NTFS is now RAW, HELP!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

After installing documentation software for work to my F: drive and re-booting,
my F: drive is now "...not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted
and unreadable." Properties report 0 bytes free, 0 bytes used, file system:
RAW

HELP,PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE
 
This happens occasionally. To my knowledge no one has ever figured out "why"
it happens!

The fix is not for the faint of heart and there is one thing that you
absolutely need to know before you begin. What TYPE of FILE SYSTEM was being
used on the hard drive? If you are 100% certain that you know there is (may
be) a way to recover.

There is a little DOS program included with Partition Magic 8.01. It is
called ptedit. This program can only be used from within "pure DOS". When
you use Partition Magic 8.01 to create the 2 disk floppy set (the DOS
version of Partition Magic) this little program is placed in the set.

You have to boot the computer from disk 1 of the floppy set. Then insert
disk 2 when asked to. After you are in Partition Magic, EXIT from the
program. You will be back at the A: prompt. Re-insert floppy disk 1.

Now, type in ptedit and press enter. The program will start. This program
allows you to change the drive "type". It is imperative that you are certain
that you are working on the correct drive. You can choose drives at the top
of the program window. One you have chosen the correct drive you can click
the mouse on the "type" box at the bottom. Look for the file system that you
KNOW was being used. There are many choices. Choose the correct file system
and follow the instructions from there.

NOTE: If you choose the wrong file system, and commit the change, you WILL
corrupt any information that is on the drive. This is absolute and
irrevocable!

I have successfully recovered about a dozen drives that have gone RAW by
using this great little DOS program.

NOTE: The program CAN NOT be used from within Windows.

And "shame" on the computer manufacturers who deliver new computers without
a floppy drive installed!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
Hello:

I noticed a problem with floppy drive a: on my desktop PC lately.
It was fine with NTFS earlier and I have used the files i.e. word docs, etc.
from the same drive.

Now, when the disk is inserted into the drive, it says the disk is not
formatted and I should format it. So I tried from DOS to "chkdsk a:" and it
says "The type of the file system is RAW. CHKDSK is not available for RAW
drives".

Would this solution help? Your input is highly appreciated.
 
I attempted to add a partition to a friends hard drive with PM8 and when the change was committed got an error msg that there was a bad sector on the drive - the drive is now RAW. I attempted using ptedit but, no joy. I am wondering if the existance of the bad sector had something to do with this. Thoughts?
Bob W
 
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