Check Disk is Not Available for RAW Drives - Complete Guide

If you have ever encountered the error message “Check Disk is not available for RAW drives”, it can be confusing and frustrating. This error typically appears when you attempt to run the Windows built-in disk utility tool (CHKDSK) on a drive that is not recognized with a valid file system. Let’s break this down step by step and explain why this happens, what it means for your data, and what you can do about it.

What Does RAW Drive Mean?

A RAW drive is a storage device (hard drive, SSD, USB flash drive, or memory card) that does not contain a recognizable file system such as NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT. In other words, Windows cannot read or mount the drive because it does not know how the data is organized.

Some common scenarios that cause a drive to show as RAW include:

File system corruption due to power failure or sudden removal.

Virus or malware infection.

Bad sectors on the drive.

Partition table corruption.

Improper formatting or interrupted format process.

When a drive is RAW, Windows does not assign it a file system, and it becomes inaccessible through File Explorer.

Why CHKDSK Does Not Work on RAW Drives

The CHKDSK (Check Disk) utility is designed to scan and repair logical file system errors on drives with recognized file systems such as NTFS or FAT32. It works by examining the metadata and structure of the file system and then fixing inconsistencies.

However, when a drive is in RAW state, there is no valid file system to check against. Since CHKDSK cannot determine whether the drive was originally NTFS, FAT32, or another format, it cannot perform a scan. That’s why you see the message:

“The type of the file system is RAW. CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives.”

This is essentially Windows telling you: “I don’t know what this file system is, so I cannot run a check on it.”

Common Signs of a RAW Drive

If you suspect a drive has become RAW, you might notice:

An error message saying “You need to format the disk before you can use it”.

Drive properties showing 0 bytes used and 0 bytes free.

CHKDSK refusing to run, as explained above.

Inability to open files or folders from the drive.

How to Fix a RAW Drive

Since CHKDSK cannot repair a RAW drive, you will need to use other methods. Below are the main approaches:

1. Data Recovery Before Formatting

If the drive contains important data, your first priority should be recovering the files before attempting any repairs. Specialized data recovery software such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Stellar Data Recovery, or R-Studio can scan RAW drives and extract files.

2. Format the Drive

Once you recover your data, or if the data is not important, you can fix the RAW state by reformatting the drive:

Open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc).

Right-click on the RAW partition.

Choose Format and select NTFS or FAT32 as the file system.

This process will erase all data but make the drive usable again.

3. Recreate the Partition

In cases where the partition itself is corrupted, you may need to delete the existing RAW partition and create a new one:

Open Disk Management.

Right-click the RAW volume and select Delete Volume.

Create a new partition and assign a file system.

Preventing Drives From Becoming RAW

To minimize the chances of a drive turning RAW in the future, consider these best practices:

Always eject removable drives safely before unplugging them.

Use reliable antivirus software to prevent file system corruption from malware.

Regularly back up important files to another location.

Monitor your drives with disk health tools such as CrystalDiskInfo.

Avoid sudden power losses by using a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).

Final Thoughts

The error “Check Disk is not available for RAW drives” occurs because Windows cannot run CHKDSK without a valid file system. A RAW drive essentially means that the file system is damaged, missing, or unrecognized. While this situation can be worrying, it does not always mean your data is permanently lost.

The best approach is to recover your data using specialized tools and then reformat or repartition the drive to restore normal function. By practicing safe usage habits and keeping backups, you can avoid many of the issues that lead to RAW drive errors in the first place.