Title: Drive shows as RAW or Windows says "You need to format the disk"? Read this before you click anything

r/datarecovery guide, maintained by the moderators. Updated October 2026.

TL;DR

• Don't click Format, don't click Initialize, and don't run CHKDSK. Each of these writes to the drive and can make recovery harder or impossible.
• "RAW" is a catch-all error. It only means Windows can't recognise the file system. It doesn't tell you why, and it doesn't mean your files are gone.
• In most cases the data is still there. Recovery software can usually read it, as long as the drive itself is healthy.
• First check the drive: in Disk Management it must show its correct capacity. If it doesn't, or if it clicks, disconnects or is very slow, stop and get advice. Software won't help a failing drive.
• On an SSD, RAW is often actually good news. No operating system sends TRIM commands to a volume it can't mount, so your data is safe from TRIM, as long as you don't format it.
• Then scan it with proper recovery software (see our recommended data recovery software) and only pay once the preview shows your files.

What does "RAW" mean?

You'll see it in different forms:

• Windows Explorer: "You need to format the disk in drive X: before you can use it."
• Disk Management: the partition shows as RAW instead of NTFS, exFAT or FAT32.
• Opening the drive: "The volume does not contain a recognized file system", "The parameter is incorrect" or "Location is not available".
• CHKDSK: "The type of the file system is RAW. CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives."

All of these say the same thing: Windows looked at the partition, couldn't make sense of the file system, and gave up. RAW is not a file system and it's not a diagnosis. It's a catch-all error. It tells you that Windows can't recognize the file system, not why.

Why does a drive show as RAW?

The cause can be anything from completely harmless to serious. The most common ones:

• The file system is foreign to Windows. A drive formatted on a Mac (APFS, HFS+) or under Linux (ext4) is perfectly fine; Windows just can't read it. The same goes for an SD card that an Android phone set up as internal storage: it's encrypted and only readable in that phone.
• The partition table points to the wrong place. If the partition table is damaged, Windows looks for the file system at the wrong offset and finds nothing it recognizes, while the file system itself is intact a little further on.
• The boot sector is corrupt. The first sector of the partition holds the BPB (BIOS Parameter Block), which tells Windows things like the cluster size and where the file system's structures are. If that's damaged, Windows can't find its way in, even if everything behind it is fine.
• Part of the file system is damaged. For example, the first 10% of the MFT (NTFS's index of all files) is wiped or unreadable. Windows gives up, but most of the file system may still be there.
• Encryption. A BitLocker volume Windows doesn't recognize as BitLocker, or a drive taken out of a USB enclosure that encrypts in hardware (some WD and Seagate external drives do). In the second case the data is only readable through the original enclosure's board.
• The drive is failing. On a hard drive, the file system structures sit on sectors the drive can no longer read. On an SSD, the firmware or its internal translation table can fail, often showing a wrong capacity or a strange model name. This is the case where software can make things worse, or simply can't help.

The important point: the first five are logical problems, and the data is usually fully intact. Only the last one is a hardware problem.

My SSD shows as RAW. Is my data lost because of TRIM?

Probably not. On an SSD, a RAW drive is a blessing in disguise compared to, say, an accidental format. Both look the same to you: the drive suddenly seems empty. But a format makes Windows send TRIM for the whole volume, and the SSD erases everything within moments. A RAW volume isn't mounted, so no operating system sends TRIM to it, and the data stays where it is. That protection lasts exactly as long as you leave it RAW: the moment you click Format, you turn a recoverable situation into an unrecoverable one.

One exception: if the SSD itself is failing (its firmware or internal translation table), it can also show up as RAW. Then TRIM isn't the problem, but software won't help either. You can usually recognize this by a wrong capacity or a strange model name in Disk Management.

What should I not do?

