
[Solution] How to Fix RAW SD Card
- Insert the SD card to a card reader, and connect the card reader with your SD card ...
- Run SD card recovery software and scan the card.
- Check found SD card data. Deleted Files: List your deleted files there.
- Restore SD card data. You can check and preview found files by double-clicking each one ...
- Use the Error-checking tool. This is Windows' built-in functionality to repair file system errors. ...
- CHKDSK. CHKDSK is the go-to solution for most data corruption-related problems on the computer. ...
- Assign a new drive letter. ...
- With Diskpart.
How to fix raw SD card or external drive?
To fully repair a RAW SD card without losing data, follow the three quick steps:
- Execute chkdsk H: /f /r to repair RAW SD card without formatting.
- Run EaseUS SD card recovery software to recover data from RAW SD card.
- Format RAW sd card to the NTFS or FAT32 file system.
How do you fix a damaged SD card?
You can repair and format corrupted android SD card without losing data with the following method:
- Make a backup or restore data from the corrupted android SD card.
- Format the SD card on your computer with EaseUS corrupted memory card format software or Windows Disk Management.
- Repair corrupted Android SD card with CHKSDK command.
How to recover corrupted SD card [all the methods]?
Ways to Fix Corrupted/Damaged SD Card
- Try Another USB Port or Change Adapter/Card Reader. This is by far the easiest fix you can try, which is why you should always start with it before you ...
- Fix a Card by Trying CHKDSK Command to Check for Memory Card Errors. ...
- Use SD Card Data Recovery Software to Recover Files. ...
- Try to Use Card on Another Device/PC. ...
- Assign a New Drive Letter. ...
How do you repair a SD card?
What to do to repair SD card?
- Method 1: Try another USB port or PC. If you find your SD card not working properly, you should check your USB port in the first place. ...
- Method 2: Change the drive letter for your SD card. ...
- Method 3: Repair your SD card. ...
- Method 4: Format your SD card. ...
- Method 5: Repair your SD card with the data recovery tool. ...

How do I restore my raw SD card?
To recover a RAW SD card on Windows:Download and install Disk Drill.Connect the SD card and launch the app.Select the card from the list and click the Search for lost data button.Preview the found files and select the files you want to recover.Click the Recover button to complete the restoration process.
How can I fix my raw SD card for free?
To fully repair a RAW SD card without losing data, follow the three quick steps:Execute chkdsk H: /f /r to repair RAW SD card without formatting.Run EaseUS SD card recovery software to recover data from RAW SD card.Format RAW sd card to the NTFS or FAT32 file system.
What does raw SD card mean?
RAW is a “format” that an SD card acquires when, for various reasons, its file system is damaged. A RAW SD card, unfortunately, becomes unreadable by any operating system. RAW, here, means "raw material"; that is, in order to, say, return to NTFS format on FAT32 SD card, you need to do something with it.
How do I format a raw memory card?
Format SD card or USB flash drive using Disk Management: Right-click on This PC > Manage > Disk Management. Find the RAW SD card and right-click on it. Choose Format and select the file system, which can be FAT, exFAT, FAT32, or NTFS. Click OK.
Can raw SD card be fixed?
Formatting is the easiest way of fixing a RAW SD card. The problem is that it wipes the disk clean while at it. If you want to recover your data, you should not format your SD card yet. You should run it through a good data recovery application first.
How do I convert raw to FAT32?
Open File Explorer, locate and right-click on the RAW USB or SD card, select "Format". Step 3. Set the FAT32 as the target file system, tick "Quick Format" and click "Start" to convert RAW to FAT32. Wait for the formatting process to complete, your drive is with FAT32 file system now.
How do I fix a damaged SD card partition?
How to recover lost partition on SD card?Press “Windows + R”, then enter “diskmgmt. ... Locate the unallocated space in the disk management window. ... Click “Next” on the Welcome to New Simple Volume Wizard window.Enter a smaller simple volume size in the box on the Specify Volume Size window, then click “Next”.More items...•
Can we recover data from broken SD card?
Yes, most damaged SD cards can be recovered, either using professional data recovery software or data recovery services. To ensure successful recovery, you need to stop using the SD card as soon as possible because you could otherwise overwrite your lost files and make them unrecoverable.
How do I fix a raw USB without formatting?
How to fix RAW external hard drive without formatting? - 5 MethodsMethod #1: Update drivers for the external hard drive.Method #2: Format RAW partition to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT/EXT4 using DiskGenius Free.Method #3: DiskPart converts raw to NTFS/FAT32.Method #4: Check and repair bad sectors.More items...
