Check disk is not available for raw drives - Complete Guide

You try to access a storage device like a hard drive, USB flash drive, or SD card and receive the error message “Check disk is not available for RAW drives,” it means your operating system cannot recognize the file system of the drive. Instead of a usable format like NTFS or FAT32, the drive appears as RAW, indicating a corrupted, unformatted, or unreadable state. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what causes this issue, how to recover your data, and how to fix or format the RAW drive properly.

What Does It Mean When a Drive Is RAW?

A RAW drive refers to a storage device that lacks a recognizable file system. When your drive becomes RAW, it loses its ability to be accessed normally through the operating system. The command chkdsk—short for check disk—is a built-in Windows utility used to detect and repair file system errors. However, it only works with known file systems like NTFS or FAT. When a drive is RAW, chkdsk cannot proceed and will display an error stating that it's not available for RAW drives.

Common Causes of RAW Drive Errors

File System Corruption: This is one of the most common causes. It can occur due to improper ejection, sudden power loss, or virus attacks.

Bad Sectors: Physical damage or long-term wear and tear can lead to unreadable sectors, causing the file system to become RAW.

Formatting Errors: Incorrect or interrupted formatting processes can leave the drive in a RAW state.

Partition Table Damage: A corrupted partition table can result in the entire drive becoming inaccessible.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fix a RAW Drive

Before attempting any repair or formatting, it’s crucial to recover important data if needed. Formatting a RAW drive will erase all existing files, so data recovery should be your first step if the files are important.

Step 1: Attempt Data Recovery

Use a reliable data recovery tool to scan the RAW drive. Software such as Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill can often retrieve lost files from a RAW drive. Install the software on a different drive (not the RAW one) to avoid overwriting data.

Launch the recovery tool and select the RAW drive.

Initiate a deep scan to locate files.

Preview and recover the files to a separate storage location.

Step 2: Format the RAW Drive

After recovering the necessary data, you can proceed to format the drive and restore its usability.

Open Disk Management by right-clicking on This PC and choosing Manage, then Disk Management.

Locate the RAW drive in the list of disks.

Right-click the drive and select Format.

Choose a file system (e.g., NTFS for Windows or exFAT for cross-platform use) and complete the format process.

If the format option is grayed out or fails, use the Diskpart utility:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Type diskpart and press Enter.

Type list disk to identify the drive.

Type select disk X (replace X with the correct disk number).

Type clean to remove all partitions.

Type create partition primary.

Type format fs=ntfs quick to format the drive.

Step 3: Run Check Disk After Format (Optional)

Once formatted, the drive should have a valid file system, and the chkdsk command can now be used to scan for future errors.

Open Command Prompt.

Type chkdsk X: /f (replace X with the drive letter).

Press Enter to initiate the check.

This will verify the file system integrity and fix minor issues that might occur over time.

Preventing Future RAW Drive Issues

To avoid encountering this issue again, follow best practices:

Always eject removable drives safely.

Use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to protect against sudden power loss.

Keep your system and antivirus software up to date.

Run periodic health checks on your drives.

When to Consider Professional Help

If the RAW drive contains important data that cannot be recovered using software, or if the drive shows physical signs of failure (clicking sounds, not spinning, etc.), it's best to consult a professional data recovery service. Attempting to repair a severely damaged drive on your own can worsen the problem.

In summary, “Check disk is not available for RAW drives” is a symptom of a corrupted or unreadable file system. Although chkdsk won’t work on RAW drives, using data recovery tools followed by formatting can often restore functionality. With proper handling and preventive care, you can minimize the risk of your drives turning RAW in the future.