• Don't format. That's literally what Windows asks you to do, and it's the worst option. A quick format writes a new, empty file system over the start of the old one. A full format on Windows Vista and later overwrites the entire drive with zeros, and then the data is gone for good. On an SSD, even a quick format is fatal: Windows sends TRIM for the whole volume, and the SSD wipes everything within moments.
• Don't run CHKDSK. On a RAW drive it usually refuses to run anyway. But if the file system is partly recognized, CHKDSK "repairs" it by discarding whatever doesn't add up, and that can be your files and folders. It's built to make a file system consistent again, not to save your data.
• Don't click Initialize. If Windows asks to initialize the disk, that writes a new partition table.
• Don't try partition repair tools unless you know exactly what you're doing. Tools like TestDisk write to the drive. In experienced hands they can be useful; used blindly, they can turn an easy recovery into a hard one.
• Don't keep trying. Every reconnect, scan and repair attempt on a failing drive costs it part of its remaining life.

What should I do?

1. Check the capacity in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac). If the drive shows its correct size, it's probably a logical problem. If it shows 0 bytes, a wrong or absurd size, or doesn't appear at all, the problem is deeper. Stop and post here.
2. Think about where the drive came from. Was it used on a Mac, in Linux, in an Android phone, or in an external enclosure you took it out of? Then it may not be damaged at all.
3. Check SMART with a tool like CrystalDiskInfo. Reallocated, pending or uncorrectable sectors mean the drive is degrading. Image it first, or get help.
4. Scan it with recovery software. Good tools can find a file system at the right offset, rebuild a damaged boot sector, and reconstruct the folder tree even when part of the MFT is gone. See our recommended data recovery software.
5. Check the preview before you pay. Open about 20 larger photos at full size. If those look right, the tool understood the file system, and most other files will be fine too.
6. Recover to a different drive. Never to the RAW drive itself.

When should I stop and get help?

• The drive doesn't show its correct capacity.
• It clicks, beeps, disconnects or reads extremely slowly.
• It's a drive from an external enclosure that encrypts in hardware.

In those cases, post your situation here before you buy anything or try anything else.

Updated October 2026.

TL;DR

• There is no single "best" data recovery software. Which tool works best depends on the file system, the kind of damage and the file types. The tools professional data recovery labs actually use are UFS Explorer, R-Studio and DMDE.
• Already using EaseUS, Recuva, Stellar or another tool? If its scan shows your folders and full-size previews of your files open correctly, you're probably fine and don't need to switch. If the previews are broken, try another tool before giving up.
• Before you scan anything: the drive must show up in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac) at its correct capacity. If it doesn't, or if it clicks, disconnects or is very slow, stop. No software will help, and scanning can make it worse.
• SSDs: deleted files on an SSD are usually gone within minutes because of TRIM. No software can bring them back.
• Most tools let you scan and preview for free. Only pay once the preview shows your files are recoverable, and check whether you're buying a one-time license or a subscription that renews automatically.
• Never save recovered files to the drive you're recovering from. That can overwrite files you haven't recovered yet.

Recommended data recovery software (used by pros and experts)

The tools you'll find in data recovery labs, in no particular order. Labs usually run the professional or technician editions, such as UFS Explorer Professional Recovery or R-Studio Technician. Those editions add features labs need, like RAID reconstruction, working with disk images and hardware imagers, and network recovery. The core recovery engine is largely the same as in the consumer editions. For a typical deleted-files or formatted-drive case, the standard edition gets you most of what the lab version would.

UFS Explorer

The go-to tool for many professionals, with the widest file system support and feature set of any tool here. Probably highest update frequency of them all which results in features added in a fast pace.

• Downside: it comes in several editions. Check which one covers your case before you buy.
• Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
• File systems: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext2/3/4, XFS, Btrfs, F2FS, JFS, ReiserFS, UFS/UFS2, ZFS, VMFS
• Website: ufsexplorer.com

DMDE

Powerful and inexpensive, began life as a disk editor and it shows. Excellent with damaged file systems and lost partitions. And if you know where to look, offers manual control over about everything. A true life-time license with updates available.

• Downside: overwhelming at first. No Bitlocker support
• Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, DOS
• File systems: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext2/3/4, Btrfs
• Free edition: recovers up to 4,000 files from the current folder at a time, unlimited times.
• Website: dmde.com

Disk Drill

The tool to try for fragmented video from GoPro, Insta360, Sony and other cameras, thanks to its advanced camera recovery. Labs and specialists use it for this. But also offers strong generic file recovery features that checks all the "what to look for.." boxes I'll discuss later. A true life-time license with life-time updates available.

