If the sd card is not formatted. Troubleshooting - Windows can't complete formatting

Good hour!

In the life of any USB flash drive (and microSD too), unforeseen moments happen: sometimes it stops opening and asks for formatting. BUT Windows formatting fails to complete for unknown reasons (example in Figure 1 below)...

Many users, in this case, put up with it and buy a new flash drive. In the meantime, I'll tell you, there are several recovery options that I recommend doing before you send the flash drive to the scrap (in many cases, you can return the drive to life and it works like new). I will tell about them in this article.

Rice. 1. Typical type of error "Windows cannot complete formatting".

The flash drive is not formatted: causes, recovery methods

Is write protection enabled - "Lock"

Perhaps I will say a banal moment, but SD-flash drives have a special lever that blocks the recording of information on a flash card (just like deleting and formatting). Check if off is in position lock(means blocked).

On USB flash drives, such a lever is much less common (and usually on flash drives from Chinese little-known manufacturers). Pay attention to the icon itself: if the lever is in the "closed lock" position, then the flash drive is blocked from writing (see Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. On / off Lock on a flash drive

Are there any errors on the flash drive? Correction of these

In general, usually, if there are errors on the flash drive, Windows itself offers to check and fix them. If it doesn't work, I recommend running the check manually just in case...

Method 1

1. Open File Explorer and go to "This computer" ("My computer") ;
2. Next, connect the USB flash drive (wait until it is displayed in "This computer" );
3. Right click on it, and context menu select "Properties".

Wait for the verification to finish, and then try to work with the flash drive...

Method 2

You can start checking a disk or flash drive using the command line (it is advisable to open it with administrator rights).

To do this, press the button combination Ctrl+Shift+ESC- must open Task Manager . In it, click FILE/Create Task . In line "Open" enter cmd and check the box next to "Create task with admin rights" . Click OK- see fig. 5.

Rice. 5. Run Command Prompt with Administrator Rights

At the command line, enter the command:

chkdsk e: /f

where e:- the drive letter of the flash drive (put your flash drive letter);

/f - key (do not change!).

Rice. 6. Drive check // chkdsk

Formatting a flash drive through disk management

It happens that through My computer the flash drive is not formatted, but through disk management - everything is OK (apparently the matter is in hidden processes that can interact with the flash drive). Therefore, I recommend trying this method too.

To open Disk Management: Click the buttons WIN+R and enter the command in the line "Open": diskmgmt.msc(as in Fig. 7).

Next in the list, find your flash drive, click on it right mouse button and select from the menu "Format" (arrows 3 and 4 in Fig. 7). Then it remains only to choose volume label , file system and agree to the transaction.

Important! All data on the flash drive, after formatting, will be deleted ...

Rice. 7. How to format a flash drive through disk management

Formatting a flash drive using utilities

If Windows cannot format, then you can try to do it using the special. utilities. In general, there are quite a lot of such utilities and you cannot consider them all within the framework of one article. I will focus only on the best of them.

4.1) For USB stick

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is a great utility for formatting flash drives and creating from them bootable media. The utility can format flash drives to the following file systems: NTFS, FAT, FAT32. Supports operation via USB 2.0 port. Does not require installation. Compatible with Windows XP, 7, 8, 10.

In many cases of "invisibility" of flash drives, their incorrect operation, the impossibility of maorting - this utility does its job. I recommend!

Rice. 8. Format media in HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool

4.2) For SD stick/card

This program formats all SD cards, SDHC and SDXC. The program is free and works in almost all Windows versions. In general, I don’t know what else can be added about it - if there are problems with SD cards, I recommend using it. By the way, the developers recommend using the utility to format not only failed drives, but also those that work fine. This is done in order to avoid various compatibility issues...

To start formatting, run the utility, then select the drive (in the example in Figure 9, this is M:), then press Option and where format type- put Full (Erase), And where Format Size Adjustment - put On. Next, click the button Format.

Rice. 9. SDFormatter main window

4.3) Universal Utility

This utility is used to format problematic hard drives, flash drives, SD cards - in general, it supports almost all types of drives connected to a computer.

To start formatting in it, you need (see Fig. 10):

1. Insert a flash drive and run the utility: then select it in the list of drives;
2. Push button Continue;
3. Next, open the section Low Level Format(low-level formatting);
4. Push button format thisdevive(then wait until the operation is completed).

Important! After low-level formatting - you will need to format high level, as shown a little higher in the article -.

As a rule, after such a low-level formatting, the drive starts working normally (if it is not physically damaged).

