How to Fix RAW Drive in Windows 10/11 [Effective Solutions]

Knowing how to repair RAW drives on Windows 10 is crucial. This article delves into the causes and remedies for RAW hard drives:

External and internal hard drives serve as the primary repositories for your vital data. However, encountering an error message that states you need to format the hard disk before using it can be perplexing. Such errors typically indicate that the affected hard drive has become RAW. When a hard drive turns RAW, it essentially loses its File System.

Why Does a Raw Drive Appear in Windows 10/11?

If you're wondering why a hard drive turns RAW, there are various reasons behind it. Some causes might occur abruptly, whereas numerous others develop gradually over time. Here's an overview of the most frequent causes behind RAW drives in Windows 10/11:

Bad sectors

One of the significant reasons behind issues concerning the hard drive is the presence of bad sectors on it. As bad sectors accumulate over time, they begin to cause problems such as file corruption or deletion, and they can also lead to hard drives becoming RAW.

Corrupted partitions

It's also possible that the partitions on your hard drive became corrupted, causing the hard drive to become RAW.

File system errors

RAW drives are storage devices that either lack a file system or Windows is unable to detect the presence of one. When an issue occurs with the hard drive's file system, and Windows fails to recognize it, the drive will be labeled as RAW, for instance, if the C drive becomes RAW.

Improper use

How you use and handle your hard drive, specifically external hard drives, can also contribute to a hard drive becoming RAW.

Upon understanding the reasons, let's proceed to learn how to fix raw drives in Windows 10/11.

How to Fix Raw Drive in Windows 10/11

Once your hard drive has turned RAW, it can be rectified. In most cases, a hard drive turning RAW doesn't signify permanent damage, and修复是相对简单的。然而，恢复硬盘中存储的数据是另一个问题。以下我们讨论了两种在Windows 10/11中修复RAW硬盘的方法。

Guide 1: Repairing Raw Drive in Windows 10/11 using Partition Master Tool Step 1: Download and Install Partition Master Firstly, visit the official website of tools to download the Partition Master software. Install it on your Windows 10/11 computer by following the on-screen instructions. Step 2: Launch Partition Master After installation, open the Partition Master application. Its user-friendly interface will greet you with various options. Step 3: Connect the Raw Drive If the Raw drive is from an external storage device, connect it to your PC via USB or any other suitable port. Ensure it's properly connected and recognized by your system. Step 4: Identify the Raw Drive In the Partition Master window, locate the Raw drive from the list of available drives. It might be labeled as "Unallocated Space" or have no file system assigned. Step 5: Format the Raw Drive Right-click on the Raw drive and select "Format Partition" from the context menu. A new window will pop up. Step 6: Choose File System and Allocation Unit Size In the Format Partition dialog box, select the appropriate file system (e.g., NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT) based on your needs. Also, choose the allocation unit size and click "OK." Step 7: Confirm Formatting A warning message will appear, reminding you that formatting will erase all data on the drive. If you've backed up important files or are sure there's no valuable data, click "Yes" to proceed. Step 8: Wait for Formatting Completion Partition Master will start formatting the Raw drive. This process may take some time depending on the size of the drive. Do not interrupt the process. Step 9: Verify Drive Functionality Once the formatting is complete, the Raw drive should now be formatted with the chosen file system. Check if it's accessible by opening File Explorer and navigating to the drive letter. Step 10: Create Partitions (Optional) If needed, you can create partitions on the formatted drive for better organization. Right-click the drive and choose "Create Partition," then follow the prompts to set the partition size and location. Step 11: Save Changes and Exit After making all necessary changes, click "Apply" on the top left corner to execute the operations. The Partition Master will apply the changes and safely exit. Now your Raw drive should be repaired and ready for use in Windows 10/11. Always remember to back up important data before performing any drive-related operations.

The most effective and straightforward method to fix RAW hard drives in Windows 10/11 is by utilizing the Partition Master Professional tool. It is an outstanding utility that enables you to comprehensively manage your hard drives and partitions. This tool excels in various hard disk operations such as resizing disk space, creating new partitions, merging partitions, converting file systems, and more. Additionally, it allows you to switch between MBR and GPT disk partitions effortlessly.

