The raw file system does not format the disk. How to recover data from a disk that is defined as RAW

A person is faced with changing the disk file system format to RAW, usually due to the fact that the computer was completed incorrectly. You see, there are quite a few such cases - either the light goes out, or you are in a hurry and automatically pull out the power cord from the socket. But it’s just that everything didn’t happen to me “like other people.” I borrowed a flash drive from a friend and wanted to transfer the video to myself, but there were so many viruses on this drive that I still have to clean it up. Among them, by the way, were those that change the NTFS to RAW format of HDD drives. However, I managed to solve this problem relatively quickly. So if an unwanted format has appeared and you want to eliminate it, then read on.

A little theory about what kind of system this is - RAW?

If the disk has changed its format to RAW, Windows will display it among other partitions of the hard drive. But when you try to open it, the computer will indicate an error and a window will appear asking you to format it. What’s also unpleasant is that all actions with this volume will become impossible, including checking for errors, defragmenting and many others.

The whole problem is that the RAW file system does not exist in nature. In principle. At all. If a message appears stating that the disk has received such formatting, this will indicate that the computer driver cannot determine the type of its file system - NTFS, FAT or FAT32. This may happen under the following circumstances:

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

It is important to note that if the volume with the OS is damaged, then when the computer boots, a window will pop up - a warning “Reboot and select proper boot device” or “Operating System not found”.

The raw format of hdd disks has appeared. How to fix it?

How is this kind of situation resolved?

In my case, I should have used only standard Windows tools since the failure was on a non-system drive that stored a large amount of important information. Formatting was excluded in any case. Yes, to be honest, I would like to reinstall the system in general, but only because of several documents that I forgot to copy to the “cloud”, I had to “play” with all this.

What Windows tools should I use to resolve this issue?

First of all, to fix problems with formatting in RAW, you should use the standard chkdsk utility. Below is a clear, step-by-step algorithm:

Click RMB on the Start menu, and then click Command Prompt (admin).
You should enter: chkdsk drive_letter: /f.

After the scan is completed, the computer will repair damaged sectors and the NTFS file system on the affected volume. Again, this technique only works if the flash drive or hard drive was in NTFS.

In addition, using the chkdsk utility would be advisable if the system disk is damaged. However, in this situation you will need a boot disk or flash drive. Next, you will need to perform a strict sequence of actions:

Start the PC from a bootable flash drive or disk, after which you need to click the “System Restore” item.
Enter - additional parameters - command line - chkdsk drive_letter: /f.

In the recovery environment, partition letters are not the same as logical drive names. In order to avoid the error, just open the list of computer partitions in the command line.

In order to find out which disk is the system one, you need to enter diskpart - list volume - and the information you need will be indicated in the list.

The flash drive has become raw. How to restore?

In this case, the way out of the problem situation is carried out using third-party software

The software used to restore an NTFS file system that was previously reformatted to RAW does not affect the user’s information located on the volume. This is the advantage of this method from using the chkdsk utility.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery

This program is good for everyone, but there is just one small drawback - it costs money. It's very easy to use.

You need to activate the LostPartition recovery software, click on the desired drive. Full Scan displays the files located on the flash drive.
It is necessary to designate the files to be saved. To do this, click on the “Save” button, then point to the desired location for saving and confirm the process.
After copying and checking all the files you have selected is completed, you will need to format the damaged volume.

Alternative to MiniTool Power Data Recovery - TestDisk

This program has a number of significant advantages over the previous one. TestDisk is a multifunctional, and most importantly, free utility that uses a large number of options when working with hard drive partitions. Moreover, there is a portable version of TestDisk, so there is no need to install it. However, there is also a drawback that negates all the advantages. This program does not have a Russified interface, so you will have to use GoogleTranslite. Or hire a translator. You should work with TestDisk like this:

Activating the testdisk_win.exe file and then selecting “create”. Then you need to press enter, select the desired disk and enter again.
Next, you will need to click the “Write” item in order to save the section structure.
If the measures taken are ineffective, you must use the “DeeperSearch” command, and then go through everything again.

