is capable of restoring the RAW format of HDDs. How to fix the partition format using it? It's also easy. It’s just worth considering that this technique is designed exclusively for those cases when there is no data in the section.

    First, through computer administration or using the diskmgmt.msc command in the Run console (Win + R), you need to call the built-in Disk Management system utility. Next, on the selected partition that has a damaged format, you should right-click and select the formatting line from the context menu.

    If the system displays an error or formatting impossibility message, in order to restore a RAW disk, initialization will first be required, followed by the creation of a simple volume. After completing these steps, formatting will be performed, and the disk or partition can be used again for your needs.

    Using the TestDisk application

    Interesting opportunities for recovering the HDD format are provided by the free TestDisk utility, which is designed as a portable version and does not require installation on the hard drive.

    After starting the program in simulating DOS mode, you need to select the Create line, and then specify the disk that was converted to RAW format (you need to select the disk, not the partition). Next, the section style is set (this is usually done automatically).

    At the next stage, select the analysis line (Analyze), press Enter, then Enter again with the Quick Search item selected.

    In the analysis results, partitions for recovery will be marked in green with the letter P, those to be deleted will remain gray with the letter D. If you need to change the attribute from P to D, arrows are used.

    To continue, press the Enter key again, select the Write button from below, then use Enter again, and press Y (Yes) to confirm the action. When the conversion is complete, all that remains is to restart your computer.

    MiniTool Data Recovery utility

    This program is also capable of restoring the RAW format of HDD disks. You can fix it as follows.

    After launching the utility, a tool called Lost Partition Recovery is selected, the RAW partition is specified, and Full Scan is activated.

    At the end of the scan, all files and folders that are in the partition with the changed format will be shown. They can be copied to another location, and then formatted in the application itself, or use the methods described above for this.

    According to most experts, the program is good in everything (it works quickly, reliably and stably), but it has one huge drawback - it belongs to the category of shareware applications. Limitations in the trial version include the fact that using this utility it will not be possible to recover partitions larger than 1 GB (but you can also find distributions with activators on the Internet, although their use is illegal from the point of view of international law).

    Recovering partitions in DMDE

    DMDE is another program for converting disks and partitions of any type from the RAW system to the normal format.

    In the application, you select a physical disk with a RAW format (do not uncheck the partition display line!), which can be visually identified by underlining, color mark, size or file system, after which you need to select it and click the open volume button just below. Next, you should check the contents by clicking the show sections button. If this is exactly what is required, the restore button is then used, then the operation is confirmed, and at the end of the process the “Apply” button is pressed. To avoid errors, although this is not required, it is advisable to reboot the system.

    A few final words

    These are the main methods for restoring a damaged HDD format. Only the most popular tools and programs were listed here. You can find many other interesting utilities on the Internet, but all of them, as evidenced by reviews from experts and users, work on similar principles.

    When changing the format on the system partition, the same methods are used, but in this case, loading is done from removable media, and the main tool is exclusively the command console or portable versions of the above-described applications (for example, TestDisk).

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