It provides a simple and rapid method for repairing RAW hard drives. You can download the tool Partition Master for free and follow these steps to fix your RAW hard drive: 1. Download and install tools Partition Master on your computer. 2. Launch the software and you'll see an interface displaying all the storage devices connected to your system. 3. Identify the RAW hard drive from the list and right-click on it. 4. From the context menu, select "Format Partition." 5. A new window will pop up. Choose the file system you want to format the drive to (e.g., NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT, depending on your needs). 6. Provide a label for the partition (optional) and ensure the allocation unit size is set as default or adjusted according to your preference. 7. Click "OK" to start the formatting process. The software will warn you that formatting will erase all data, so make sure you have backed up any important files beforehand. 8. Wait for the formatting to complete. Once done, your RAW hard drive should be repaired and ready for use. Remember that formatting will erase all data on the drive, so always back up your files before proceeding with this method.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Right-click on the RAW partition or RAW external hard drive/USB/SD card that needs formatting and select "Format."

Step 2. Format the RAW partition and reset the file system.

Assign a new partition label, select the file system as NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT, and set the cluster size for the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. In the Warning window, click "Yes" to continue.

点击“是”允许该程序将目标RAW分区格式化为你驱动器上所选的文件系统格式。

Step 4. Execute the operations.

Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button located in the bottom right corner to review all the modifications, and then click "Apply" to initiate the formatting process for your RAW partition, USB, SD card, or external hard drive.

Key Features of Partition Master Tools:

1. Extend System Partition: This tool enables you to fully utilize your hard drive storage by extending partitions to incorporate unallocated space. For instance, you can use it to move unallocated space to the C drive. 2. Clone Partitions: If you've added a new hard disk to your system or wish to change the system drive, this tool offers a solution. It can effortlessly clone a partition to another hard drive without causing data loss. 3. Convert File System: File system errors can render a drive as RAW. With this tool, you can convert between file systems, such as converting NTFS to FAT32, without needing to format your drives. 4. Hide/Unhide Partitions: You can use this tool to hide or unhide partitions. This is particularly useful if you have sensitive data stored on your system. By moving the data to a separate partition and hiding it, you can effectively protect the information. 5. Create/Delete Partitions: This tool simplifies the process of creating or deleting partitions. For example, you can easily delete a FAT32 partition.

Numerous other functionalities can be leveraged by employing Partition Master as your disk management utility. It offers a straightforward solution to all major Windows system issues while ensuring the safety of your data. This tool is compatible with the latest technologies and is consistently updated to improve user experience. These attributes make Partition Master an essential tool to have on your computer.

Guide 2: Fix RAW Drive in Windows 10/11 using Command Prompt

You can utilize the Command Prompt (CMD) in your Windows 10/11 to repair your raw drive, but bear in mind that this process will format your hard drive. The hard drive can be repaired using the powerful built-in utility called Diskpart commands. Here are the detailed steps to use CMD to repair your raw drive: 1. **Open Command Prompt as Administrator:** - Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard. - Click on "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows Terminal (Admin)" if you have Windows 11. 2. **Identify the Drive Letter:** - In the Command Prompt, type `diskpart` and press Enter. - Next, type `list disk` and press Enter. This will display a list of all disks connected to your system. 3. **Select the Affected Drive:** - Identify the drive number that corresponds to your raw drive (usually Disk 0, 1, 2, etc.). - Type `select disk [number]`, replacing `[number]` with the identified disk number, and press Enter. 4. **Create a New Partition:** - Type `clean` and press Enter to erase all data from the selected disk. - Type `create partition primary` and press Enter to create a new primary partition. 5. **Format the Partition:** - Type `format fs=fat32 quick` (or `ntfs` if you prefer NTFS) and press Enter. This will format the partition with the specified file system quickly. - If prompted, confirm the format action. 6. **Assign a Drive Letter:** - Type `assign letter=[letter]`, replacing `[letter]` with the desired drive letter (e.g., D, E, F), and press Enter. 7. **Exit Diskpart and Command Prompt:** - Type `exit` to leave Diskpart, then type `exit` again to close the Command Prompt. After completing these steps, your raw drive should be repaired and formatted with a new file system. However, remember that all data on the drive will be lost during this process.

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt on your computer with Administrator privileges. You can do this by using the "Win + R" keys to open the Run dialog box, then typing "cmd" or by searching for "Command Prompt" in the search bar.

Step 2: Once the Command Prompt is open, execute the "diskpart" command. After that, type "list volume" and hit Enter. This will display all the partitions present on your system. The raw drive should be visible in the list.