Conclusion

The problem under consideration is not that complicated - there are many options for solving it. But it’s still better to use only proven flash drives and scan them for viruses before use. Indeed, in addition to these, there may be a huge number of other viruses that have much more adverse effects.

Today, flash drives and removable memory cards have a fairly large capacity and are used almost everywhere. Unfortunately, they are more susceptible to physical damage than internal drives and hard drives, but they can equally suffer from software glitches. So it turns out that when you try to connect the device to the computer, the system displays a message stating that the volume’s file system is damaged or not recognized. How to fix such failures will now be described.

Why is my USB flash drive not recognized? Possible reasons

The most likely reasons why the operating system cannot recognize a drive or its file system can be divided into two large categories: physical damage and software failures.

Physical reasons associated with malfunctions of microcontrollers, external and internal damage, overheating or hypothermia, and many other negative factors will not be considered. In this case, you will simply have to throw away the USB flash drive. Even replacing a microcontroller will cost much more than a new flash drive or memory card. Sometimes there may be malfunctions in the operation of USB ports, but here the solution is obvious: you just need to connect the flash drive to another port.

Therefore, we will focus on software failures. Among the most likely reasons that the volume file system is not recognized upon connection, and if it is visible, it is not possible to work with it), the following are highlighted:

exposure to viruses;
software failures in the microcontroller;
incorrect or incomplete formatting;
incorrect removal of the device from the port;
power surges;
unsupported file system;
outdated device drivers;
mismatch between USB flash drive and port standards.

Regarding the last point, the problem is that the USB 3.0 flash drive is connected to a 2.0 port. This problem can be solved by simply reconnecting to the desired port.

Signs of damage to a removable device

Determining that a removable device is inoperative is quite simple. If connected, the system begins to issue warnings that the location is inaccessible, the file system of the volume is not recognized, a proposal is made to format the device, etc.

Along the way, it is worth noting that the drive itself may or may not be visible. In the first case, fixing the problem is somewhat easier. In the second, you will have to use additional utilities.

When a warning about an inaccessible location is issued, the reason may also be that the flash drive or removable card is assigned an incorrect volume label (drive letter), for example, X instead of F. In this situation, you just need to change it, having first used the disk management section, where the right Click on the device to select the appropriate command.

RAW format: what is it?

In the usual understanding, such a structure is a modified format that is simply incompatible with most known operating systems. Therefore, a notification appears on the screen stating that the volume’s file system is not recognized (although the RAW format flash drive is visible, the files on it are not visible, even if you enable the display of hidden objects).

Changing the format is most often associated with software failures due to incorrect formatting, improper shutdown of the device, and exposure to viruses. However, you can convert the format into a readable one quite simply, which will be discussed a little later.

Main directions in problem solving

If the volume's file system cannot be recognized, there may be several solutions to correct the situation, depending on the cause of the failure:

converting the format to any other compatible with the system;
removal of viruses and threats;
quick or full formatting;
If you need to recover data, you need to use special utilities.

Just in case, you can make sure that the appropriate driver is installed for the device. This can be done in the standard “Device Manager”, which can be accessed either from the “Control Panel”, or called with the command devmgmt.msc from the “Run” console.

Generally, if a device is not working or not working properly, it will be marked yellow. In this case, you should either update the driver (command from the context menu) from the system’s own database, or install it manually from removable media, or apply an automatic update using programs like Driver Booster (with the flash drive turned on, of course). Sometimes it may be necessary to update the driver of the USB controller itself.

Simple testing and recovery

Now let's consider a situation where the volume's file system is not recognized (the memory card is visible in the system) from the point of view of a regular disk. For removable drives, you can use standard commands to check their status, which were originally intended for hard drives. It's about

To perform this operation, you need to call the command console (cmd) from the “Run” menu (Win + R), and then write in it the line chkdsk X /f, where X is the letter assigned to the flash drive (most often it is F). Even if the drive is in RAW format, this procedure works in terms of restoring the file system or converting it to NTFS.

