Windows cannot format the SD card. Can't format microsd card

What to do if the memory card cannot be formatted? What is the best thing to do in this case? The reasons and possible solutions to this problem will be discussed in detail in the article.

Nowadays, you simply cannot do without digital technology. And if it fails, then a number of inconveniences arise. For example, with a memory card, which is simply necessary for some devices, many problems often arise. There have been many cases when a computer or phone simply does not see it.

If the memory card cannot be formatted, what should I do? Solutions will be discussed below. Many people have this question if they are faced with a similar situation. Most often, the problem may be with the antivirus. Anti-virus utilities do not allow formatting. It is recommended to turn off the protection program and then resume work.

You should also close all programs before starting work, otherwise formatting will fail. Of course, there are many options for solving this problem. The simplest ones are to take the memory card to a service center, or simply recycle it and buy a new one, because their prices are affordable.

Flash Doctor program

One option is to format the card via the console. There is also a simple and convenient program that is easy to understand - Flash Doctor. Thanks to it, you can create a disk image, scan for errors and restore the media itself. This program must be installed on your computer. Next, download and click the "Restore program" button. not formatted, what should I do? There are many types of cards for our devices. They are popular due to their low price. Micro SD cards are inserted into mobile devices. Their demand lies in the fact that they store information well, and in addition, you can choose a large amount of memory. And at the same time, it is possible to easily transfer all data to any other device. They also have their drawbacks. For example, it happens that a memory card is not formatted; not everyone knows what to do in this case.

Formatting via the console

One of the options for resuming a flash drive may be formatting via the console. This is how you can achieve the desired result. Just use simple combinations and you will succeed. To begin, use the combination Win+R.

Next, the “Run” window appears, you need to enter the command diskmgmt.msc there. Then click OK. Then the Disk Management window should appear. We find our flash drive, right-click on it “Format”. Everything should go perfectly and the process should be completed successfully.

Format SD

If your phone's memory card cannot be formatted, what should I do? The reasons are different, and there are many options for solving them, depending on where the flash drive is located. For example, the phone may not format the SD memory card. What to do then? There is a simple program here called SD Format.

It will help you format the memory card. You need to connect your phone to your computer with a special wire, download this program, and run it. But if this did not help, then what to do if the memory card cannot be formatted? What to do? When you are completely desperate and have not found the right way out, you can come to specialists for help and reflash.

Rules

To avoid problems with the card, you should adhere to certain rules:

1. There is no need to take many pictures in a row. Since the card does not have time to remember them, a failure may occur. Abruptly turning off the camera produces an image error.
2. Of course, the card must be dry; you should not expose it to high temperatures. Otherwise it will fail completely. This card is designed to last for many years, proper care of it will extend its service life for a long time and will help avoid the need to format the card. Also, when purchasing, you should consider whether it will fit your device, especially if you are buying it for your phone.

MicroSD card protection

If the microSD memory card cannot be formatted, what should I do? First of all, you should make sure that protection against any changes is not enabled. And if it is connected, then you need to disable it. The easiest way is to switch a mechanical latch. It could turn on if you accidentally caught the device with your hand. It is necessary to carefully double-check and turn off, sometimes even just reboot the device. If the memory card cannot be formatted, what should I do? Having studied many programs, it is worth saying that not all of them can help in this matter.

Thus, some applications do not have time to make new changes to their database. You need to try several programs to “treat” your card, and only then decide to replace the card. Some of the applications may not help if there is an error in the controller. In this case, you can try formatting it on your phone or camera.

Rebooting the device and installing drivers

We have already figured out why the memory card is not formatted, what to do next has also been clarified. Most often, the computer does not see this flash drive or does not recognize it at all. Many people begin to panic during this period. Since all the photos and videos were left there. You should not forget about restarting your computer or phone. If it does not help, then use one of the snails. The most important point is data recovery. They can be transferred to another medium that works in good condition. If you don’t need the data on your flash drive, you downloaded it to another medium, then you can agree to format it.