Step 3: Select the raw drive by executing the "select volume X" command. Here, "X" symbolizes the raw partition number. Next, run the "format fs=ntfs quick" command to finish the formatting and repair process.

Conclusion

A hard drive turning raw can pose a significant threat to your crucial data. Hence, it's essential to closely monitor the health of your hard drives. A reliable tool like tools Partition Master stands as the optimal solution for managing hard disks and partitions. It serves as a comprehensive toolbox to address all issues related to hard drives. Should a hard drive become raw, it can efficiently and promptly repair the drive.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Repairing Raw Drive in Windows 10

Below, we have addressed the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) found online concerning raw drive repair in Windows 10. If you have any additional queries about repairing RAW drives, hopefully, you will find the answers below.

1. How to fix a raw drive using Command Prompt?

Utilizing the Command Prompt (CMD) to repair a raw hard drive will lead to it being formatted. To repair the RAW hard drive without losing data, you should use the "diskpart" command. Here's how: 1. Open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges. 2. Type "diskpart" and press Enter. This will launch the Diskpart utility. 3. In the Diskpart prompt, type "list disk" and press Enter. This will display a list of all disks connected to your system. 4. Identify the disk number that corresponds to the RAW hard drive you want to repair. 5. Type "select disk X" (replace 'X' with the disk number you identified in step 4) and press Enter. This will select the target disk. 6. Now, type "clean" and press Enter. This command will remove all existing partitions and data on the disk. Be cautious as this is irreversible. 7. Create a new partition by typing "create partition primary" and pressing Enter. 8. Format the partition with the "format fs=ntfs quick" command, then press Enter. This formats the partition with the NTFS file system quickly. After these steps, your RAW hard drive should be repaired and formatted with the NTFS file system. Remember, formatting will erase all data, so ensure you have backups before proceeding.

2. How do I run CHKDSK on a raw drive? To run CHKDSK on a raw drive, follow these steps: 1. Connect the raw drive to your computer. 2. Open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges: - Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard. - Click on "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows Terminal (Admin)" if you're using Windows 11. 3. Identify the drive letter assigned to the raw drive. You can do this by typing `diskpart` and pressing Enter, then typing `list disk` and pressing Enter again. This will list all the disks connected to your system. Note the number of the raw drive. 4. Run the following command, replacing `X` with the actual drive letter of your raw drive: ``` chkdsk X: /f /r ``` Here's what each switch does: - `/f`: Fixes any file system errors. - `/r`: Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. 5. Press Enter to start the CHKDSK process. It may take some time, depending on the size of the drive. 6. Once it's finished, type `exit` and press Enter to close the Command Prompt. Please note that running CHKDSK on a raw drive might not always be successful, especially if the drive has severe issues. It's recommended to create a backup of important data before attempting any disk repair operations.

It is not feasible to execute the CHKDSK command on a raw drive. Since Windows lacks access to a raw drive, it is unable to perform disk checking operations on it. Similarly, numerous other Windows commands are not functional on raw drives.

3. What causes a drive to become raw? A drive can become "raw" when it is not formatted with a file system that the operating system can recognize. This typically occurs due to the following reasons: 1. **File System Corruption**: A corrupted file system can result in the drive being labeled as "raw." This can happen due to power outages, viruses, malware, or improper shutdowns. 2. **Unrecognized File System**: If the drive has a file system that is not compatible with your operating system (e.g., a drive formatted with NTFS on a Mac), it may appear as raw. 3. **Hardware Issues**: Faulty or damaged drive components, such as the controller board or read/write heads, can cause the drive to be recognized as raw. 4. **Mislabeled Partition**: Sometimes, a partition on the drive might become mislabeled, causing the operating system to treat it as a raw drive. 5. **Software Errors**: Software errors during disk management operations, like failed attempts to format or delete partitions, can lead to a drive becoming raw. 6. **Bad Sectors**: The presence of bad sectors on the drive can also render it unreadable by the operating system, making it appear as raw. 7. **Virus or Malware Attack**: Certain types of viruses or malware can damage the file system and make the drive appear as raw. To recover data from a raw drive or fix the issue, you might need to use data recovery software, reformat the drive with an appropriate file system, or seek professional assistance if hardware issues are suspected.

Various reasons can result in a drive becoming raw, including improper ejection of hard drives, unexpected power outages, bad sectors, virus infections, file system errors, etc. External hard drives can also become raw due to exposure to high temperatures, high humidity, dust, or other environmental factors that cause damage.