Virus check

Some viruses can change the structure of the file system of removable drives (and not only) on purpose. In this case, a message will also be displayed notifying you that the volume's file system is not recognized. The SD flash drive, however, will be visible in the system. This simplifies the task.

The easiest way to resolve the situation is to check it completely. You can use standard or portable utilities. But here, unfortunately, there is no complete guarantee of “cure” for the device. This is due to the presence on the media of a seemingly standard autorun file, autorun.inf, which in some cases may be hidden (to see it, you need to set the display of hidden objects in the view menu of the standard “Explorer”).

If possible, it must be removed manually, but most often it is protected from such procedures. Here you should use the command line again.

Removing components from the command line

So, the system reports that the volume’s file system is not recognized (the flash drive is detected in the system). For example, let’s assume that the flash drive volume label has the letter Z. To delete the desired file, we write the following commands sequentially, after each of them we press the Enter key:

cd F:/;
attrib -a -s -h -r autorun.inf;
del autorun.inf.

Only in this case is the complete removal of this object guaranteed, since even on actions in Explorer, due to its close integration with Windows, viruses can set some restrictions, and the command line works using the principles of DOS systems.

Fixing the file system by formatting

Now another example, when an SD card is inserted into the card reader (the file system of the volume is not recognized, but the system “sees” the device, even if it does not display formatting messages).

In principle, you can look at its format in the section, but why do this if the only problem is that information cannot be written to it? The easiest way is to format it.

Many users mistakenly believe that the easiest option is to quickly clear the table of contents. Absolutely false! Even if you install something from the drop-down list for your preferred system (FAT32 NTFS, etc.), there is no guarantee that it will be possible to work with it. Therefore, it is better to perform a full formatting. This will take more time, but after that the user will receive a clean drive, as they say, from scratch. And there will definitely be no problems with him. But this method is applicable only if there is no important information on the device that cannot be destroyed.

Is it possible to recover information on a damaged device?

The issue of information recovery for many is a clear criterion in favor of choosing special utilities that are capable of not only restoring boot sectors and records on devices of any type, but also retrieving information that was previously present on them, which for some reason has become inaccessible.

It is possible to restore data. But such advertised programs as Recuva, when the same removable media is not visible in the system, are useless. This is where professional utilities come to the rescue. Next we will look at two of them: the TestDisk application and the unique R.Saver program (both utilities are portable).

Recovery using the TestDisk utility

Now let’s look at the situation when the file system of the volume is not recognized (the flash drive is not visible even in Explorer, although we’ll immediately say that the solution below can be used for removable memory cards of any standard.

The program is free and does not require installation. True, many may be upset by the lack of a Russian-language interface and operation in DOS mode. But the utility is very powerful, since it is capable of first restoring the file system, and then the necessary information.

We launch the utility, in the window that appears, select the Create item. Next, a list of all available disks will appear, including a flash drive invisible to the system. As a rule, in the list it is designated as Disk /dev/sdc with an indication of the capacity (in addition, there may be a description like Generic-Multi-Card). If there is no description, you can determine that this is the flash drive you are looking for simply by its size or disk letter.

Next, we activate the analysis process (Proceed), after which we select Intel Partition in the partition table. Next, go to the extended file system (Advanced item), press the enter key, and then at the bottom of the window use the recovery command (Undelete). We wait for the scanning process to complete, and then red lines appear in the window, corresponding to all deleted files. Don’t be surprised that even those files that you don’t remember about at all can be found here (the program finds them with ease).

Now use the arrows to move through the list, select the desired object and press the C key to restore. Next, select the directory in which the files will be saved and press “Enter.” After selecting the folder, press C again. Once the recovery is complete, you will be notified that the copy is ready.

Universal program R.Saver

Finally, there is one more utility that can be used if the file system is not recognized (the flash drive is visible or not visible in the system - it doesn’t matter). It is best suited for recovering sectors and data on SD cards.

