How To Repair RAW USB Drives In Windows 10?

Repair RAW USB Drives

USB drives bring versatility to how we use storage devices. It acts as an extension of the primary storage device and offers a solution when we urgently need space. However, although they are one of the most convenient tools we have today, they are also the same tools that face many problems.

What Is A RAW USB Drive?

A RAW USB drive is when the drive has lost its connection with the file system. When your drive becomes RAW, you are unable to see any data. When such a scenario occurs, your priority needs to be recovering the data. Once you’re certain of your data recovery, you must only think about repairing the RAW USB drive. 

The apparent characteristic of the RAW drive is that you face a wall while accessing the data. In some cases, the drive allows you to open it, but you find that the drive is completely empty upon entering the drive. In other cases, it asks you to format the drive before using the drive. Never comply with the suggestion. Formatting the drive means you will delete all the data from the drive.

Why does the drive become RAW? There are many responses that contribute to this problem. The problem doesn’t happen suddenly. There are a few red flags before the drive becomes RAW. You just need to keep an eye on the red flags so that you can take the necessary measures.

Symptoms Of RAW USB Drives

It is important that you know the symptoms of RAW USB drives. This will ensure that you take immediate action after encountering the issues and increase your chance of recovering most of your data from the drive.

Here are some common symptoms that show your USB drive has become RAW.

  • The most common symptom is that when a drive has turned RAW, you won’t be able to access the drive or its data. And when you look at the properties of the drive, you will find that the file system has become RAW.
  • The second most common symptom is that you will not find the data in the drive you are sure of storing in.
  • When you connect the drive with your system, the system will recognize the drive and ask you to format the drive.

Cause Of USB Drive Turning RAW

You can find out whether the drive is RAW by checking its properties. As for why a drive becomes RAW, the following might be able to shed some light on it.

  • Unsuccessful formatting.
  • Power outages.
  • Lose peripherals.
  • Malware infection.
  • Physical damage.
  • Removing the drive while the system is working on it.

In all these cases, data recovery is possible. However, if you overwrite the data, the recovery becomes impossible.

How To Repair RAW USB Drives?

USB drives are more prone to damages and errors compared to internal drives. This is because they are used in different systems for sharing valuable data information. This process can take a toll on the USB drive and can damage it. When the drive is somehow damaged or corrupted, it becomes isolated, and the user cannot access the data.

We have done extensive research and have developed the following methods to repair the RAW USB drive.

Solution 1: Repair RAW USB Drives Using CHKDSK

Windows operating system comes with an inbuilt utility program called CHKDSK. It can check the integrity of the RAW USB drive and find the errors. Then, you can try the CHKDSK Command to fix the drive. 

  • Type CMD in the Windows search box.
  • Right-click on the command prompt.
  • Select Run As Administrator.
  • Now type: chkdsk X: /f.

The system will scan the system for any errors, and if there are any errors, it will resolve them.

Solution 2: Repair RAW USB Drives Using DiskPart

DiskPart is a powerful command line that allows the users to manage the storage devices both internally and externally. Use this Utility command to view all the available partitions in the system and check for any errors. 

  • Type DiskPat on the Windows search box.
  • Right-click on diskpart.exe.
  • Select Run As Administrator.
  • Now type – list volume.
  • All the drive volume will appear on the screen.
  • Select the volume in question.
  • Run: format fs=ntfs quick.
  • Once the conversion is over, click EXIT.

How To Avoid Ending Up With RAW USB Drive Again?

Even though the recovery of the RAW drive is possible, you should always prioritize not reaching that position. Remember how our teachers used to say – Safety is better than cure, it certainly applies in the case of a RAW USB drive.

  • Create backups: Drive becoming RAW is not something new. It happens from time to time. Hence, you must have a data-backup strategy to cope with such scenarios.
  • Be Careful About Formatting: When you are formatting any drive, ensure that you have triple-checked your drive to ensure that you are formatting it in the right way. Some people format the drive to a file system their computer system is unable to read. 
  • Scan Your Computer For Malware: Malware infection can damage your system in many ways. This also includes damaging your perfectly working USB drive. Maintain a regular anti-malware solution to ensure your system is free from any malware viruses.

Repair RAW USB Drives

When a USB drive becomes RAW, its file system is damaged. This is why the system is unable to recognize the drive’s file system. We have discussed a few methods that can be used to repair the RAW USB drive.

If you find the solution hard to execute, you can always go with the formatting method. However, we don’t recommend doing that. Formatting the drive means you will erase all the data. Format the drive only when you have complete data backup or a data recovery solution at your disposal.

Read Also:

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts