You’ve noticed that your hard drive has turned RAW and you’re not sure how to recover your data? Don’t panic, this article presents different methods to try to resolve this problem. But first, it’s essential to understand what a RAW hard drive is and why this can happen.
What is a RAW hard drive?
A RAW hard drive is a drive whose file system is no longer recognized by the computer. This means that the data stored on this drive becomes inaccessible. The cause can be a software error, a hardware problem, or even a virus infection. In any case, it is essential to quickly recover important data before formatting the hard drive to start fresh on a clean basis.
Method 1: Use data recovery software
Step 1: Download and install dedicated software
There are several data recovery programs that can help you recover your lost data. You can choose from many options, free or paid, depending on your needs. The most popular are Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill. Once you have selected the software that matches your expectations, download it and install it on your computer.
Step 2: Launch the software and select the RAW drive
Launch the data recovery program you have installed. In the interface, choose the hard drive that has turned RAW that you wish to analyze. It may be named differently or have no name at all. Generally, it does not carry the same letter as before and may appear as unallocated space.
Step 3: Scan for lost files
Once you have selected the correct drive, launch the scan to search for lost files. This step may take some time depending on the size of the hard drive and the complexity of the data to be found. Be patient and wait for the scan to complete.
Step 4: Recover the found data
At the end of the scan, the software should display a list of recoverable files and folders. Select the ones you wish to restore and choose a location different from the damaged hard drive to save them. Make sure you have enough free space on the destination drive.
Method 2: Use the command prompt
Step 1: Open the command prompt as administrator
On your computer, right-click on the Start menu icon and choose Command Prompt (admin) from the list of options that appears. You can also search for “cmd” in the Start menu search bar and open it as administrator.
Step 2: Use the CHKDSK command
In the command prompt, type the following command, followed by the letter assigned to the RAW hard drive:
chkdsk X : /f
Replace “X” with the letter of your original drive and press Enter to run the command. This operation will scan the hard drive for errors and attempt to repair them automatically.
Step 3: Check whether the data is accessible
Once the scan is complete, check whether you can access the data on the hard drive. If it works, recover your important files before formatting the drive to avoid any further data loss.
Method 3: Use partition management software
As a last resort, it is possible to use partition management software such as GParted, MiniTool Partition Wizard, or AOMEI Partition Assistant to create a new partition without prior formatting. Although this method does not always guarantee data recovery, it can be useful when other solutions fail.
- Download and install partition management software on your computer
- Launch the program and select the hard drive that has turned RAW from the list of partitions
- Create a new partition without formatting the drive beforehand
- Check whether the data is accessible and recover your important files
- Then format the drive to restore a valid file system
Note: Remember to always regularly back up your important data to an external device or an online storage service to avoid any risk of loss.