[Solved] How to Fix Drive is not accessible with the message “The volume does not contain a recognized file system”

This error message only occurs when you connect SD card, USB drive, memory card, external hard drive, SSD, or any other media storage even internal drive to PC and Windows pop-up the message:

You need to format the disk in drive H: before you can use it. Do you want to format it?

After clicking on the Cancel button, then Windows will pop-up another error message displaying

Drive H:\ is not accessible. The volume does not contain a recognized file system. Please make sure that all required file system drivers are loaded and that the volume is not corrupted.

And this is how this error “The volume does not contain a recognized file system” occurs in Windows 7/8/10 PC.

You can fix the error messages of external or USB drive “The Volume Does Not Contain A Recognized File System, Please make sure that all required file system drivers are loaded and that the volume is not corrupted” with the title “Location not available” by following proposed solutions. Before starting to execute the below solution, it is highly recommended that recover important data from the drive using Photo recovery software.

Content Summary

Solution 1: Update driver
Solution 2: Change Drive Letter
Solution 3: Execute DISKPART to modify the partition ID
Solution 4: Execute SFC scan
Solution 5: Execute CHKDSK command
Solution 6: Run Check Disk feature to check and repair drive volume
Solution 7: Format The drive

Solution 1: Update driver

Step 1: Press Windows Key + R together to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Type devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box and click on the OK button.

Step 3: Find Universal Serial Bus controllers and expand the list, right-click Generic USB Hub and choose Update Driver Software.

Solution 2: Change Drive Letter

Step 1: Press Windows Key + R together to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Type diskmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box and click on the OK button.

Step 3: Right-click on the drive with the question mark icon and select Change Drive Letter and Paths from the context menu.

Step 4: Select the Remove to remove the drive letter from the drive.

Solution 3: Execute DISKPART to modify the partition ID

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box next to the Start button.

Step 2: Right-click on Command Prompt to choose Run as administrator. A UAC or User Account Control Box will show up, click Yes.

Step 3: Type DISKPART in the command prompt to open the DISKPART utility.

Step 4: Type list volume to list all the disks attached to your PC.

Step 5: Type select volume <your volume with drive letter>.

Step 6: Type remove letter=<your volume with drive letter>.

Step 7: Type set id=<now set the partition type>.

Step 8: Restart the computer.

Solution 4: Execute SFC scan

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box next to the Start button.

Step 2: Right-click on Command Prompt to choose Run as administrator. A UAC or User Account Control Box will show up, click Yes.

Step 3: Type sfc/scannow and press Enter.

Solution 5: Execute CHKDSK command

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box next to the Start button.

Step 2: Right-click on Command Prompt to choose Run as administrator. A UAC or User Account Control Box will show up, click Yes.

Step 3: Type chkdsk X: /F and press Enter.
* X indicated the drive letter.

Solution 6: Run Check Disk feature to check and repair drive volume

Step 1: Connect the external / USB driver to Windows PC.

Step 2: Click This PC/My Computer.

Step 3: Right-click on drive that is not accessible and then selects Properties from the context menu.

Step 4: Go to Tools tab, click on the Check button under Error checking section.

Step 5: Click on Scan Drive.

Solution 7: Format The drive

Step 1: Connect the external / USB driver to Windows PC.

Step 2: Right-click on This PC/My Computer then select Manage > Disk Management.

Step 3: Right-click on drive letter name and select Format from the context menu.

Step 4: Rename the Volume Label”, select the file system as NTFS/FAT32, allocate unit size as Default and check for Perform a quick format and click on OK button to start format.