Thread: How to check raw partition on Windows

  1. #1
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    How to check raw partition on Windows

    Greetings All,

    I wonder which Windows C API detects raw partitions given the name of a partition. For example, given input \\.\R: or \\.\Disk2Partition1, check if it is a raw partition or not.

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    What do you mean "raw"?

    Not formatted with NTFS?
    Not formatted with an M$ operating system?
    Not recognised with any known OS?
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    A raw partition is a disk partition used in its native, raw state without having a file system imposed over it.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by lei_michelle View Post
    A raw partition is a disk partition used in its native, raw state without having a file system imposed over it.
    So, you would have to check if the disk has any of the metadata that the filesystem is adding. Most filesystems have specific places that the FS stores specific data, and that usually contains some sort of "magic number" that is used to identify that this is indeed a NTFS, FAT32 or Ext2 file-system. The information is not necessarily stored in the same location for all filesystems, but there should be a way to identify if the partition has any of a list of filesystems within it. Not necessarily ALL filesystems tho', since that would require knowing how MANY different filesystems store their metadata.

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