[5 Fixes]Raw SD Card Recovery When SD Card Turned Raw File System

Background

SD card becomes raw format and don't know what to do? Don't worry, this article tells about reasons why your SD memory card becomes raw, solutions to repair raw SD card using CMD, and best ways to recover data from raw memory card and partition a raw sd card if your transcend sd card has raw file system, Sandisk sd card is raw, Samsung micro sd card shows raw or unknown format...

Sd card becomes rawThe type of file system is raw on sd card, you need to format the sd card before you can use it. Do you want to format it? Error. Usually the sd card shows raw in disk management, and raw sd card in 0 bytes if you check its property and asks a formatting.

5 Fixes to Repair Raw SD Card

MUST-READ: You need to backup your data before the formatting if the sd card data can still be accessed, or you can recover data from damaged sd card in the Fix #1.

Fix #1 - Recover data from raw sd card if data matters

Download read-only program iCare Pro Free which could let you recover files from sd card that is in raw format for free.

Download iCare Pro Fee

recover files

Also read: how to recover data from raw sd card ->

Fix #2 - Repair raw sd card by formatting it in camera/phone

Note: Formatting or partition a raw sd card would erase all files on memory card as it says: "Formatting sd card will delete all data. Data cannot be recovered. Continue?" -> so, please backup or recover data if it matters.

Recover data from raw memory cardFormat raw memory card on your camera/phone

Fix #3 - Change drive letter for raw sd card

Changing sd card drive letter and paths may work. This shall be done via disk management which can be accessed by the following route:

Right click THIS PC -> Manage -> Disk Management

And then right click your sd card in this window, select option 'Change Drive Letter and Paths...', and then sign a new drive letter for your sd card.

change drive letter

If it does not work, try the following solutions.

Fix #4 - Repair Raw SD Card with CMD Command Prompt

For Windows users, CMD command prompt can be a very useful tool to solve this problem. CMD can perform many commands on the system. You can try it to format your raw drive to FAT32 or NTFS, I will show you the steps as follows:

Step1: Run CMD and type diskpart.exe in Windows 11/10/8/7 to get it started.

Recover data from raw memory card with diskpart

Step2: Type"format F: /fs:fat32" (F is the drive letter of the corrupted raw SD card that you should replace it by your own sd card drive letter. You may open THIS PC on desktop and see which drive letter your sd card has. And use the drive letter here.)convert raw sd card fat32

If you do not know which drive letter your sd card has, you may use the following cmd instead, to order the computer show your disk volumes, and get it selected, and then convert its format.

Steps: how to fix raw sd card using diskpart cmd

Recover data from raw memory cardFormat the raw memory card fat32 in diskpart cmd step by step

Notice: Formatting is a dangerous action for your data, which will erase all your data on the SD card, if you have important data on the card, you need to make backup or recover data at first.

Fix #5 - SD Card RAW Format Fix with computer disk management

Go to Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP computer Disk Management and right click raw sd card -> Format, confirm the formatting, and computer disk management will start to partition a raw sd card to make it available for new use.

Format raw sd cardFormat raw sd card in Windows 10 disk management

Possible error: Unable to format raw sd card? Windows was unable to complete the format for raw sd card?

Format raw sd cardFormat raw sd card in disk management failed

Solution: If sd card cannot be formatted no matter in disk management or right click format, you may delete it in disk management, and then create a new volume for the sd card in disk management.

delete raw sd cardDelete raw sd card in disk management, and then right click the sd card -> create new volume

create new partition for raw sd card

Also read: Unable to format raw sd card fix [6 free ways to try when it is unable to format an sd card]

How to Recover Data from Raw Memory Card

Recover data from raw memory cardrecover data from raw memory card

If you have backup at another place, things will be much easier. You only need to restore your data from backup. However if there was no previous backup, a data recovery tool would help.

You’d better use it before you use CMD or format tool to format your raw device, or it will make your data recovery more complicated.

Instructions of data recovery from raw memory card

Free Download

Step1: Install a reliable data recovery program, like iCare Data Recovery,on your computer, insert your raw SD card on your computer by a card reader.

step1 to recover the data on the sd cardstep1 to recover the data on the sd card

Step2: Scan your SD card for a few minutes.

step2 to recover the data on the sd cardstep2 to recover the data on the sd card

Step3: Preview the found data after scanning.

step3 to recover the data on the sd cardstep3 to recover the data on the sd card

Step4: Save the data to another safe device.

Why SD Memory Card Becomes Raw Format

If you meet with the problem that your SD memory card reports "You need to format the disk in drive before you can use it"when you want to open your SD card on your computer and it turns to inaccessible.

Computer reports you need to format the disk in driveComputer reports you need to format the disk in drive

You may be curious how could it be like this, it just worked well last time you use it. In fact, there are so many reasons can make your SD card behave like that. Raw drive error can be a common problem between SD card and USB flash drive. Here are some common causes:

  • SD card is corrupted after a long time use.
  • SD card quality problem
  • Improper operation on SD card like: abruptly unplug SD card without safe ejection, interrupt the format process, etc.
  • Virus attack
  • Internal files get lost or corrupted somehow

If your SD card is in trouble like the situations mentioned above, it can get corrupted and turn to raw drive, so you'd better avoid these causes to protect the SD card.

How to Prevent This Problem

Raw drive error is a common problem for USB flash drive and memory card like SD card, micro SD card, and other similar storage devices. When that happens, your storage device may have problem to open, sometimes it is corrupted and you can’t repair it. So, how to prevent this problem? Here are some advice:

  • Do not interrupt a format process.
  • Do not eject USB flash drive or SD card when you are transferring data from your device.
  • Do not use your SD card or USB on a public computer to avoid virus infection.
  • Choose a good quality device such as Kingston, Sandisk, Toshiba, SAMSUNG, etc.

Also read: how to repair sd card without formatting

FAQs

Question: Memory card turned raw after power failure/outage, how may I fix the raw memory card?

Answer: When memory card was damaged due to unstable power supply or power surge, its file system could be damaged and became unknown, you may use SD CARD raw recovery tool to restore data at first, and then format it to fat/fat32 in Windows.

Last updated on May 14, 2023

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