When it comes to storage devices, very few issues are as bothersome as
the “You need to format the disk in drive X: before you can use it”
error. A good number just go ahead and format, losing all their files in
the process. Well, the good news is that you can resolve this issue
without losing your files. This error can also come in form of “volume
X: does not contain a recognized file system. Please make sure that all
required file system driver are loaded and that the volume is not
corrupted”.
What is the cause of this error message?
Its pretty simple, your partition table has been corrupted; changed from FAT or NTFS to RAW. A number of things could have resulted in this corruption; corrupted DBR, MFT/FAT, disconnecting without properly unmounting, malware, mishandling etc.
Do I really need to format the external storage in order to fix this error?
Yes….sometimes, but not before you’ve retrieved / recovered your files from the storage device.
How do I retrieve my files from the corrupted storage device?
We’ll be considering two methods:
A. Command Prompt Method
First, you need to find out the drive letter of the device by connecting the external storage device to the PC and checking the device’s drive letter under My Computer. It’ll be something like G, H, I, J etc.
1. Launch the Windows Start menu and type cmd
2. Right-click Command Prompt from the result and run as Administrator
3. In Command prompt, type chkdsk /f h: and press Enter
* Note: Ensure to replace h with the drive letter of the storage device and give a space between chkdsk , /f and h:
B. Data Recovery Method
You’ll be using a software called M3 Data Recovery. (You could use any other data recovery software of your choice).
1. Connect the corrupted storage device to the PC
2. Download M3 Data Recovery full version
3. Install and launch the software
4. Select RAW Drive Recovery
5. Wait till all your storage devices are detected
6. Highlight the corrupted storage device and click Next
7. Wait while the files get recovered from the RAW drive / partition
8. Select the file(s) you wish to recover from the list and click Recover
9. Once recovery is finished, you can click Fix Drive
I tried to recover the files but was unable to, what do I do?
In some cases, the crash is pretty serious. In such a situation, go ahead with formatting the external storage. After formatting, you can use a good data recovery software like M3 data recovery or Easeus to recover your files.
How do I fix the corrupted partition table (RAW Drive) after retrieving my files?
You’ll need to format the external storage device. To do this:
1. Connect the device to the PC
2. Navigate to My Computer
3. Right-click on the storage device and select Format…
4. In the format box, select the file system of your choice (Its recommended to use NTFS for large storages and FAT 32 for smaller storages) , tick Quick Format then click Start
5. Wait till you get a prompt confirming that format is complete
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