If you try to use some methods to access the files, you may lose the files altogether. It is where this guide comes into play because here, we will give you a bunch of methods that will help you with your query about how to fix raw drive without format. So let us get right into it.

Why has my external hard drive become RAW?

We researched the internet and found some of the most common reasons that would cause the external hard drive to become RAW.

You unsafely ejected your hard drive: There is a safely eject hard drive option available at the bottom taskbar that lets you remove the HDD without causing any issues. Not doing so can easily corrupt all the files or also cause the external hard drive to become RAW. Issues because of a power outage: Because of a power outage or any other sudden failure also, the hard drive can turn into the RAW format. The disk is formatted wrongly: If you do not format the disk or it has been wrongly formatted then also the external hard drive or other storage can become RAW. Virus or malware attack: Of course, a virus or malware attack can not only cause issues while accessing the files inside the hard drive, but it can change the format of the hard drive altogether. The external disk contains bad sectors: The disk area that is storing all of your files might contain bad sectors and the drive isn’t getting recognized by the system.

How can I fix the RAW drive without format?

1. Change the drive letter

2. Convert RAW to NTFS using CMD

If you do not wish to format the RAW drive, then you can use the above commands and convert your RAW drive into NTFS. Do note that you should first restore data from the RAW drive before formatting it using the above commands.

3. Scan your PC for virus

We have shown the above steps for the in-built Windows Security antivirus tool. However, this isn’t as effective in most cases as other dedicated antivirus software. In such a case, you should use a third-party antivirus tool to do the same. Again, we would suggest you check out our guide, which lists some of the best and tested antivirus tools that you can download for your PC and keep protected. SPONSORED

4. Repair bad sectors in the hard drive

4.1 Use CheckDisk utility

4.2 Use Repair-Volume

5. Run SFC Scan

You can use the Windows in-built tool called SFC Scan to fix the corrupt system files as often these could lead to several issues, including the one at hand, and it can help you fix the RAW external hard drive without formatting. That is it from us in this guide. If your external hard drive is not showing up on the Windows PC, you should check out our guide, which will help you resolve the problem. Often you will come across an error where your PC will say that the drive letter is not available. This issue is prominent in Windows 11; our guide will help you resolve the problem. We also have a guide that comprehensively explains HDD failure, the main symptoms, and what you can do to fix it. Feel free to let us know in the comments below which solutions helped you resolve your query on how to fix the RAW drive without format.

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