"REFS volume appears as RAW: How to fix without losing data" When your REFS (Resilient File System) volume shows up as RAW, it indicates that the file system might be corrupted or unrecognized by the operating system. Here are some methods to repair it without losing your data: 1. **Boot into Safe Mode**: - Restart your computer and repeatedly press F8 during startup to enter the "Advanced Boot Options." - Select "Safe Mode." 2. **Use the chkdsk command**: - Type `chkdsk /f /r /x G:` in the Command Prompt (replace G: with the drive letter of your REFS volume). - This command checks and repairs disk errors; the /r flag looks for inconsistencies and bad sectors, while /x unmounts the drive forcibly. 3. **Utilize Disk Management**: - Open "Control Panel," then " Administrative ," and select "Disk Management." - Right-click on the RAW volume and choose "Format." - Ensure you select the correct file system (like NTFS) and uncheck the "Quick Format" option to perform a thorough error check. 4. **Data recovery software**: - Download and install a data recovery tool, such as Recuva or Data Recovery Wizard, on another computer. - Use the software to scan the RAW volume and save and recover important data. 5. **System Restore Point**: - If you have created a system restore point, attempt to restore your system to a previous state using the "System Restore" feature. 6. **Professional assistance**: - If all else fails, consider seeking professional data recovery services. Handle these steps carefully to avoid overwriting any crucial data. Before attempting any repairs, back up essential files to avoid potential loss.

When you can't access your files and get messages asking you to format the drive or error messages, or when “This PC” shows up as RAW, it's an issue. Resilient File System (ReFS) is a tool developed by Microsoft to store files and data on hard disks.

However, if you see this error on your computer, it means that your REFS partition is showing as RAW. This is a technical error that indicates that your device is unable to read the files properly and displays chaos. Fret not, we have solutions in store for you to fix this issue!

Why does my hard drive show as RAW format?

Having grasped the severity of the problem, you might be puzzled about what causes it. There is probably no single cause, but rather a combination of factors.

Damaged or Encrypted File System

Your hard drive might get corrupted due to malware, viruses, trojans, or errors. Besides, some disks might become damaged or go missing, and unexpected incidents during encryption might also result in ReFS showing as RAW.

It could also be that the data is actually encrypted, and thus shows up as RAW. If this is the case, you'll need to figure out how to decrypt the disk.

Hardware issues, including a faulty hard drive.

Due to various reasons like wear and tear, hard drives tend to fail at times. When a hard drive approaches failure due to some technical issue, it may also result in ReFS turning RAW.

Incompatible or outdated operating system versions

The operating system is the primary medium through which you interact with your PC's functionality. However, if the OS is incompatible or outdated, ReFS can become primitive.

4 Solutions to Fix RAW REFS Volume Showing Up

When you see the REFS partition as RAW, there are a couple of solutions to it. Not all methods are legitimate and effective; hence, we bring you tried and tested solutions!

Restore REFS volume to an external hard drive	This method is commonly used to fix file system errors and can effectively repair a RAW volume. It's relatively simple and can address minor issues. However, its effectiveness depends on the extent of damage to the file system. If the damage is severe or there are physical issues with the volume, CHKDSK may not be able to fully recover it.
Uninstall KB5009557 update	This method involves uninstalling a specific Windows update (KB5009557) that might be causing issues with your REFS volume. While uninstalling the update could resolve the RAW volume problem, it's important to note that this method only applies if the update is indeed the cause. Additionally, uninstalling updates may have other implications for system stability and security.
Enable FileData integrity streams	This is a feature in Windows that helps detect and repair file system corruption. By enabling this feature, you might be able to fix RAW volume issues caused by file system damage. However, note that this method might not work for severely damaged or physically corrupted volumes.
Upgrade to the latest version of REFS	This depends on whether there is a newer version of REFS available and if the issue is related to the version you're currently using. Before upgrading, research and ensure that the process is compatible with your system and won't result in data loss.

Before you proceed, make sure to back up all important files and data. If you accidentally delete a perfectly fine partition, you will spend a lot of time trying to recover the data, and it may not be 100% successful.

Let's talk about solutions!

Solution 1: Restore the REFS volume to an external hard drive

When a REFS volume appears as RAW, it should be connected to an external drive to prevent data loss. However, the graphically-based file manager, File Explorer, on Windows doesn't allow you to do this in such a situation. In this case, you can resort to using Command Prompt or the Windows Terminal to manage files on the device, including the REFS volume.

Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to your computer.

Step 2: Press Win+R to open the "Run" dialog box.

<Step 3> Type in cmd or WT, then press Shift + Enter to open the terminal with administrator privileges.

Step 4: Run the following command in the terminal:

This is a DOS command used to remove the Hidden, Read-Only, and System attributes from all files and folders on drive Z:. In Chinese, it would be translated as: "ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D Z:*.*" This means: - "-H" indicates removing the Hidden attribute - "-R" indicates removing the Read-Only attribute - "-S" indicates removing the System attribute - "/S" specifies that the operation should be applied recursively, affecting all subdirectories and files under drive Z: - "/D" means to process directories themselves, not just files - "Z:*.*" denotes all files and directories on drive Z.

Replace "Z" with the letter of the external drive you want to recover data from.

Furthermore, when it's done, the process will be over. Make sure to check the external hard drive before you unmount/eject it.

