My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it


  1. Posts : 394
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       #1

    My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it


    Dear Forum,

    I have a Generic Flash External Disk Drive that I am having trouble formatting.

    It has data that used to be on it before I changed the Storage Policies on the Control Set in the Registry Editor after reading on how to do it on the Microsoft Knowledge Base Formatting disks and drives: frequently asked questions

    I have copied and pasted the data that was originally on the disk - I just want to know if there is a way of making the Generic External Disk Drive usable again.

    I am unsure of the different names to change it to and just wish to utilise it again.

    I tried to change the Format via this link How to Format FAT32: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow - It came up that I had bad sectors.

    Can someone please assist?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it-raw.png   My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it-raw1.png   My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it-raw2.png  
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 394
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #2

    This is what I did in Registry Editor - I had to create the the StorageDevicePolicies folder.

    Open Registry Editor.
    In Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
    Note: This key might not exist. In that case simply create it as a new key under the parent key.
    Create the following value (DWORD):
    WriteProtect
    and give it a value of 1.
    Note: As always, before making changes to your registry you should always make sure you have a valid backup. In cases where you're supposed to delete or modify keys or values from the registry it is possible to first export that key or value(s) to a .REG file before performing the changes.
    Close Registry Editor.
    Done!
    Try to write something to any USB Disk and you'll get the following error:
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #3

    Is this a flash drive (thumb drive)?
    How big is it supposed to be?

    Did you try removing the WriteProtect from the registry?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 394
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I will try that - will that change the RAW status of the flash drive (thumb drive)?
    It is supposed to be 984MB.

    I will try that and report back
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it-raw3.png  
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 394
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I am clutching at straws.

    I am just wanting to re-use the disk. How does it become the state of RAW?

    I am also looking at what other people do and it appears that there is no guarantee that anything works.
    I have tried the windows prompt at the beginning when I attached the USB.

    This is result of the CMD

    No more trying to change registry - I did not change the ControlSet001 and ControlSet002

    Looks like nothing to be done.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails My External Hard Drive is now classified as RAW - can you format it-raw4.png  
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #6

    I wouldn't spend much time working on this. Flash drives are dirt cheap and if there is any question of it's quality I'd toss it and buy another.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 394
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    I was told to try to change it not to NTFS but to FAT - would that make any difference?

    I had some backup data on it.

    I will give up. no use wasting hours of time.

    Could you assist me with the commands to format from CMD to FAT?

    I am struggling

    Thanks you
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #8

    You already did that and got a sector error

    Format e: /fs:fat32
      My Computer


 

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