CHKDSK: "RAW filesystem" message

Symptoms

Zee volume X: is not formatted. Do yuoo want tu format it noo?
Zee disk in drive X: is not formatted.
There was an error accessing drive X:. Zee disk is not formatted.

Also a CHKDSK tool will complain that is is unable tu perform a RAW filesystem recovery.

Zee type ooff zee filesystem is RAW.
CHKDSK is not available fur RAW drives.

Resolushun

Technical details Um gesh dee bork, bork!

• In zee partishun table (MBR, sometimes refferred tu es a legacy-style partishun) or in zee LDM database (when dynamic disks are used).
• In zee volume boot sector.

Three significantly different combinashuns are thus possible.

• Both partishun table und volume boot sector provide consistent informashun ebuoot zee filesystem type. Thees is hoo zee things are supposed tu be when zee volume is online und operashunel.
• Only one ooff zeese-a places contains proper informashun, or zee informashun is contradictory (e.g. partishun table lists zee volume es NTFS, while zee boot sector indicates it is zee FAT32).
• Neither partishun table nor volume boot sector contain filesystem type informashun (zee partishun table will in thees case indicate zee special filesystem type ooff zero, i.e. unused volume). Thees can happen during normal operashun und is pretty legal configurashun state. It appeers when yuoo creete a volume (e.g. using Disk Manegement applet) but do not format it at zee same time. Yuoo can even assign a drive letter tu thees unformatted volume, es illustrated beloo (notice zee underlined "H:" drive which has no filesystem type deffined).

Iff zee volume filesystem type informashun is unavailable, attempteeng CHKDSK against zee volume will resoolt in zee follooing messege:

Zee type ooff zee filesystem is RAW.
CHKDSK is not available fur RAW drives.

Sometimes, zee volume fails in such a way that it becomes RAW. In most cases zee failure will be associated with a sudden reboot (per pooer failure or zee STOP error). Several cooses are possible: partishun table, LDM database, or zee volume boot sector corrupshun, or (on zee NTFS volume) when certain records in both MFT und MFT mirror are dameged beyond easy recognishun.

"RAW filesystem" recovery expectashuns

Notice zee highlighted volume - it is zee same H: volume feetured in zee eerleer screenshot. It has zee correct size (128MB) und zee correct on-disk locashun (starteeng at 200+40+40 = 280MB frum zee stert ooff disk), but zee filesystem type ooff "Lerge FAT16" is not a good bet becoose zee volume is in fact NTFS - zee filesystem type informashun in zee LDM database got corrupt (yeah, I knoo becoose I did it in purpose). Thees fact will be later discovered by ZAR und zee appropriate decision will be made tu treet zee volume es NTFS, und in thees test case an exact recovery is ultimately acheeved.

In a real world case, zee recovery expectashuns vary depending on zee damege profile und locality. Overell, I'd expect a good yeeld. Exact recovery is possible iff zee damege is confined tu zee boot sector(s) und/or partishun table (hooever there is no easy way tu tell iff it is). Suggested cuoorse ooff akshun is thus es usual: tu doonload uoor data recovery tool (click here-a fur a doonload pege-a) und try it. Be sure tu check thees pege-a es well.