In this video, we will walk you through fixing the “CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives” error step-by-step. Whether you’re dealing with a brand-new storage device or a previously functional drive that suddenly turned RAW and still contains important data. ✅ Recover data from a hard drive: https://bit.ly/49phJcp
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:31 Common RAW drive scenarios
01:36 Recover data from the RAW drive
04:29 Repair RAW partition
06:57 Format RAW partition
08:11 Wrap up
🔼 *Step 1: Recover your data*
If your drive holds important data, recover it before attempting repairs. You have two options:
* Restore from a Backup. If you already have a backup, use it.
* Use file recovery software. In this video example, we will use a Disk Drill.
*List of Disk Drill benefits:*
* Suitable for RAW & corrupt drives: Reads data directly, bypassing errors.
* No formatting needed: Recovers files intact without risking further damage.
* Broad compatibility: Works with SD cards, USB drives, external hard drives, and SSDs; supports virtually any file type.
* Flexible licensing & preview: Recover up to 500MB free on Windows, preview all found files before upgrading, and buy once for a lifetime license.
*To recover data from the drive with CHKDSK Is not available for RAW drives error:*
1. Download & Install Disk Drill from the link in the description above.
2. Connect your RAW device and launch the Disk Drill.
3. Go to Byte-to-byte Backup in Disk Drill. Select your RAW drive and click Create Backup. Save the backup file to a safe location on your computer.
4. Return to Disk Drill’s main screen and choose Attach Disk Image. Select the backup file.
5. Click Search for lost data to scan the backup for recoverable files.
6. Preview files and check recovery chances. Select desired files and click Recover.
7. Choose a safe location (not the RAW drive) to save recovered data.
🛠️ *Step 2: Restore drive functionality*
*Option 1: Use TestDisk* (Free & Open-Source). TestDisk can restore corrupt file systems and partition tables (FAT32, exFAT, NTFS).
*Steps to fix RAW drive with TestDisk:*
1. Download & Install TestDisk. https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
2. Connect Your RAW Drive & Launch TestDisk.
3. Select Create to create a new log file. Choose your RAW drive from the list.
4. Select the partition table type (commonly Intel/PC). Select Analyze, Quick Search. Note found partitions.
5. After Quick Search, select Deep Search to find additional partitions.
6. Identify partitions with missing data. Use P to view files inside each partition to confirm it’s the right one.
7. If necessary, mark RAW partitions as primary (press left/right keys until it shows P).
8. Select Write to write the partition structure, press Y to confirm.
9. If needed, rebuild the boot sector: Go back to the main menu, choose Advanced, Boot. Select Rebuild BS and press Y to confirm.
10. Quit TestDisk and check if your drive is now accessible.
*Option 2: Format the drive with diskpart*
If TestDisk doesn’t work, format the drive. Formatting erases all data, so ensure you’ve already recovered your files.
*To fix chkdsk is not available for RAW drives using CMD:*
1. Open Start Menu, type cmd, right-click and select Run as administrator.
2. Type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Type list disk and press Enter. Identify your RAW drive’s number.
4. Type select disk X (replace X with the correct drive number). Press Enter.
5. Type clean and press Enter.
6. Type create partition primary and press Enter.
7. Type active and press Enter.
8. Type format fs=ntfs quick and press Enter.
9. Your drive should now have a fresh file system and work normally.
🔴 *RECOMMENDED VIDEOS*
How to fix corrupted hard drive on Windows 10/11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEpcJjoelLk
How to recover data from a RAW hard drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4D_2bu8LE
How to recover data from a formatted hard drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGPcGeVSPBE
#harddriverecovery