Determining the controller model and flash drive firmware

If all other methods did not help, then most likely you will have to try to reflash the flash drive. You need to do this carefully, because if you choose the wrong firmware, you will ruin the flash drive and then it can no longer be restored ...

Instructions for flashing

Since the topic is quite extensive, I singled it out in a separate article to consider all the nuances. The general meaning is as follows:

• first, the flash drive controller is determined by unique identifiers VID and PID;
• further located by these identifiers special utility for flashing;
• and then the flash drive is flashed.

As a rule, after such a procedure, even those flash drives that many put an end to begin to work ...

Finally. I accidentally dropped one of my flash drives on the floor. Everything would be fine, but after that it ceased to be displayed. After disassembling it, I found that several contacts had moved away and needed to be re-soldered. By the way, in most cases, it is the contacts that leave, the microcircuit itself remains intact (if a hammer or brick has not fallen on the flash drive).

After resoldering, the flash drive began to work normally, and not even one file was lost! This method, however, is only suitable for those who know how to solder a little (well, if there is no very necessary data on the flash drive, otherwise, it is better to give it to a service center).

By the way, you can open the flash drive with a knife and a screwdriver. For some models, the case is not collapsible - therefore, its further use will not be very convenient (although you can put it on a shelf and use it, say, for "rare" tasks...).

That's all for me, good luck!

In this article, we will consider the question of what to do if the micro sd card is not formatted? This sometimes happens during the partitioning process. Most likely, technical damage or malfunction of the memory card is to blame. In any case, before handing over the micro SD for repair, it is worth understanding the causes of the formatting error and trying alternative ways problem solving.

Sometimes it is not possible to format the SD card due to the fact that the files downloaded to it are busy with some process. This is because Windows does not allow you to delete such documents so as not to disrupt the system. In this case, formatting the memory card is possible through the console or the Diskpart command. For the first option, you need to do the following:

• Press the key combination Win + R.
• In the window that opens, enter: diskmgmt.msc.
• In the disk management manager that appears, find the necessary flash drive, right-click on it and select "Format".
• The Diskpart command is invoked via command line(Win+X). Next you need:
• In the input field write: diskpart.
• In the window that opens, enter: list disk. After that, a list of all drives will be available for viewing.
• Find a memory card, next to enter the command: select disk 1.
• For the selected drive, enter the command: attributes disk clear readonly.
• To exit the service, you need to click Exit, then you can try to format the memory card of the DVR or any other gadget again.

Flashnul is an SD formatting utility that can test a removable drive. You should work with it very carefully, because the application can damage information on other drives. Formatting a flash card using Flashnul can be done as follows:

• Unpack the archive with the program;
• Enter the path to the application on the command line. For example, if the utility was unpacked on drive D, then you need to enter: cd D:\\flashnul. After that, the user will be in the directory with the program folder and will have to determine the memory card;
• Make an entry in the line: flashnul -p. Remember the letter denoting the flash drive;
• Enter the command: flashnul X: -F, where X is the letter corresponding to the card being formatted;
• Next, you need to run a controller test for errors with the flashnul X command: -l;
• After the work done, format the card microsd memory It is possible through the management console.

Drive Recovery Software

If the memory card is damaged, it is not always possible to recover it using programs. How to recover a damaged sd card by other methods is described inrelevant guide (Also see the Q&A section.)

If the OS asks to format the USB flash drive before recording, then to solve the problem it is better to use software that will help save the data on it. Most apps are free or offer a trial period. Top Programs to format microsd the following:

1. D-Soft Flash Doctor. The utility helps to restore the drive and create its image for later writing to a healthy drive. Intuitive interface will not cause difficulties for the user.
2. EzRecover. It will help if the memory card is not formatted or the information for it indicates that the volume is 0 MB. The process is started by pressing the Recover button. It is able to recognize only a damaged drive and connect to it even if it is not detected by the operating system.
3. jet flash recovery tool. Program for formatting SD cards and USB drives. Has a standard set of tools. Designed for drives of certain brands only. Compatible with Windows 10 and older versions. The menu consists of 2 buttons - "Start" and "Exit". Automatically selects best method marking according to the situation.
4. Mini Tool Partition Wizard. Universal tool for working with hard drives and removable media. With it, you can divide the memory card into several logical drives. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a godsend for those who are interested in how to format a flash on Android. The reason is that this utility is one of the few that supports the ext2,3,4 (Linux) file system.
5. SD formatter 4.0. Created specifically for those cases when a flash drive is not formatted on phones and cameras. The program will also be useful when working with a drive connected via USB without an adapter or card reader. Supports Mac OS. You must install the driver before formatting the card with this utility. This program cannot partition password-protected drives.
6. Format USB Or flash drive Software. The application duplicates the functionality of the built-in OS Windows Service, but recognizes the drive even if it doesn't appear in My Computer. The work uses standard algorithms. Partially Russified. Although it provides the opportunity to use it for free, it persistently offers to buy a license.

