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Fix: CHKDSK is Not Available for RAW Drives Error
Try formatting the disk before using CHKDSK
5 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
CHKDSK is a handy system utility of the Windows ecosystem known to resolve several disk errors with minimum effort. However, some of our readers received the messageThe type of the file system is RAW. CHKDSK is not available for RAW driveswhen using the CHKDSK command on the drive.
In case you are facing the same issue, go through this guide to discover effective solutions to fix the problem.
Why is CHKDSK not available for RAW drives?
CHKDSK is a well-known inbuilt Windows utility that fails to use fix hard drive errors on FAT32 or NTFS file systems. Hence, if the file system is in a format that cannot be recognized by Windows, the OS will consider it to be a RAW file and the in-built command like CHKDSK will not be available. Apart from this, there can be several other reasons for the problem:
Now that have a clear idea of why the CHKDSK is not available for raw drives error shows up, let’s proceed towards the effective solutions.
What do I do if CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives?
1. Boot your PC in Safe Mode
In the Safe mode, your computer will function in a basic state with only essential drivers, folders, and apps. Now that there is no interference from the third-party services, execute the CHKDSK command once again.
If the command does not work, proceed to the next method.
2. Check and repair the RAW drive
If the CHKDSK command fails to work, you can use the Check tool, another error-fixing utility of Windows to fix the issue with the RAW drive.
3. Format the disk drive
Formatting the external drive with an unsupported file system will convert it to a compatible file system such as NTFS.
You should remember that formatting the drive will delete all the contents stored on it.
4. Repair the RAW drive using the diskpart command
If the CHKDSK command is not available for the RAW hard drive, you can use the disk part utility command to repair and format the hard drive to the required file system.
That’s all about this guide! Hopefully, you were able to repair the RAW hard disk such that the CHKDSK command is now available for the drive.
You might also be interested inwhat to do if you can’t create a new partitionin Windows.
In case you have any queries or suggestions for us, do let us know in the comments section.
More about the topics:Disk Cleanup,disk drive
Taiba Hasan
A postgraduate in Computer Applications, she is an avid technical writer who loves to craft content revolving around Windows, Android, and emerging technologies like SaaS. With How-To and troubleshooting guides, she aims to provide the best solutions for the problem and make technology less complicated for novice users.
Besides writing, she also loves to cook delicacies and spent time in her garden. In her free time, you will find her binge-watching web series or gazing the night sky.
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