How do I fix a raw flash drive?
3 Ways to Fix a RAW USB DriveConnect your USB drive to your computer.Go to "This PC" (in Windows 10). ... Click the "Tools" tab and then click "Check".In the "Error Checking" window, choose "Scan and repair drive" and wait for the process to finish.Connect your USB to your computer.More items...
How do I format a corrupted SD card?
Solution 3. Format Corrupted SD Card in Windows ExplorerPress Windows + E to open File Explorer.Right-click on the corrupted SD card and choose Format.Click Restore Device Defaults in the popup window.Choose the desired file system FAT32, exFAT or NTFS and click Start to begin the format process.
How do I force an SD card to format?
Method 2. Format SD Card in Windows Disk ManagementOpen Disk Management in Windows 10/8/7 by going to This PC/My Computer > Manage > Disk Management.locate and right-click on the SD card, and choose Format.Choose a proper file system like FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, and perform a quick format. Click "OK".
How do I fix a raw USB without formatting?
How to fix RAW external hard drive without formatting? - 5 MethodsMethod #1: Update drivers for the external hard drive.Method #2: Format RAW partition to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT/EXT4 using DiskGenius Free.Method #3: DiskPart converts raw to NTFS/FAT32.Method #4: Check and repair bad sectors.More items...
How do I run chkdsk on my SD card?
On your computer, click Start and type “cmd” on the “Search programs and files” text box. Press Enter and chkdsk will start checking your corrupted SD card and will then fix any corruption on the card. This process can take several minutes, depending on the size of the storage and the amount of corruption.
How do I install an SD card without formatting?
Connect the SD card to your PC, right-click on it and select “Format.” Choose FAT32 and uncheck “Quick Format,” then click OK to format the card.
1. How do I format a raw SD card?
There are three ways to format a raw SD card. You can use File Explorer, the Command Prompt (CMD), or the Windows Disk Management utility.
2. How do I access my raw SD card?
You can access your raw SD card using Wondershare Recoverit data recovery software. The tool scans the storage media and recovers files. This is th...
3. Can raw files be recovered?
Yes, these can be recovered using Wondershare Recoverit data recovery software. The tool can recover files in over 1,000 file formats within a few...
4. How do I fix a raw file system?
To fix a raw file system, you need to format the storage media using the File Explorer, Command Prompt (CMD), or the Windows Disk Management utility.
Why did my SD card turn RAW?
The primary cause of an SD card becoming RAW is a corrupted file allocation table. Now this corruption could stem from several issues , such as ma...
Can RAW files be recovered?
Certainly. Even though the OS cannot access or extract these files, data recovery tools are adept at retrieving data lost due to any cause, inclu...
How do I format a RAW SD card?
Formatting a RAW SD card is easy. Just keep in mind that formatting might wipe the existing data on the card; make sure you use a data recovery too...
How to Convert a RAW SD card to FAT32 using CMD?
Converting a RAW SD card to a file system like FAT32 is called formatting. You can format an SD card from the file explorer , or by using Diskpa...
How to backup SD card data before formatting?
If you can open the SD card from the File Explorer, just select everything by using the Ctrl+A keyboard shortcut and copy-paste it into a directory...
How to open an SD card without formatting?
If you cannot open your SD card at all from the File Explorer, it might be showing a raw file system. The best method to access your files in this...
How to delete RAW files from an SD card?
RAW files usually originate from unprocessed data. They mostly consist of photos that have not been converted into an appropriate file format. Dele...
How to remove virus from memory card using CMD?
Some basic viruses do not delete your files but just make them hidden. To reveal such files using CMD, follow these steps: Click on the Start Menu...
How to fix an unreadable SD card?
If you cannot open your SD card, there might be file system issues. The best way to fix it is by formatting the card. Here are the steps for doin...
How to connect SD card to computer?
Solution 1: Connect your SD card to computer using card reader if it is connected via computer built-in slot. Or connect it using your phone, digital camera, and other portable devices as card reader. Solution 2: Use another card reader or connect via computer built-in slot if it is already connected via card reader.
What is a test disk?
TestDisk is a free and open-source utility that can help users recover lost partition, undelete files, recover or rebuild FAT/NTFS boot sector, and even fix FAT and MFT, but it requires professional knowledge . For detailed steps, you can refer to Advanced FAT Repair or Advanced NTFS Boot and MFT Repair.
Can an external drive be RAW?
Actually, any external drive could turn into RAW from NTFS or FAT32, such as external HDD, memory stick, USB flash drive, and CF card, not limited to SD card. After an SD card or other external device becomes RAW, you may concern the following topics: How to Recover Data from RAW SD Card or Other RAW External Devices.