Utilities with limited features that may be useful in some cases:

1. AlcorMP. Designed to format a flash drive with Alcor controllers.
2. Format Utility For Adata Flash Disk. Fixes bugs on A-Data USB drives.
3. Kingston Format Utility. Recovers flash drives of the same company.

So that the problem does not arise in the future

Sometimes partitioning fails even on a new drive. This indicates a defective product. In this case, it is better to hand it over under warranty or change it from the seller.

If the user is faced with a problem when, after formatting the memory card on Android, the files themselves are restored, then this is a sure sign that the drive has outlived its usefulness. No methods will help here.

To avoid problems with the memory card, you need to follow the following 2 rules:

• enjoy safe shutdown when removing a device with a flash drive.
• Do not pull out the drive during the recording process. This can damage not only the information, but also the flash drive itself.

If the memory card on the phone is not formatted, then first you need to close it in the gadget settings, then turn off the device and remove the drive. Then you need to wipe the contacts with a dry cloth and blow out the SD slot on the smartphone.

Before formatting a memory card on Android using third party programs, you must first try to markup through the gadget settings. If the error repeats, you should try using another USB flash drive in the process. If the problem persists, then this indicates a malfunction of the phone.

Reading 6 min. Views 4.9k. Published on 12/19/2016

In the modern world, people are less and less likely to use disks to store information, due to the fact that they have been replaced by more convenient flash drives. But with the advent of flash drives, there have also been problems that people face when using them. After a certain time USB drives start to work intermittently, give errors when connected to a PC, . First of all, with such a problem, users format the flash drive. And if you are reading this article, then your flash drive is not being formatted. In the article, we will consider how to format a USB flash drive if it is not formatted.

If the memory card is no longer formatted, do not rush to throw it out of the trash. Most likely we will restore her work. A formatting problem does not mean that your flash drive is out of order and quite often you can handle standard Windows tools. If this does not work out, then we will try to use third-party software.

The main reasons for the failure of flash drives.

In order to identify the problem of why the flash drive does not work, let's look at the causes of breakdowns:

• Memory wear.
• Problems with the controller;
• Damage due to overheating or electrical damage;
• Software malfunction;
• Breakage caused by mechanical means;
• As you can see, there are quite a few reasons why a flash drive can fail and not be formatted. Let's look at each reason in more detail.
• If the flash card is mishandled, it will appear mechanical damage. Often users drop flash drives on a hard floor, into water, step on them with their feet. As a result, mechanical damage occurs. Various microcracks appear on the board or contacts fall off. If you have a very large number of important information, then you can give the flash drive for repair, otherwise, throw it away, since you are unlikely to be able to solve the problem of how to format a flash drive if it is not formatted.

  Important! If the memory chip is broken or cracked when the flash drive is damaged, then the data cannot be recovered.

• With a logical failure. The flash drive is detected by the Windows operating system as empty. At the same time, the information is recorded on it, but the file system tables are most likely damaged. To restore the flash drive, you can use special programs which are described in the following paragraphs. When you're done with the drive, safely remove the drive.

  Note! The most common cause of damage to the logical structure is due to the untimely removal of the device from USB port or unexpected power failure. As a rule, it is possible to recover a flash drive after a software error in most cases!

  
• Very often, damage to flash drives occurs due to unstable USB port power. Since not all drives have good protection from power surges. In order to be sure that after connecting to your computer the flash drive will not burn out, make sure that the computer is grounded and install a high-quality power supply. Breakdown of flash drives due to overheating is quite rare, but there are also cases when, after a long operation, the flash drive overheats and fails, as the device case does not provide proper heat transfer. In this case, I can advise you to choose USB drives in iron case.
• Problems with the flash drive controller are quite common. So, if the drive is incorrectly removed from the USB port, the power supply of the controller fails and this leads to software blocking. As a result, the drive does not respond to requests operating system. The device is recognized in Windows as a Generic Drive and has a capacity of 0. You can try to restore such a flash drive using special programs.
• Memory wear. Many of you have probably already heard that the performance of a flash card is designed for a certain number of write cycles. Due to the fact that recently there has been an increase in the capacity of drives, the number of write cycles is decreasing. If the flash card starts to give errors when writing files to it, then you should think about the fact that it will probably fail soon enough. To restore such a drive, you can try performing a low-level format.

