SD Card
SD Card Turned RAW
Recover photos and videos before formatting the card.
When an SD card is reported as RAW, the operating system cannot recognize a usable FAT32 or exFAT file system. The card may still contain scanable media files. A RAW status may display differently depending on whether you check from a camera screen or a computer file manager.
First: do not make the source worse
Treat this as a recovery situation before you treat it as a repair task. The priority is to preserve readable data and avoid new writes to the affected device.
- Do not format or convert the RAW card back to exFAT before recovery.
- Do not run chkdsk or fsck on the RAW SD card.
- Do not continue shooting photos or video on the affected card.
- Do not save recovered files back onto the RAW card.
Scan and preview first
Refindo is suitable when the RAW card is detectable and you need to preview recoverable files without formatting first.
Likely causes
- Damaged file system records after unsafe removal or interrupted recording.
- Camera or drone write interruption during a large video capture.
- Card reader, adapter, or contact instability.
- Flash memory wear, bad blocks, or counterfeit media behavior.
Read-only recovery workflow
- Remove the card from the camera or drone and stop recording to it.
- Use a reliable reader, then open Refindo and select the RAW card.
- Run Quick Scan, then Deep Scan to recover media when the file system is unrecognized.
- Preview recoverable photos and videos and save them to another drive.
When to stop self-recovery
- The card disconnects during the scan or reports an incorrect size.
- The RAW card holds the only copy of irreplaceable footage.
- A format or repair tool was already run on the card.
- The card shows signs of counterfeit media or failing flash.
Related recovery guides
What You Need to Know
RAW State: Camera vs Computer Display
A camera encountering a RAW card typically shows a generic "card error" or "format card" message because camera firmware does not report file system types. On a computer, Windows labels the drive as RAW in Disk Management, while macOS shows the volume as unformatted in Disk Utility. The computer view is more informative for diagnosing whether partition records or file system headers are damaged.
Why Large Video Recordings Trigger RAW
Video recording writes data continuously and updates file allocation tables at intervals. If power is lost, the battery dies, or the card is ejected mid-write, the final table update may never complete. This leaves the file system in an inconsistent state that the OS reports as RAW. Short photo bursts are less vulnerable because each write completes independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does RAW mean my SD card is empty?
No. RAW means the file system is not recognized, not that every file has been erased.
Can I convert RAW back to exFAT safely?
Do not convert or format before recovery. Scan and recover files first.
Why did this happen after recording video?
Large video writes are vulnerable to interruption. If recording stops badly, file system metadata can be left incomplete.
Can a RAW SD card damage my computer?
No. A RAW card is simply unrecognized by the OS. It poses no risk to the computer, but avoid running chkdsk or fsck on it before recovery.
Will the camera still show thumbnails if the card is RAW?
Usually not. Camera firmware relies on the file system to locate image files, so a RAW card typically shows no content on the camera screen.