After starting the application, select the flash drive and start the scanning process (we agree with sector-by-sector scanning). Next, the procedure for restoring sectors (file system reconstruction) and the information contained in them begins (this may take quite a long time).

In the list of detected objects, select the ones you need, indicate the destination folder on the hard drive and confirm the selection with the appropriate button. Once completed, you can work with the flash drive without problems.

Instead of an afterword

As you can see, in some cases, troubleshooting processes can be quite labor-intensive (this applies to simultaneously restoring the file system of the drive and the data on it). However, if such procedures are not required, restoring the functionality of a flash drive or removable memory card can be quite simple. Which method do you prefer? This is something everyone decides for themselves, based on the current situation.

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. Usually, in this case, Windows recommends formatting such a disk, which should not be done, since the data on the disk will be lost due to 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 to connect 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.

Download and install this program, run it as administrator.
Select the “Create” command and press enter, select the raw disk with the cursor and press “Enter”.
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).
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.

A “healthy” storage device has an NTFS file system (if it is a hard drive or external storage device) or FAT (if it is a flash drive). The corresponding entry can be seen in the properties. When it fails, you can see the RAW mark in this place, which means “raw, raw.” This data format has become generally accepted. It allows you to save files, but does not allow you to work with them normally.

Reasons for the appearance of RAW

Errors leading to loss of data of various formats and types:

Power surges, improper shutdown of the computer, malfunctions of the uninterruptible power supply unit, other hardware,
The consequences of a virus infection, which are rare, but can destroy the NTFS file system,
Failure caused by physical damage. After scanning, in this case it is necessary to identify bad sectors with a special program (MHDD, Victoria).

What to do with a RAW file system

If such a problem became relevant for you when the partitions of the previously existing NTFS were destroyed, then the OS denies access, stops displaying information about the equipment: “it doesn’t see”, and also requires you to format the disk. Under no circumstances should you do this, at least until all methods of saving data have been tried.

Methods for restoring the hard drive file system

We recommend that you first try the standard method of resuscitating the hard drive:

(Checkingdisk - disk check). This is a Windows tool for testing and repairing NTFS partition table. Since it's possible that Windows won't start in case of a crash, CHKDSK is activated by typing on the command line:

Press the key combination Cntrl + R,
In the Run window that appears, type CMD
At the command prompt, enter: chkdsk (drive name): /f
You will receive a message stating that verification cannot be performed. Agree to perform a reboot check (Y) and reboot the PC.

These actions start scanning for errors and correcting them on the hard drive. If you need to overcome RAW on an external drive, then enter “chkdsk (name): /f” in the search bar that appears when you click the “Start” button.

The process of finding and correcting errors will definitely take a lot of time. How much is difficult to say. This depends on the size of the hard drive, the formats used and the extent of the damage. We recommend not to fuss and wait for another PC reboot, which will happen without your participation. If the file system has been successfully restored, then it is now possible to boot the computer in normal mode.

Next you should check the integrity of Windows itself:

Alternative Ways to Deal with RAW

If you have done all of the above, but the result is not marked as NTFS in the properties, then still do not rush to format. There are several programs that, in many cases, will be more effective than the standard CHKDSK.

Try TestDisk, a free data recovery utility. This program will be able to adjust the partition table and restore “lost” partitions, rebuild the NTFS boot sector. It works with almost any operating system and any format. When working with TestDisk, you will need administrator rights.
is a powerful recovery program that fixes all commonly used file system types. It searches for and recognizes unreadable hard drive partitions using the advanced IntelliRAW algorithm. R.saver does not require installation on a PC and works with various formats.
Recuva is a free popular program with a user-friendly interface that will return the file system to its original state. Often used by beginners. It has the function of searching and restoring information of a certain type and format: only photos, or only text files.

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.
Windows tools
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.

Start the computer from a bootable USB flash drive or disk → Select “System Restore”.

Advanced 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.
Third party programs
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.

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.