What should I do if I get the error "could not complete formatting" while formatting?

If, when formatting a flash drive, you see the message “could not complete formatting”, then first we try to repeat the process using standard utility disk management Windows systems.

Advice! If the utility writes that the partition is not allocated, then you need to right-click on it and select "Create Partition". Then follow the instructions of the partition creation wizard.

If any process interferes with the formatting of the flash drive, it is possible that a virus is sitting on your drive. Then we restart the computer and go to safe mode.

After pressing "Enter"; the removable drive must be formatted.

How to format a flash drive with special programs if it is not formatted?

If the above methods did not solve the problem, and standard means did not give an answer to the question: how to format a USB flash drive if it is not formatted. Let's go to special software. There are enough free programs, allowing you to restore and format USB drives. Let's make a list of such programs and briefly consider their functionality:

Conclusion.

As you can see, despite the huge number of problems that may arise during the operation of flash drives. Users do not stop using them, thereby creating a demand for new products. For problems with drives, formatting them often helps. In this article, I tried to help you solve the problem of how to format a USB flash drive if it is not formatted. I hope the tips that you found in this article will be useful to you.

Despite your best efforts, are you unable to format your memory card? Do not rush to send it to the trash can.

Our advice is guaranteed to help you accomplish your plan with a minimum investment of time and effort. Go.

Important!

Formatting external media is designed to change the existing format, or quickly remove all information from it. Before formatting, make sure that there is no important data left on the micro-SD, and only then proceed with cleaning.

Formatting with Windows Tools

Formatting external media is designed to change the existing format, or quickly remove all information from it.

Before formatting, make sure that there is no important data left on the micro SD, and only then proceed with cleaning.

First, let's look at the methods that provide us.

For them, you do not need to download or install anything, in a couple of clicks you will achieve the desired result.

So, we follow the following algorithm of actions:

Go to the Start menu and select "Control Panel".

From the control panel, select the view mode "Small Icons" as shown in the screenshot:

In the list that appears, select

You will see a list of connected drives.

In it, find the memory card and right-click on it:

Important! In the line "Status", located opposite the name of your card, there must be a status "Healthy" .

In the appeared me, click on the item "Formatting" as shown in the screenshot above.

If everything goes well, then the formatting of the card is completed.

If the inscription is displayed in the card status "Unallocated", choose an action "Create New Volume".

You completed all the steps without errors, but Windows stubbornly refuses to format the card, which means that your OS uses this drive and blocks access to the file system.

In this case, you will need to use additional utilities which we will describe below.

Formatting using the command line

Before you start, you need to restart your computer in safe mode.

To do this, we call the command line by simultaneously pressing the keys Win + R.

In it we write the command

Msconfig and then click OK.

The system configuration menu will open in front of us.

and check the box next to "Safe mode".

After that, you can safely restart your computer.

After that, we call again and enter the command into it

format n where « n » the letter responsible for the name of the memory card.

If everything is done correctly, the formatting will be successful.

If not, move on to the next paragraphs.

Formatting with D-Soft Flash Doctor

Microsd not formatted using system tools? So you need to use additional utilities.

Using the search engine, download and install the program D-Soft Flash Doctor.

With its help, you can mount a disk image, check the status of the disk and restore the functions of the media.

Open the program and select desired disk(which is responsible for our carrier) and select the function "Restore Media":

Depending on the size of the memory card, the restore operation may take up to 15 minutes.

Wait patiently for completion and click Finish

This completes the formatting process.

Download

Formatting with the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool

This utility is able to forcibly format the media, create a new one (with bootable functionality) and check the status of the disk.

Download and install HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool.

After the installation process, open the program.

In the top line, select the disk we need:

In line « file System» select the type of file system we need from the allowed ones: "FAT", "FAT32", "exFAT" or "NTFS".

Note: a quick cleaning will save you time, but does not guarantee a complete result.

Line « Volume label» allows you to change the media name to any other.

After filling in all the fields, click the button « Format disk», to start the cleaning process.

Download

EzRecover Program

The peculiarity of this utility is that it is absolutely not necessary to specify the path and name of the drive, because it itself recognizes it.

The scheme is still the same - download and install the program. You launch it.

The first thing we will see is an error message, but there is nothing to worry about, just reconnect the MicroSD, leaving the program enabled.