Can you double click an SD card?
When you double click an SD card to access its files on a Windows computer, no matter it is micro SD, mini SD, or SD (top), Windows may ask you to format it before you can use it, and the SD card format was converted to RAW from the original FAT32 or NTFS if you view it in Disk Management.
What happens when an SD card becomes RAW?
When an SD card or another storage device becomes RAW, Windows will prevent you from opening the device and ask you to format the SD card, prompting you with the error " you need to format the disk in drive before you can use it" or something similar every time when you are trying to access the files inside.
Why is my SD card RAW?
Generally, the file system of your SD card turns to RAW due to the following reasons: The file system of your SD card gets damaged or corrupted. The file system of your memory card is missing . The current file system of your SD card cannot be recognized by the computer. Your SD card is not properly formatted with a file system.
How to scan SD card to computer?
Connect the SD card to your computer with either a card reader or by attaching the device that contains it. Launch the software so you can see the SD card from the disk list presented on the interface. Select the SD card and click Scan. Step 2. The scan process should be running.
Why is my SD card not opening?
The issues listed could be caused by a virus attack, misoperations on the storage medium, format failure, and more. Although not being able to open and access your RAW SD card is quite annoying, fixing a RAW drive is quite easy actually.
Can CHKDSK repair RAW?
If it's corrupted, you will get the error message " The type of the file system is RAW. CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives. ".
Can you recover data from a RAW SD card?
It will help you effectively recover data from RAW SD card, USB flash drive, external hard drive, disk partition, and more in simple steps. After performing RAW SD card data recovery, you can format the RAW SD card to repair it without worrying about losing data. To recover data from RAW SD card:
Can you access RAW files on SD card?
However, formatting will erase all the existing files on the SD card, that's why you need to perform RAW drive recovery first. You cannot access the files on a RAW device.
Why is my SD card RAW?
The primary cause of an SD card becoming RAW is a corrupted file allocation table. Now this corruption could stem from several issues, such as malware, improper shutdown, sudden ejection, or even aging of the device.
How to recover a file from SD card?
When you find a file you want to recover, click on it and hit the Recover button. Don’t set the SD card itself as the destination for the recovered files, as that would overwrite the other files still being found. Instead, use a location on the computer to store the saved files.
What is a RAW disk?
When a storage disk does not have any file system, ie. it has not been formatted, it is considered RAW. Usually, only brand new storage media are RAW, though deleting partitions on an existing drive can also give you a RAW disk.
How to assign a new SD card to a drive?
To assign your SD card a new drive letter, open up Disk Management. Right-click on the drive currently representing the card and select the Change Drive Letter and Paths option. Click on Change. Choose any available drive letter from the drop-down menu, and click on OK to save the changes. 4.
How to make a backup of SD card?
Here are the steps on creating a backup image of your SD card with Clonezilla: Download Clonezilla and make a bootable USB with it. Connect your SD card to the computer using a card reader. Now boot from the USB stick you prepared earlier, and Clonezilla will load.
What to do if your memory card doesn't display?
If this fails to display your missing data, then you need to use a data recovery tool. Note that the attrib command can only fix the damage done by a very basic virus – to properly remove viruses from the memory card, you should scan it with antivirus software.
Is there a recovery tool for SD card?
While there is no dearth of SD card data recovery applications in the market , Disk Drill is probably the best in terms of both usability and efficiency. The tool gives quick and accurate results without having to install massive bloatware. It also has a permissive free plan that allows you to recover some files from a RAW SD card without having to shell a penny.
How to fix raw SD card without formatting?
And you have to make sure that the Windows is able to access it. Now , right-click on the START button and then run the “ CMD Prompt .”.
How to find RAW SD?
When you have to find the RAW SD, now right-click on it. Then, you have to mark on RAW SD as “ Active .”. After that launch, the “ File Explorer ” option and again you have to right-click on RAW SD. Now, choose the “Properties .”.
Why do you need to format an SD card?
As everybody knows that, formatting is required in order to fix a damaged/corrupted SD card without formatting any device. Although, how to format SD card having raw files is difficult which is unable to be formatted on any digital device or computer system.
How long does it take to format a 32GB SD card?
It only takes just 20 minutes to format the 32GB SD card. After this, you have to type exit and leave CMD command. However, if there is no drive letter found on the RAW drive then you can format microSD card from RAW to FAT32.
What happens when your SD card is not formatted?
