THE DRIVE IS RAW

ERROR : Running Chkdsk

 

The following 2 articles are Microsoft KB article pertaining to this error. Although I do not see it referenced that the fix will work on XP

I found that it has worked.

 

Diskprobe.zip

 

 

Chkdsk Does Not Use Backup Boot Sector to Fix Corrupted FAT32 Boot Sector

Article ID : 247575

Last Review : November 21, 2003

Revision : 1.0

This article was previously published under Q247575

On this page

 SYMPTOMS

 CAUSE

 RESOLUTION

 STATUS

 MORE INFORMATION

 

SYMPTOMS

If a FAT32 volume becomes corrupted or inaccessible and you attempt to repair the volume using the Chkdsk tool (Chkdsk.exe), the file system may be reported correctly as FAT32 (or possibly as RAW, depending on the damage), but the Chkdsk tool immediately quits without making repairs. For example, if you use the chkdsk e: /f command, the following message may be displayed:

The type of the file system is FAT32.

Volume Serial Number is C408-2213

If you run Chkdsk again without any command-line switches, it still shows the volume is corrupted. If you use the chkdsk e: command, the following message may be displayed:

The type of the file system is FAT32.

Volume Serial Number is C408-2213

 

Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the FAT32 file system contains a backup copy of the boot sector. However, Chkdsk.exe does not attempt to use the backup FAT32 boot sector unless the primary boot sector is physically located in a bad sector and Chkdsk.exe receives an I/O error message while trying to read the volume. Chkdsk.exe does not try to use the backup copy because the primary copy is corrupted or contains invalid information.

RESOLUTION

If you have a corrupted primary boot sector, you can use the Dskprobe tool (Dskprobe.exe) to make repairs by copying the backup boot sector over the corrupted primary boot sector.

 

The primary boot sector is sector 0 of the logical drive. The backup FAT32 boot sector is located at sector 6 of the logical drive. While in byte view, read sector six of the logical drive and write it over sector zero of the logical drive.

 

Use the following steps to restore the backup FAT32 boot sector.

 

NOTE: To ensure the repair operation is successful, keep Dskprobe.exe in byte view throughout this procedure. 1. Extract the Dskprobe.exe from the Support\Tools\Support.cab file located on the Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM.

2. Run Dskprobe.exe.

3. On the Drives menu, click Logical Drive, and then double-click DriveLetter (where DriveLetter is the FAT32 volume that you want to repair).

4. Click to clear the Read only check box, click set active, and then click OK.

5. On the Sectors menu, click Read, and then change the default Starting sector value from 0 to 6 (do not change the Number of Sectors=1 value). This action reads the backup FAT32 boot sector.

6. On the Sectors menu, click Write.

7. Verify that the active handle is still the logical drive letter of the volume being fixed, change the starting Sector to write data value from 6 to 0, and then click Write it. Click Yes to confirm you want to overwrite sector 0 on device DriveLetter.

8. Quit Dskprobe.exe and run Chkdsk again against the repaired volume using the following command:

chkdsk DriveLetter:

NOTE: Use the /f switch if the volume requires additional fixing.

 

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 2000.

 

MORE INFORMATION

Dskprobe.exe May Damage FAT32 Boot Sector

Article ID : 246146

Last Review : November 21, 2003

Revision : 1.0

This article was previously published under Q246146

On this page

 SYMPTOMS

 CAUSE

 RESOLUTION

 

SYMPTOMS

Windows 2000 supports the FAT, FAT32, and NTFS file systems. If you use any version of the the Dskprobe.exe utility except the version that is included on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM or in the Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit to view and then save a FAT32 boot sector, the associated FAT32 partition may become unreadable. When this occurs, the Windows 2000 Chkdsk tool reports that the volume contains errors, but does not fix them. For example:

chkdsk e:

The type of the file system is FAT32.

Volume Serial Number is C408-2213

 

Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

 

chkdsk e: /f

The type of the file system is FAT32.

Volume Serial Number is C408-2213

 

chkdsk e:

The type of the file system is FAT32.

Volume Serial Number is C408-2213

 

Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

247575 Chkdsk Does Not Use Backup Boot Sector to Fix FAT32 Boot Sector

CAUSE

The Dskprobe.exe utility is not FAT32-aware and can cause FAT32 boot sector damage if the following conditions are true: • After reading a FAT32 boot sector, you click FAT Boot Sector on the View menu.

• You choose to save or write the FAT32 boot sector, even if you made no changes.

This problem occurs because Dskprobe changes some static values that are FAT boot sector-specific, but are used differently on FAT32 partitions.

 

The following text is the output of a GoodSector.dsk and BadSector.dsk boot sector compare: C:\>comp

Name of first file to compare: GoodSector.dsk

Name of second file to compare: BadSector.dsk

Option:

Comparing GoodSector.dsk and BadSector.dsk...

Compare error at OFFSET 2B

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 2C

file1 = 2

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 2D

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 2E

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 2F

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 30

file1 = 1

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 31

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 32

file1 = 6

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 33

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

Compare error at OFFSET 34

file1 = 0

file2 = 20

10 mismatches - ending compare

                                               

RESOLUTION

The FAT32 file system contains a backup copy of the boot sector. You can use Dskprobe.exe to copy the backup copy over the corrupted boot sector. The primary boot sector is sector zero of the logical drive; the backup FAT32 boot sector is located at sector six of the logical drive. In Byte view, read sector six of the logical drive and without viewing it as a "FAT Boot Sector," write it over sector zero of the logical drive.

 

Use the following procedure to restore the backup FAT32 boot sector.

 

WARNING: For FAT32 partitions, do not view the boot sectors as a FAT boot sector from the View menu and then save it. Doing so corrupts it again. Instead, leave Dskprobe in the default mode of Byte view throughout the editing session. 1. Start Dskprobe.exe.

2. On the Drives menu, click Logical Drive, and then double-click the drive letter representing the FAT32 volume that needs to be repaired.

3. Click to clear the Read Only check box, click Set Active, and then click OK.

4. On the Sectors menu, click Read, change the Default Starting Sector value from 0 to 6, and leave the Number Of Sectors=1 value alone. This reads the backup FAT32 boot sector.

5. On the Sectors menu, click Write.

6. Verify that the active handle is still the logical drive letter of the volume being fixed, change the Starting Sector to Write Data value from 6 to zero 0, and then click Write It. Click Yes to confirm that you want to overwrite sector 0 on the drive.

 

7. Quit the Dskprobe tool, and then run Chkdsk against the repaired volume:

chkdsk logical_drive_letter:

Use the /f switch if the drive requires additional fixing. 

When you use Dskprobe on FAT32 volumes, do not view the boot sectors as a FAT boot sector from the View menu and then save it. Instead, leave Dskprobe.exe in Byte mode when you are viewing or making changes to FAT32 boot sectors.