How to Convert RAW Format Hard Drive to NTFS Without Losing Data
Summary: Do you want to learn the safest process for converting RAW format hard drive to NTFS without losing data? Go through this blog, here we have described step by step process to securely converting RAW format drive to NTFS file system.
Windows supports NTFS, FAT (FAT12/FAT16/FAT32), Live File System, REFS, and exFAT file systems. Any storage media with a file system other than the supported ones are not accessible and recognized as RAW format drive in Windows (see screenshot). Also, a hard drive without any file system or damaged file system is also detected as a RAW drive by the Windows OS.
Malware & virus infection, corrupt files, system crash, abrupt shutdown, removing drive without ejecting, etc. can lead to file system errors, which can turn a healthy drive or partition into a RAW partition.
Therefore, a RAW format drive doesn’t necessarily mean that the drive is damaged or corrupt. However, if the drive was accessible earlier and now it isn’t, it most probably is corrupt.
Convert RAW Format Hard Drive to NTFS
To convert a RAW format hard drive to NTFS, just format the hard drive by using the Disk Management tool.
But beware!
Formatting permanently erases all the data contained in the affected RAW drive. Thus, before you convert RAW format hard drive to NTFS, make sure you have the required data backup available. If there’s no backup, consider fixing the corruption with Windows proprietary tools and utilities. Otherwise, you will end up losing all the data permanently.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Windows may prompt to format the RAW drive. DO NOT click ‘Format’ if such prompt message appears (see screenshot below). Hit ‘Cancel’
Fixing the RAW Format Hard Drive
To help you, we have listed a few methods that can help fix the file system errors and the drive corruption. However, in case the fixes don’t work, we still can get back the inaccessible data from such a corrupt hard drive. So follow the fixes carefully.
1. Run Error Checking Tool
- Open ‘File Explorer’ and right-click on the RAW format hard drive volume
If the drive isn’t visible in File Explorer, use Disk Management tool and assign a drive letter to it. DO NOT FORMAT. - Select Properties and click ‘Tools’ tab
- Click the ‘Check’ button
- Click ‘Scan Drive’
Wait for a while until the scan and repair process is finished. Restart the system or reconnect the drive and try accessing the volume by using Windows File Explorer.
CAUTION: After clicking ‘Check,’ if a prompt message (see screenshot below) asking to format the drive appears; click ‘No’ to avoid permanent data loss. And use the subsequent fixes.
2. Run CHKDSK Scan
If you see the prompt to format the drive while running the error-checking tool, run CHKDSK scan on the affected drive volume.
- Press Windows+S and type cmd
- Right-click on ‘Command Prompt’ and select ‘Run as administrator’ (see screenshot)
- In the command prompt window, type chkdsk /r /f X: and press ‘Enter’
Here X: is the drive letter that turned RAW (see screenshot below)
After CHKDSK scan is finished, reboot the system or reconnect the external drive to access it.
3. Scan the Drive for Inaccessible Data
In case you are not able to access the corrupt drive even after running the error-checking tool and CHKDSK scan, install Stellar Data Recovery software on a Windows PC. The software natively recognizes a RAW drive and lets you access the data from a corrupt RAW format hard drive. So use the software to backup data and convert a RAW format hard drive to NTFS without losing data.
Just follow these steps:
- Run the software
- Select what data you want to recover and then click ‘Next.’
Then select the RAW format hard drive volume under ‘Connected Drives’
- Turn on the ‘Deep Scan’ toggle switch located at the bottom of the software window and click ‘Scan.’
Deep Scan takes time depending on the storage media size and I/O speed. So stay calm and wait for the scan to finish.
- After the scan, click ‘File Type’ tab in the left-pane to sort the scan results
- Use the search bar to quickly locate the important files and click on any photo, video, document, or audio file to see its preview
- Then select the required files you wish to save from the scan results and click ‘Recover.’