When the SD card is not suitably formatted with the file system. If, the file system of the SD/memory card is lost. When the file system of your memory card becomes corrupted or damaged. The current file system of the SD card could not be recognized by your computer system.
Can you change a raw SD card to NTFS?
This is one of the methods for the greatest Windows users. However, CHKDSK is inaccessible for the RAW drives and changing the RAW to NTFS.
What is the RAW File System?
SD card displays RAW when the OS is unable to recognize the file system on the SD card of your camera or any device.
Possible Causes for RAW file System
As explained above, the RAW file system appears when the OS doesn’t recognize the file system of the SD card. OS fails to recognize the drive when it cannot reach out to the Partition table or Master boot sector to get information about the drive.
Recover data from SD card showing RAW
Recovering data from the drive that is turned RAW is recommended because fixing the RAW file system on camera or phones involves techniques such as Formatting.
3 methods to fix the RAW file system in SD card
You can fix the RAW file system problem using any one of the approaches given below. To perform any of the methods, you need to connect your Camera or phone SD card to your computer.
How to fix a corrupted SD card?
To fix a corrupted SD card on Android : Connect the Android SD card to your computer. Open File Explorer and select This PC from the left pane. Right-click on your SD card and select Format . Select FAT32 as the new file system and click Start. You can also try to fix a damaged SD card using an Android app like SD Maid.
How to reinstall SD card drivers?
To reinstall card drivers: Type “device manager” in the search on the taskbar and select Device Manager. Go through the available categories and look for your SD card (we found it located under Portable Devices). Right-click the SD card and select Update driver. Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
How to assign a new drive letter to an SD card?
To assign a new drive letter to an SD card: Type “disk management” in the search box on the taskbar and select Create and format hard disk partitions. Right-click on your SD card and select the Change Drive Letter and Paths… option. Click the Change… button. Select a new drive letter and click OK.
Why is my SD card corrupted?
An SD card may seem to be corrupted if it has no file system on it. Such an SD card is typically referred to by experts as RAW, and most operating systems won’t display it as an available storage device and allow you to write files to it.
What to do if SD card is empty?
If the SD card is empty, you can simply format it, and it should work again. But if it contains important data, you need to fix it using one of the methods described below. Slow performance: Corruption or damage can negatively impact the performance of your SD card and make data transfers take a very long time.
What is Windows Repair Tool?
Included with Windows is a graphical tool capable of checking drives for file system errors. This tool is commonly referred to as Windows Repair Tool, and Windows sometimes automatically launches it when you insert a corrupted drive. That said, you can also invoke it manually and use it to scan any drive for errors.
Can an SD card fail?
It’s possible for a perfectly working SD card to fail without warning, but most SD cards first show certain tell-tale signs of corruption/damage before they stop working. If you learn to recognize these signs, you’ll become able to back up your data in time and fix the underlying problem while you still can.
Why SD Card Becomes RAW
When an SD card or another storage device becomes RAW, Windows will prevent you from opening the device and ask you to format the SD card, prompting you with the error “you need to format the disk in drive before you can use it” or something similar every time when you are trying to access the files inside.
2 Ways to Fix a RAW SD Card Without Losing Data
If you want to repair a RAW SD card without formatting, you can run CHKDSK command to have a try. If CHKDSK fails to work, you can use the proven way to fix your SD card in RAW format with ease.
The Bottom Line
Not only SD card, other storage devices like USB, external hard drive, or local hard drive are also likely to become RAW. The methods provided can also be applied to these devices, too. In most of the cases, running CHKDSK command won’t help you fix a RAW device.
How to make a RAW SD card usable again?
1. Repair RAW SD card using CMD. First of all, connect the SD card to your PC and maybe via an SD card reader. Make sure it can be detected by Windows. Take SD card RAW to FAT32 for example.
Why is my SD card raw?
If an SD card becomes RAW suddenly and unexpectedly, chances are that its file system is corrupted or damaged. The file system type information could be missing or the system tables are damaged if the SD card does not be removed properly. In addition, computer virus infection and hacker attacks are also possible causes for SD card RAW file system ...
What does it mean when a drive is RAW?
When a drive shows as RAW, it usually means the drive is not formatted. It shows RAW in Disk Management and will not show up correctly in File Explorer. Therefore, it cannot be recognized or accessed by Windows OS.
Is CHKDSK available for RAW?
CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives. And then, the disk checking service will not be started. The RAW file system error is a common topic discussed by many Windows users. As a matter of fact, the error occurs on USB flash drive, pen drive, and external hard drive as well, not just SD cards. Then, you may wonder what RAW file system is ...
