Problem with HP Portable SSD P500 (RAW) - Need help with repair

[Aranico15]

I am writing to ask for your assistance with a frustrating issue I'm experiencing with my HP Portable SSD P500 250GB.

Recently, the file system on the drive has become corrupted, and it is now showing up as RAW. As a result, I can no longer access any of the files stored on it.

I have tried several solutions that I found online, but none have been successful:

• chkdsk: This command cannot be run on a RAW drive.
• diskpart: I attempted to use the clean, create partition primary, and format quick fs=ntfs (and also fat32) commands, but I consistently receive errors or the formatting process does not complete successfully.
• Quick Format (from File Explorer or Disk Management): The option is either unavailable or fails when I try to format.

My priority now is simply to get the drive working again, even if it means losing all the data on it.

Has anyone else experienced a similar issue with an HP Portable SSD P500 or any other portable SSD that has become RAW and could not be repaired using conventional methods?

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, tools, or additional methods I could try to resolve this problem and make my SSD usable again.

Thank you in advance for your time and any help you can offer.

Sincerely,

Nicolas Cuz

[NonSequitur777]

@Aranico15,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Thank you for reaching out. Sorry to hear you're having such a frustrating experience with your HP Portable SSD P500 showing as RAW and refusing to format or repair properly. This kind of corruption is unfortunately not uncommon with portable SSDs -especially if the drive was removed abruptly or subjected to power loss while in use.

Since your goal is to simply get the SSD usable again, even at the cost of the data as you said, here are some advanced steps you can try to reinitialize the drive:

---

Step-by-Step Recovery Approach:

1. Use HP Storage Format Tool (or alternative low-level format utility):

• HP doesn’t have a dedicated tool for the P500, but you can try third-party low-level formatting tools like:

  • MiniTool Partition Wizard Free

  • AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard

  • SD Card Formatter by SD Association

    • This works surprisingly well for some stubborn portable drives.

Steps:

• Launch the tool as Administrator.

• Delete all partitions.

• Create a new NTFS or exFAT partition.

• Format and apply changes.

---

2. Use DiskPart to Clean and Convert the Disk:

If you haven’t already tried converting the partition table, this may help.

Steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

2. Run the following commands:

diskpart list disk select disk X ← (replace X with the number of your SSD) clean convert gpt ← (or convert mbr if already GPT) create partition primary format fs=ntfs quick assign exit

Note: If the drive still fails to format, the internal controller may be locked or failing.

---

3. Try Linux (Live USB) to Format the Drive:

Linux tools can sometimes bypass Windows formatting errors.

Steps:

• Create a bootable USB with Ubuntu using Rufus.

• Boot into Ubuntu Live mode (no install required).

• Open Disks utility or GParted.

• Select your SSD → Delete existing partitions → Create new partition table → Format as NTFS or exFAT.

This often works on RAW or unmountable drives that Windows refuses to handle.

---

4. Check SMART Health (Optional):

Use tools like CrystalDiskInfo or GSmartControl to see if the SSD is failing at a hardware level. If SMART shows many reallocated sectors or wear issues, the drive may need replacement.

---

If All Else Fails:

If none of these steps resolve the issue:

• The SSD's firmware controller may have failed, or the NAND flash may be irreparably corrupted.

• In such cases, the device may be out of spec and eligible for warranty replacement (check your purchase date and HP's support page).

You can reach out to HP Support and request an RMA if the SSD is under warranty.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777