How to open disks in windows and read data at low level?

Question

I know in linux it is as simple as /dev/sda but in Windows how do you open a disk and start reading data at the low level?

In python I've tried:

f = open("K:", "r")

and I get this error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: 'K:'

I get this error even as administrator.

Answer 1

From http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100027

To open a physical hard drive for direct disk access (raw I/O) in a Win32-based application, use a device name of the form

\\.\PhysicalDriveN

where N is 0, 1, 2, and so forth, representing each of the physical drives in the system.

To open a logical drive, direct access is of the form

\\.\X: 

where X: is a hard-drive partition letter, floppy disk drive, or CD-ROM drive.