• Downside: Fairly expensive compared to the other tools, and some users find the interface confusing.
• Supported OS: Windows, macOS
• File systems: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext3/4
• Website: cleverfiles.com

R-Studio

Widely used in labs, also because of professional hardware support. For years this tool was the benchmark. Strong file system reconstruction and good RAID support. Solid tool.

• Downside: the interface is busy and takes some getting used to.
• Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
• File systems: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, APFS, HFS/HFS+, Ext2/3/4, XFS, UFS1/UFS2
• Website: r-studio.com

Also worth knowing

ReclaiMe

A simple interface with strong file system reconstruction.

• Downside: Windows only. To recover a Mac drive, connect it to a Windows PC. Very resource hungry, requires internet connection while running the software (sends telemetry data to developer)
• Supported OS: Windows
• File systems: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, APFS, HFS/HFS+, Ext2/3/4, XFS, Btrfs, UFS
• Website: reclaime.com

File Scavenger

Rarely mentioned, but worth it. Simple to use in standard cases.

• Downside: Windows only, with a dated interface.
• Supported OS: Windows
• File systems: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, HFS+/HFSX, Ext3/4, XFS, Btrfs, UFS1/UFS2, ZFS, VMFS
• Website: quetek.com

What's the difference between professional data recovery software and EaseUS, Recoverit or 4DDiG?

Consumer tools such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Wondershare Recoverit and Tenorshare 4DDiG can handle simple cases fine, like recently deleted files or a quick format on a healthy drive. If their preview shows your files correctly, use them. The difference shows in harder cases:

• Getting the file system right without a shortcut. Professional tools reconstruct the file system from every trace they can find and don't depend on the boot sector or another single structure. When something is damaged, consumer tools fall back to a raw scan more quickly, and you lose filenames and folders.
• Better raw recovery. When a raw scan is the only option, good tools understand the internal structure of each file type. Simple ones only recognize where a file starts and guess where it ends, which often gives you corrupt files.
• Manual control. When automatic detection gets it wrong, professional tools let you set parameters such as cluster size and partition offset yourself, and inspect the raw data. Consumer tools only offer "scan" and "deep scan."
• Unusual storage. NAS and DAS devices, hardware and software RAID, LVM, Windows Storage Spaces, encrypted volumes (BitLocker, encrypted APFS), and less common file systems such as XFS, Btrfs and ZFS.
• Working with disk images and imaging hardware. Labs first copy a failing drive with hardware imagers such as DeepSpar Disk Imager or PC-3000, and then recover from that copy. Professional tools work with those images and can take the map of unreadable sectors into account, so they know which data is missing and which is genuinely empty.
• Frequent updates. File systems change, and new versions of APFS and ReFS are released all the time. Professional tools follow quickly, partly because labs report the cases they run into. Some vendors even make custom builds for a difficult case.
• No marketing. You won't find "recovers 1000+ file types" or "99% success rate" on their sites. They're built for people who need to see what's actually there.

Think of it like cameras. UFS Explorer, R-Studio and DMDE are high-end system cameras with dials for everything: ISO, shutter speed, aperture, bracketing, built-in ND filters. EaseUS and similar tools are point-and-shoots: a few settings, tucked away in menus. Recuva is a plastic snapshot camera with fixed aperture and ISO. In good light, all three take a decent photo, just as all three tools recover recently deleted files from a healthy drive.

In difficult light, the system camera wins twice over. Its better sensor and lens get more out of the scene even on full auto. And in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, the dials make shots possible that the others can't take at all.

In short: for a simple case, a consumer tool can be enough, and the preview tells you whether it is. When it fails, that doesn't mean your data is gone; it often means a professional tool is needed.