- Click ‘Browse’ and choose a location on any internal or external volume to save the selected recovered files and folders
- Click ‘Start Saving’ and Wait for a while until software saves the recovered files at your desired location.
Additionally, after scan a user can save the scan information (size in a few KBs) on the PC. Later, the scan information can be loaded to restore the data.
This feature helps save time and be more productive as users can resume data recovery later as per their convenience.
Now that you have the access to the data, go ahead, open Disk Management tool in Windows and format the RAW drive to NTFS.
Conclusion
A storage media may turn into a RAW format drive without any prior indications. There are several reasons that can cause drive corruption and may turn a drive into RAW format. However, when a hard drive or drive volumes turn RAW, never format them if they contain important data.
Instead, try to fix the corruption with the help of the fixes discussed in the blog post. If the fix doesn’t work in your case, get back the inaccessible data with the help of Stellar Data Recovery software. The software can restore data such as photos, videos, audio, documents, etc. from severely corrupt and formatted external or internal drive volumes.
These manual steps are very helpful to me; thanks a lot for sharing such a valuable article. This software restores data such as photos, videos, audio, documents, etc. from severely corrupt and formatted external or internal drive volumes
First of all, I would like to thank you for sharing valuable information in this Blog. My hard drive turned Raw and I was blank at that time on what to do, but when I go through all the steps that you mentioned in your blog that help me to get my RAW hard drive back to NTFS… Big Thanks to you.
Hi Thomas,
It’s glad to know that this blog information helps to solve your queries.
Hi Aruna, First of all, I would like to thank you for sharing valuable information in this Blog. My hard drive turned Raw, and I was blank at that time on what to do, but when I went through all the steps you mentioned in your Blog, that helped me to get my RAW hard drive back to NTFS… Big Thanks to you.
Hi Aruna Attri, You are a data recovery expert. D you have any solution to get data back from RAW partition? In my case, I have performed repair-bad command to recover my Bitlocker protected data, but unfortunately, the resulted partition become raw. Are there any chances to recover it without formatting the drive? If any plz mention thank you in advance.
Hello Zia, You can try stellar data recovery software on your machine and scan the raw drive. If you see your lost data in preview then you can recover it efficiently. Thanks
I have a 2TB IOMEGA external HD that I have been using on my Windows 10 Laptop for a couple of years but it just became inaccessible yesterday. I discovered that the file system changed to RAW for whatever reason and the computer was prompting me to REFORMAT it. I tried a number of solutions but none worked until I tried the CHKDSK solution suggested by ARUNA. It took a long time but the end result justified the means and I am immensely grateful to ARUNA for reminding me of this very important DOS command that fixed the problem.
Hi Agbana, I am delighted that this blog helped you to fix your problem. Our primary goal is to educate people through our informative blog. Thanks.
I am in desperate need of help but couldn’t reach anyone at Stellar.
I have a 1tb WD had. I used the demo/standard version to see if I can actually recover anything from the aforementioned corrupted had. After 2 months (!) of scanning I saw the data is there as RAW format. Hoping a premium version will help I bought it. But the Kay doesn’t accepted in a standard version. I am highly disappointed.
I don’t want to purchase a standard version for extra money or to do a scan for another 2 months in the premium version.
Someone from stellar plz help me in this! My had has 10 yrs worth of photos.
Hey Aruna,
I just bought a new pc, was in the process of backing up my ex terns, when one of them became RAW. Following the all steps on blog saved me years of data that seemed lost! BIG THANKS TO STELLAR DATA RECOVERY!
Hello Ryan,
We are pleased to know that you saved your data by the help of Stellar Data Recovery. Thanks for your appreciation.
Yes, this is a very common problem happens in our repair shop. Happy to know about the steps.
Hey Saul Thanks for the Read.
Can Stellar Data Recovery Software provide Technical support along with the software?
Yes, you will enjoy the complete one year support when you purchase the software.
Stellar Data Recovery is one of the finest software for corrupted file system recovery.
Dear Randy,
Thanks for using Stellar Data Recovery Windows software