ADATA Hard Drive Turned RAW? 🛑 Fix ADATA External Drive RAW & Recover Data

Is your ADATA hard drive turned RAW or your ADATA external drive becomes RAW? Don’t panic! This guide explains how to do safe ADATA RAW drive recovery with the help of iCare Recovery Free and then repair the RAW disk so it works again. ✅

Why Does an ADATA Drive Become RAW? 🤔

There are both logical causes and physical causes for an ADATA external or internal hard drive turning RAW. 💡 Logical damage can often be repaired by software tools or by formatting (after recovery). ⚠️ Physical damage cannot be repaired by any software and may require professional data recovery services. Always run a free tool like iCare Recovery Free to recover data from your ADATA HDD/SSD before attempting any repairs to ensure data safety. Please do not download or install the software on the RAW ADATA drive itself to avoid overwriting data.

  • 🔌 Unsafe removal or sudden power cut
    Quick fix: Reconnect properly, run CHKDSK, or format after recovery. ➡️ Logical Damage
  • 📂 Damaged/corrupted file system (NTFS, exFAT, FAT32)
    Quick fix: Use recovery software (like iCare Recovery Free) → format the drive to restore usability. ➡️ Logical Damage
  • 💽 Bad sectors or internal disk head damage
    Note: Software cannot repair physical failure. Backup/recover data ASAP, then consider replacement or professional lab service. ➡️ Physical Damage
  • 📊 Partition table corruption
    Quick fix: Rebuild the partition table using recovery tools, or recover data first then repartition/format. ➡️ Logical Damage
  • 🔧 USB port/cable issues or malware infection
    Quick fix: Try a new USB port/cable, run antivirus, or update drivers. ➡️ Logical / Hardware Issue

Step 1 — Recover Data First with iCare Recovery Free 📂

Before trying any fixes, recover your files from the RAW ADATA drive. The free tool iCare Recovery Free lets you rescue data safely.

  1. downloadDownload & install iCare Recovery Free.
  2. Select Deep Scan or RAW Recovery mode.select recovery mode
  3. Choose the RAW ADATA disk and scan.
  4. Preview recoverable files (docs, photos).preview found photo
  5. 💾 Save recovered files to a different healthy drive other than the RAW AData disk.

Step 2 — Fix ADATA RAW Drive to Work Again 🔧

Once you have safely recovered your files with iCare Recovery Free, you can start repairing the RAW ADATA drive so that it works normally again. There are several methods depending on whether the problem is caused by logical errors (software-related) or hardware issues. Below are the most common fixes:

  • 🖥️ Run CHKDSK (Check Disk Utility)

    CHKDSK is a built-in Windows command that checks and repairs file system errors and bad sectors.

    1. Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
    2. In the Command Prompt, type: chkdsk X: /f /r (replace X with your ADATA drive letter).
    3. Press Enter and wait for the scan to complete. This may take some time depending on the disk size.

    💡 If CHKDSK fixes file system errors, your ADATA drive should become usable again without formatting.

  • 🔄 Update or Reinstall Drivers

    Sometimes a RAW error is caused by outdated or corrupted drivers.

    1. Right-click Start → choose Device Manager.
    2. Expand Disk drives and find your ADATA device.
    3. Right-click it → choose Update driver → Search automatically.
    4. If updating doesn’t help, uninstall the device, then unplug and reconnect it. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.

    ✅ A fresh driver often resolves compatibility issues that make a drive show as RAW.

  • 📂 Use Disk Management

    If the file system is too corrupted, you may need to format the drive. Remember to recover your data first before doing this.

    1. Right-click Start → select Disk Management.
    2. Locate your ADATA drive (marked as RAW).
    3. Right-click it → select Format → choose a file system (NTFS for Windows, exFAT if you want cross-platform support).
    4. Click OK to complete the process.

    ⚠️ This will erase everything on the drive, so make sure your important files are already recovered.

  • 🔌 Check Hardware Connections

    Sometimes the RAW problem is not with the disk itself, but with the connection.

    • Try using a different USB port on your computer.
    • Switch to another USB cable (ADATA external drives often fail due to cable wear).
    • Test the drive on another computer to confirm if the issue is local or with the disk itself.

    💡 Many users find that a simple cable swap brings their ADATA drive back to normal.

  • 📦 Replace the Drive Enclosure

    If you are using an ADATA external drive, the USB enclosure (the case and controller board) may be faulty. A broken enclosure can cause the disk to appear as RAW even though the hard drive/SSD inside is still good.

    1. Carefully remove the drive from its ADATA external case.
    2. Place the bare HDD/SSD into a new compatible USB/SATA enclosure or connect it directly inside a PC.
    3. Check if the system now detects the drive normally.

    ✅ If the disk works fine in a new enclosure, the problem was the casing, not the drive itself.

👉 If none of the above fixes work and the ADATA disk still shows as RAW, it may indicate serious physical damage. In that case, you should avoid further DIY attempts and consult a professional data recovery service.

Also read: Adata disk not detected fixes

ADATA External Hard Drive RAW File System 📀

If your ADATA external hard drive shows RAW file system, it simply means the system cannot recognize its format (NTFS, exFAT, FAT32). The drive may appear as RAW in Disk Management and ask you to format before use. This is a common issue and usually points to logical corruption rather than permanent damage.

Quick Symptoms

  • Drive marked as RAW in Disk Management.
  • Error message: “You need to format the disk before you can use it.”
  • Files/folders become inaccessible.

Main Causes

  • Unsafe ejection during transfer.
  • Power loss or sudden shutdown.
  • Corrupted file system structure.

Quick Fixes

  1. 📂 Recover files first with iCare Recovery Free. (Also read: Adata external hard drive data recovery)
  2. 🔍 Try chkdsk X: /f /r to repair errors.
  3. 🛠️ If still RAW, format the drive in Disk Management (after recovery).

👉 In most cases, an ADATA external hard drive with RAW file system is repairable once data is recovered. Always perform recovery before formatting to avoid losing important files.

Also read: What is raw file system or Raw drive recovery

FAQ ❓

Q1: Can I recover files after my ADATA external drive becomes RAW?
✅ Yes, use iCare Recovery Free to scan and recover files before any repair.

Q2: Will formatting fix the ADATA RAW drive?
⚠️ Formatting restores usability but erases data. Always recover files first!

Q3: Can CHKDSK repair the RAW ADATA drive?
🔍 Sometimes yes, if file system damage is minor. If it fails, backup and reformat.

Q4: Is iCare Recovery Free really free?
👍 Yes, it offers a free version for basic recovery from RAW, deleted, or formatted drives.

Q5: How to prevent ADATA drive turning RAW again?
💡 Always eject safely, keep backups, use surge protection, and check cables regularly.

Last updated on Aug 22, 2025

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