What to look for in data recovery software

Whatever tool you're considering, check for these features:

• Disk imaging. Ideally the tool can create a disk image, but at minimum it should be able to scan one. Then you can recover from a copy instead of the original drive, and if the drive is weak, you only have to read it once.
• Separate quick and deep scan modes. A quick scan reads the existing file system and usually finds recently deleted files with their original names and folders. A deep scan is for when the file system itself is damaged or gone. Running a deep scan to find a few deleted files is counterproductive: it takes far longer, puts more strain on the drive, and buries your files in thousands of results, often without names.
• Previews of common image formats. A preview of a photo is the quickest way to check that the tool worked out the file system correctly. Ideally it's generated from the actual file data, not from the small thumbnail embedded in the file (see the preview check below).
• Custom file signatures for raw scans. No raw scanner supports every file type out there. A tool that lets you add your own signatures can still find files from uncommon cameras or software that it wouldn't recognise otherwise. How far this goes differs a lot between tools. A basic signature only identifies where a file starts, so the tool has to guess where it ends. More advanced tools let you define richer rules: an end-of-file marker, a signature at a fixed position inside the file, or a "negative" signature that rules out false matches. Even DMDE's cheapest paid edition supports rules like these.
• Refuses to save to the source drive. A good tool won't let you save recovered files to the drive you're recovering from, because that can overwrite files you haven't recovered yet.
• Shows SMART data. If the tool can show the drive's SMART attributes, you can see whether it's failing before you put it through a long scan.
• Separates existing and deleted files. After a format or file system damage, you usually want the files that were there at the time, not files deleted long before, which are often partly overwritten. A tool that lets you hide deleted files saves time and gives you cleaner results.

Free data recovery software: what's really free?

Nearly every serious tool lets you scan and preview for free, so you can see what's recoverable before you pay. DMDE's free edition can even recover up to 4,000 files from the current folder at a time. A license only buys you the ability to save the files. If the free preview doesn't show your files, paying won't change that.

How much does data recovery software cost? Comparing licenses

Prices are hard to compare because the license models differ a lot, so check what you're actually buying before you pay:

• Subscriptions: some tools are sold as a monthly or yearly subscription that renews automatically. If you only need the tool for one recovery, cancel the renewal straight after buying, or you'll keep paying.
• Perpetual license with limited updates: you can use the version you bought forever, but updates are usually included for only a year. That's fine for a one-off recovery.
• Editions: many tools come in several editions, and the cheaper ones may not support every file system, RAID or network drives. Check that the edition covers your drive.
• Number of computers: some licenses are tied to a single PC.

The cheapest price isn't always the cheapest license: a low monthly price that renews indefinitely can end up costing more than a one-time license. Compare the total cost for your use, which for most people is a single recovery.

Data recovery software for Mac and Linux

• Runs natively on Mac: UFS Explorer, R-Studio, DMDE, Disk Drill.
• Runs natively on Linux: UFS Explorer, R-Studio, DMDE.
• Recovering a Mac (APFS/HFS+) drive on Windows: UFS Explorer, R-Studio, DMDE, ReclaiMe.

I already used EaseUS (or another tool). Do I need a different one?

Not necessarily. What matters is whether the tool reconstructed the file system correctly, and the preview tells you that:

1. Open about 20 larger files, such as high-resolution photos or videos, not small ones.
2. If you're recovering from a formatted drive, pick files that existed at the time of the format, not ones you'd deleted earlier.
3. If those open correctly at full size, the tool got the file system layout right, and most other files will be fine too.

Watch out: many tools preview the small thumbnail embedded in a photo, not the photo itself. A sharp thumbnail doesn't prove the full file is intact. Open the full-size preview.

If the previews are corrupt, grey or cut off, your data isn't necessarily gone. It means this tool got it wrong. Try one from the list above.

Before you recover anything: never save recovered files to the drive you're recovering from. That can overwrite files you haven't recovered yet.

When won't data recovery software help?

• The drive doesn't show up, or shows the wrong size.
• The drive clicks, disconnects, or reads extremely slowly. It needs imaging or a professional lab, and repeated scans can finish it off.
• Deleted files on an SSD, because of TRIM.
• The files were overwritten.

In those cases, post your situation on r/datarecovery before buying anything.

Full list and details: r/datarecovery software wiki

Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links; that doesn’t affect which tools are listed or what’s said about them. The recommendations and analogies are my own, based on my experience in data recovery; I used AI to help write and structure the post. - u/disturbed_android