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[rsg]

I am running MC on two computers (client/server set-up). On the client PC (Windows 10), the external drive has gone RAW a couple of times. I thought it was a fault with the actually drive (Seagate 4TB) so I bought a replacement drive...and it happened again. I realize that this can be an issue for several reasons, including failing to use 'safe eject'. The only thing I can think of is that I put that PC on 'sleep' mode when not in use. Sometimes I remove the drive while the computer is sleeping...shouldn't be a problem, I thought. Note: I keep a copy of all the music files that are on the server computer. To create a backup, I simply disconnect and carry the client hard drive over to the server computer and update via GoodSync.

With regards to fixing this issue and/or preventing it. I reformatted the drive when it first happened...that works but it takes about 20 hours to re-copy 70,000 songs. I am trying stuff with the CMD prompt and partitioning etc. The problem is…anything I try (reformatting included) takes a long time. Right now I am trying ‘format fs-ntfs’ but not sure if that is formatting or switching everything back from RAW to NFTS. Either way, it will take about two days to complete!

Update: that didn't work, so I had to reformat the drive (fortunately I have triplicate copies) So, anyone found a quick, efficient (not too difficult and preferably free) way to convert everything back to NFTS once it has gone RAW so that I don't have to keep reformatting?

[wer]

You have serious problems, and are barking up the wrong tree looking for a "quick, efficient (not too difficult and preferably free) way to convert everything back to NFTS once it has gone RAW so that I don't have to keep reformatting".

"Raw" in MS Disk Manager parlance means the drive is unrecognized, in other words unformatted.  This notion of "converting" a raw disk to NTFS is the unfortunate consequence of young people on the internet writing how-to web pages when they don't actually know very much.  So there isn't a shortcut for a drive that is actually not formatted. You have to format it. It's not a "conversion" it's just formatting.  It hasn't "gone raw". It's been corrupted.

Forget formatting shortcuts, and focus on your real problem: you have a drive (apparently multiple drives, since you say it happened to the replacement as well) that keep getting corrupted to the point of unrecognizability.  That is the problem you need to fix, and then you will never need to format the drive again.

Is this a USB or e-SATA drive? Do the two drives share a common cable or enclosure? That could be the problem. I suggest you start by plugging the drive (the newer one) into a different computer, and see if that computer can recognize it as formatted.  If the other computer sees the drive as normal, the problem is with your computer.

If you don't have another computer, find one. Go to a Best Buy or something and let the Geek Squad look at it.

If the drive seems ok and thus the problem is with your computer, and you should first try using the drive on a different port, preferably a different controller. If the problem then remains, you should seriously consider reformatting your entire computer and reinstalling Windows for a clean start, because you would either be having hardware problems or driver problems, or a virus perhaps, that are causing disk corruption, and it's hard to think of a more serious problem.

If the other computer indicates the drive is truly corrupted, then you have to look at factors like cables, ports, controllers, drivers, other software (viruses), and user error.

On the chance that your behavior is causing this, disable write-caching for the drive and make sure it's optimized for quick removal.  This will help protect you if you are in the habit of unplugging it without properly dismounting it.

Once you have your system working reliably, you can invest in software like Macrium Reflect, which will make disaster recovery faster and easier. But what you need now is to fix the real problem.

Also keep in mind, this is an audio software forum. There are people here who might not mind trying to help you, but this may not be the best resource in your situation.  You might be better off going to someone with experience who can get hands-on, to devote serious attention to a serious problem.

I hope this helps.  Good luck.

[rsg]

Thanks for the reply. I am going to dry a different port, and I may reinstall Windows too for good luck. It's funny...I just thought this was a common problem and was surprised when nothing showed up in Search on this forum, where I assume a lot or people are using external USB drives.

Is this a USB or e-SATA drive? Do the two drives share a common cable or enclosure? That could be the problem. I suggest you start by plugging the drive (the newer one) into a different computer, and see if that computer can recognize it as formatted.  If the other computer sees the drive as normal, the problem is with your computer.

It's a USB drive with its own dedicated cable. Once it is RAW, another computer recognizes it as RAW.

[wer]

Ordinarily then I would suspect the drive. But since you said two drives did it, look at the other causes I mentioned.

By "dedicated cable" do you mean the cable actually cannot be detached?  That would be very unusual. But if the cable can be detached, you can replace it.  Google pictures of USB cables if you don't know what type it is.  But if both drives are using different cables, I would also not suspect the cable. 

No, this is not a common problem. I mean, it can be made a common problem by bad behavior: ruined gearboxes are common problems for people who don't know how to drive stick. For everyone else, it's an extremely rare problem.  Your problem would only be common for people who configure their drives wrong and then constantly unplug them without dismounting them.  But since that's not you presumably, it would be attributable to some other cause, which makes it rare. You should expect your USB hard drive to last for many years without ever seeing this issue, under normal circumstances.

[rsg]

Well, I always do a safe eject, except on that client PC, as mentioned, I would fairly often disconnect the drive while the PC was in 'sleep' mode, thinking that it was safe (because of no activity), but now I am wondering about that. About the 'dedicated cable'...I just mean the removable cable that the drive ships with (and it has happened to two drives, the new one and the old one, each with their own cable, using the same USB port each time).

[rsg]

Also keep in mind, this is an audio software forum. There are people here who might not mind trying to help you, but this may not be the best resource in your situation.  You might be better off going to someone with experience who can get hands-on, to devote serious attention to a serious problem.

So, yes, thanks I did just that...and got one reply on Computer Audiophile when I posed the question like this: I had an external drive go RAW., so no files accessible etc. I had to re-format and copy all my files (2 TB) over again. I thought it was a malfunctioning drive (Seagate 4TB USB-powered). When I bought a replacement drive, it happened again! I always do 'safe-eject,' but there is one thing that I have been doing that may be a cause of the problem: disconnecting the drive while the PC is in 'sleep' mode. I thought, well, 'sleep' so nothing's happening...Does anyone know if doing that can cause a drive to go RAW? Something else maybe?

Other users response: "Yes, it is reported almost everywhere... you must always use the safe eject option to avoid this issue ... it can happen with usb pendrive too"

[Soundwave]

Yeah you definitely want to stop hard-unplugging drives while the system they're connected to is in sleep mode. Many times initiating sleep will pause operations and send everything into memory awaiting wake-up. I would definitely make it a habit to use the "eject" command first while the system is powered just to be sure, to avoid these potential issues.