What to Do When CHKDSK Says ‘Not Available for RAW Drives’What to Do When CHKDSK Says ‘Not Available for RAW Drives’
WHAT TO DO WHEN CHKDSK SAYS ‘NOT AVAILABLE FOR RAW DRIVES’
You plugged in your free file recovery software for Mac . Windows popped up an error. CHKDSK won’t run. The drive shows as RAW. Now what? Stop panicking. Follow these steps—fast.
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STOP USING THE DRIVE RIGHT NOW
Unplug it. Don’t save anything new. Don’t format it. Don’t run random fixes you found online. Every write risks overwriting your files. Your first job: preserve what’s left.
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CONFIRM IT’S REALLY RAW
Open File Explorer. Right-click the drive. Click Properties. Look at the File System line. If it says RAW, you’re in the right place. If it says NTFS or FAT32, your problem is different—close this guide.
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BACK UP WHAT YOU CAN BEFORE FIXING
You need a copy. Not a backup tool. A raw sector-by-sector copy. Use these exact steps:
1. Download HDD Raw Copy Tool (free, portable, no install).
2. Run it as Administrator.
3. Select your RAW drive as Source.
4. Pick a healthy drive (bigger than your RAW drive) as Target.
5. Click Start. Wait. This can take hours. Do not interrupt.
This creates an exact clone. If recovery fails, you can try again on the clone.
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TRY RECOVERY FIRST—NOT REPAIR
RAW means the file system is gone. CHKDSK can’t fix what isn’t there. Your goal: pull files off before fixing the drive. Use these tools in order:
1. Recuva (free)
– Install. Run. Select your RAW drive.
– Choose Deep Scan. Wait.
– Recover files to a different drive. Not the RAW one.
2. TestDisk (free, advanced)
– Download. Extract. Run testdisk_win.exe as Admin.
– Select your RAW drive. Proceed.
– Choose Analyse. Quick Search.
– If it finds partitions, write them. If not, deeper search.
– Recover files to another drive.
3. DMDE (paid, but free version works)
– Download. Run. Select your RAW drive.
– Full Scan. Wait.
– Find your files. Copy to another drive.
If any tool recovers your files, stop. You’re done. If not, move to repair.
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REPAIR THE DRIVE ONLY AFTER RECOVERY
You’ve pulled off what you can. Now fix the drive. Two paths: convert RAW to NTFS/FAT32, or format.
PATH 1: CONVERT WITHOUT FORMATTING (TRY THIS FIRST)
1. Open Command Prompt as Admin.
2. Type diskpart. Hit Enter.
3. Type list disk. Hit Enter.
4. Find your RAW drive. Note its number.
5. Type select disk X (replace X with your drive number). Hit Enter.
6. Type clean. Hit Enter. This wipes partition data.
7. Type create partition primary. Hit Enter.
8. Type format fs=ntfs quick. Hit Enter.
9. Type assign. Hit Enter.
Drive should now show as NTFS. Check if files are accessible. If not, proceed to PATH 2.
PATH 2: FULL FORMAT (LAST RESORT)
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click the RAW drive.
3. Click Format.
4. Choose NTFS or FAT32.
5. Uncheck Quick Format.
6. Click Start. Wait. This writes zeros to every sector.
After format, run recovery tools again. Sometimes a full format exposes files CHKDSK couldn’t see.
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WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS: LOW-LEVEL TOOLS
If the drive still shows as RAW, the problem might be physical. Try these:
1. Manufacturer Tools
– Find your drive brand (Seagate, WD, etc.).
– Download their diagnostic tool (SeaTools, Data Lifeguard).
– Run a full scan. Follow prompts to repair.
2. SpinRite (paid)
– Download. Create bootable USB.
– Boot from USB. Select your RAW drive.
– Run Level 2. Wait. This can take days.
3. Professional Recovery
– If the drive clicks, beeps, or isn’t recognized, stop.
– Find a data recovery lab. Expect to pay $300-$2000.
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PREVENT RAW DRIVES IN THE FUTURE
1. Eject drives safely. Always.
2. Use UPS for desktops. Power surges kill drives.
3. Replace drives every 3-5 years. They wear out.
4. Run CHKDSK monthly. Open CMD as Admin. Type chkdsk X: /f (replace X with drive letter). Hit Enter.
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QUICK REFERENCE CHEAT SHEET
1. Stop using the drive.
2. Confirm it’s RAW.
3. Clone the drive with HDD Raw Copy Tool.
4. Recover files with Recuva, TestDisk, DMDE.
5. Repair with diskpart or format.
6. Try manufacturer tools if needed.
7. Go pro if the drive is physically damaged.
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WHAT NOT TO DO
– Don’t run CHKDSK on RAW drives. It won’t work.
– Don’t format before recovering. You’ll lose files.
– Don’t use the drive after it shows RAW. Every second risks more damage.
– Don’t trust “fix RAW drive” YouTube tutorials. Most are scams.
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YOUR NEXT STEPS
1. Right now: unplug the drive.
2. Today: download HDD Raw Copy Tool and start a clone.
3. Tonight: run Recuva or TestDisk on the clone.
4. Tomorrow: repair or format if recovery fails.
No theory. No fluff. Just action. Your files are still there—go get them.