[Solved] The Volume Does Not Contain A Recognized File System in Windows 10/8/7

Theo Lucia

Jan 24, 2024 • Filed to: Recover Files • Proven solutions

Have you got the message “Volume does not contain a recognized file system?” You get this error message when there is some issue with your device file system. Below you will learn everything to fix this error.

Every time you try to connect hard disk to your system, you may get the error message - The volume does not contain a recognized file system”. So, you may freak out as it can lead to svere consequences. However, with proper guidance, you can fix the error.

Read on to analyze why you get this error, how you can fix it, and how you can recover data on the drive using Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery Software, from inaccessible drive.

Causes for ‘volume does not contain a recognized file system Windows 10’ Error

The cause for this message on any internal or external drive can be as following:

• File system corruption
• Faulty or Corrupt drive
• Volume or disk encryption
• Virus infection
• Improper system reinstallation
• Drives bad sectors
• Partition table error
• Abnormal shutdown of computer

Method 1: Run System File Checker - SFC Command

Step 1: Type cmd and then right-click on Command Prompt. Now, click on “Run as administrator.”

Step 2: Now, type the command sfc/scannow in the command prompt and press Enter.

After scanning all your corrupted system files, the command will replace them with the cached copy. It is located in a zip or compressed folder which is in Windows operating system folder. Once the process completes type Exit to close Command Prompt. Now restart and see whether the error ‘The volume does not contain a recognized file system’ is fixed.

Method 2: Scan your Drive for Errors

Connect the drive to your system and follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the File Explorer and select This PC.
Step 2: Right-click on the drive on which you are getting the error and then on “open” and proceed to Properties.

Step 3: Go to the Tools button, and click on Check.

Step 4: When prompted, click on the Scan drive.

Once the scan is complete, proceed to close the window and then go to “This PC” button to check if you can now able to access the drive.  

Method 3: Run the CHKDSK Command

It will scan the drive to find and mark down any bad sectors on drive, due to which the Windows are unable to store or read the data. Therefore, in this situation, you can end up losing the data stored on the drive. Use the utility and fix the error ‘the volume does not contain a recognized file system external hard drive’ using the following steps:

Step 1: Open Command prompt, and then run it as administrator again.
Step 2: Type the command chkdsk f:/f (here f: is drive letter) and press Enter.

Step 3: Wait till the process completes. Now restart and check if the volume is fixed.

Method 4: Update the USB Driver

You can update the USB driver in Windows and fix the volume that doesn’t contain any recognized file system. Follow the given steps, you need to simply your PC after configuration.
Step 1: Press the keys “Windows + R” and run devmgmt.msc as an administrator.
Step 2: In Device Manager, look for Universal Serial Bus controllers. Then right click on Generic USB Hub. Now tap on the option Update Driver Software.

Method 5: Format the Hard Drive/SD Card/USB (Data Loss)

There are various methods for partition format. Follow the steps to fix “volume does not contain” error.
Step 1: Connect the inaccessible hard disk, USB or SD memory card or other external memory to PC.
Step 2: Right-click on Start menu and choose Disk Management to open it. You can also launch Disk Management by right-clicking on the option - This PC or My Computer, and then choose Manage. Then click on Disk Management.

Step 3: Right-click now on the partition that you wish to format, like your RAW drive, SD card or USB and choose Format option.

Step 4: Rename“Volume Label.” Now select the file system as “FAT32/NTFS” and make the unit size to “Default.” Also, select the option “Perform a quick format” then click on “OK” button. Next, wait till the process completes.

Method 6: Fix ‘Volume does not contain a recognized file system’ Error without Data Loss

If your data is lost from any of the external device, Wondershare Recoverit can help you in recover. The external device can be memery card, hard drive, SD card, digital camera, Drone camera, USB flash drive, music player, sound recorder, etc.

First, using Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery Software to recover data on the drive, following format drive, finally, move the data back.

Step 1: Connect the device

Before launching the Recoverit software, connect the external device to your computer. Once the connection is established you can proceed further.

Step 2: Select the device

To begin recovery of your lost or deleted files, select your device. Now click on “Start” button.

Step 3: Scan the device

When all-around scan begins, wait for a few minutes till the scan finishes. You can also locate the targeted files, as well as pause or stop it.

Step 4: Preview and recover your files

Once the scanning ends, you get the facility to preview the recovered files. When you are sure that the required files are found in the scan, click on the “Recover” and save them.

The Bottom Line

This article talked about what to do when your hard drive, SD card, USB flash drive, or other storage media encounter the error “The volume does not contain a recognized file system,” and the causes of this error.

Use the given solutions to get rid of this error and make the drive accessible. If you end up losing the stored data, in such a condition, it is recommended to use Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery Software.

People Also Ask

How do I change RAW to NTFS?

CMD can effectively convert RAW to NTFS without formatting it.

• Click on the Start, and type: cmd and press Enter.
• Right-click on the cmd and click on the option "Run As Administrator".
• Type "Diskpart" and press Enter.
• Type H: /FS :NTFS and then press Enter. (H is drive letter of your RAW storage device)

How do I fix a RAW drive without formatting?

• You can switch to another USB port into which your hard drive is plugged into, as sometimes some of the specific USB ports can cause an issue.
• You can try uninstalling and reconnecting your hard drive, only if it is problem-free.
• Sometimes, changing the drive letter can also help you fix the RAW hard drive without formatting. The Disk Management tool in Windows can help you complete the task with ease for changing the drive letter. 
• Another method for fixing RAW hard drive without formatting is by editing the user of the drive. 
• Also, running the chkdsk command can fix the hard drive without formatting. This command is a way to detect and correct the error in your driver. With the function of correction, you should know that it might damage the existing data. 

How do I fix corrupted file system as RAW in USB?

If you are using any of the Windows 7, 8, or 10, fix the drive without formatting with the Windows in-built repair tool chkdsk. The chkdsk command verifies file system's integrity and fixes file system errors.

While another method to recover data from a RAW USB drive is by using data recovery software. We here recommend Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery Software for this purpose.