Please provide the content you want to translate into English, and I'll do my best to help you with the translation.

Solution 2: Uninstall the KB5009557 Update

There are specific Windows security updates, such as KB5009557, that can occasionally cause REFS volumes to appear as RAW. Thus, uninstalling it and restoring the default REFS volume can resolve the issue.

Step 1: Open the "Start" menu and go to "Control Panel."

Step 2: Click "Programs and Features," and then click "View installed updates."

Step 3: Locate the KB5009557 update in the list.

4. Right-click it and select “Uninstall” from the drop-down menu.

Step 5: The system will prompt you to complete the process, as indicated on the screen.

Many Windows 10/11 users have already attested to the tool's effectiveness. If you found this data recovery solution interesting, share it on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on!

Solution 3: Enable integrity streams for FileData

As mentioned earlier, file system corruption or encryption errors can also lead to a REFS volume becoming RAW. In this case, enabling integrity streams for file data comes in handy! When you enable integrity streams, it checks for damaged and missing files and fixes the issues accordingly.

Step 1: Open the Start menu, search for cmd, and then choose "Run as administrator" from the right.

Step 2. Run each of the following commands in turn:

Translation: These are two PowerShell commands: 1. The first command retrieves the root directory 'C:\' using the 'Get-Item' cmdlet and then pipes it to the 'Set-FileIntegrity' cmdlet to enable file integrity with the parameter '-Enable $True'. 2. The second command retrieves all items (files and directories) recursively within 'C:\' using 'Get-ChildItem' with the '-Recurse' parameter, and then pipes them to 'Set-FileIntegrity' to enable file integrity for each item.

C:\> Get-Item 'C:\' | Set-FileIntegrity -Enable $True

C:\> Get-ChildItem -Recurse 'C:\' | Set-FileIntegrity -Enable $True

C:\> Get-Item 'C:\' | Set-FileIntegrity -Enable $True

C:\> Get-ChildItem -Recurse 'C:\' | Set-FileIntegrity -Enable $True

The first command enables file-integrity checking for all future files, and the second enables it for all existing directories and their subdirectories.

Solution 4: Upgrade to the latest version of ReFS

If you're using an older version of ReFS, it's possible that Windows no longer supports it. According to a forum report, support for ReFS 1.x versions was discontinued as of February 2022. You'll need to copy everything to a new disk and upgrade ReFS to the latest version, or at least to a version that has this issue fixed.

How to recover data from an ReFS volume

If none of the above methods could fix the REFS volume showing as RAW error, you might need to reinstall the operating system. However, it's worth noting that this will lead to data loss, which is a concern for everyone now, especially for important data. In such a case, you should recover files after reinstalling Windows.

Though Windows Backup and Restore feature offers many functions, it can fail sometimes and even doesn't back up all your data. Besides, if you're not a tech-savvy person, you shouldn't rely on it. That's when third-party tools come to rescue. However, not all of them are worth your time and effort because some of them are ineffective!

One such tool is the Data Recovery Wizard tool, which is simple, fast, efficient, and reliable. With just a few clicks, you can recover and protect your REFS volume data.

Note: To ensure a higher chance of successful data recovery, do not install the data recovery software on the original disk where you lost your files; instead, install it on a different disk.

Step 1. Launch the tool – Data Recovery Wizard – on your Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 computer. Select the disk partition or storage location where you lost data and click “Scan.”

Step 2: The recovery software will start scanning the disk to find all lost and deleted files. Once done, click on “Filter” > “Type” to specify the type of lost file.

Step 3: Preview and recover lost Windows files. You can double-click to preview the scanned files. After that, select the target data and click the "Recover" button to save it to another secure location on your computer or an external storage device.

Last Words

When the REFS data is displayed in RAW format, it can lead to trouble and, in certain cases, cause panic. It might mislead you into thinking that there is a CPU failure. But that's not the case! The appearance of REFS data on your CPU in RAW form indicates an issue with the data. There are three most effective solutions you can try to address this problem.

If the issue persists, reinstall the operating system. If you're worried about data loss, use a safe, reliable, and efficient tool like Data Recovery Wizard to ensure your data is secure before the operation and prevent data loss.

"FAQ: Issues with REFS Volume showing as RAW"

Despite the comprehensive guide, you might still have some questions or concerns. We've tried to anticipate all queries users might have!

< strong > 1. Why Does My Windows Volume Show as RAW?

Drive failures, file corruption, incorrect encryption, and outdated or incompatible operating systems can cause a Windows volume to be detected as RAW.

2. Can you convert ReFS to NTFS?

ReFS and NTFS are different. A common way to transfer data from a ReFS volume to an NTFS volume is to back up the data, format the target volume as NTFS, and then restore the backup data.

Why did my hard drive suddenly become RAW?

A corrupted file system or improper data encryption, hardware issues (such as hard drive failure, incompatibility, or an outdated OS), and even a buggy KB5009557 security update can lead to your HDD suddenly becoming RAW.

4. How can I convert RAW to NTFS without losing data?

Converting RAW to NTFS can be quite challenging, especially for tech novices. Hence, we recommend using the Partition Master tool to simplify the process!

With these simple solutions, you can easily tackle those annoying RAW drive issues and handle the situation like a pro.