The problem may also lie in the lack of driver installation. To clarify this problem, go to the “Device Manager” section. When the question mark is lit, this will indicate the absence of a driver. Nowadays, you should beware of counterfeits, as they are sold in original packaging. But there is a way out - this is checking with special utilities.

Pros and cons of the card

A memory card is a necessary thing in our time; without it it is difficult to use computer equipment and a telephone. It is quite small and thin in size, but this does not prevent it from performing many functions. If you remove it from the device, it does not lose information, this is a huge plus.

They are inexpensive, and if the card fails, you can buy a new one. The downside is its small size. In general, it is convenient and comfortable to use, suitable for any connectors, for different devices.

When purchasing a memory card, you should pay special attention to this issue. It is important which device you will insert it into. If it is needed for professional filming, then a huge amount of memory is required.

For use at home, you can get by with a small volume. A professional photo is taken on multiple cards to reduce the risk of information loss. If you carefully study the information about the memory card, you need to go to the store for advice. It is recommended to check it at the place of purchase to avoid counterfeiting. Competent sellers should help you choose and choose an option to suit your individual characteristics.

If you follow all the instructions for using the memory card and do not harm it, you can use it for many years. Don't forget that the card doesn't like high temperatures. It should be stored in a dark place, under no circumstances should it be overheated or wet. From time to time it is worth formatting your device to avoid it being completely clogged, otherwise it may malfunction.

Memory cards have become a part of our everyday life and carefully store the necessary information. And if a failure occurs, they advise you to try to solve the problem yourself by installing various utilities, and if necessary, take it to a service center. If the memory card is completely beyond repair, then you can simply recycle it. Therefore, the old memory card is most often replaced with a new one, taking into account individual needs.

A little conclusion

If the memory card cannot be formatted, what should I do? Now you know the reasons for this phenomenon. We hope that the information presented in this article will help you.

Good afternoon!

In the life of any USB flash drive (and microSD too) unexpected moments happen: sometimes it stops opening and asks for formatting. But Windows formatting cannot be completed for unknown reasons (example in Fig. 1 below)...

Many users, in this case, put up with it and buy a new flash drive. Meanwhile, I’ll tell you, there are several recovery options that I recommend doing before sending the flash drive for scrap (in many cases, it’s possible to bring the drive back to life and it works like new). I’ll tell you about them in this article.

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

The flash drive is not formatted: reasons, recovery methods

Is write protection enabled - "Lock"

Perhaps I’ll say a trivial point, but on SD flash drives there is a special lever that blocks the writing of information to the flash card (as well as deletion and formatting). Check if it is in position Lock(means blocked).

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

Rice. 2. Enable/disable Lock on a flash drive

Are there any errors on the flash drive? Correcting them

In general, usually, if there are errors on a flash drive, Windows itself offers to check and fix them. If it doesn’t, 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 flash drive (wait until it appears in "This computer" );
3. Right-click on it and select from the context menu "Properties".

Wait until the check is completed, and then try working with the flash drive...

Method 2

You can run a scan of 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 . To line "Open" enter CMD and check the box next to the item "Create a task with administrator rights" . Click OK- see fig. 5.

Rice. 5. Run Command Prompt with Administrator Rights

At the command prompt, enter the command:

chkdsk e: /f

Where e:- drive letter of the flash drive (enter your flash drive letter);

/f - key (do not change!).

Rice. 6. Check the drive // ​​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 issue is hidden processes that can interact with the flash drive). So I recommend trying this method too.

To open Disk Management: Click the buttons WIN+R and enter the command on 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 all you have to do is choose volume label , file system and agree to the operation.

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

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

Formatting a flash drive using special. utilities

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

4.1) For USB flash drive

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is an excellent utility for formatting flash drives and creating bootable media from them. The utility can format flash drives into the following file systems: NTFS, FAT, FAT32. Supports operation via USB 2.0 port. No installation required. Compatible with Windows XP, 7, 8, 10.

In many cases of “invisibility” of flash drives, their incorrect operation, impossibility of porting - this utility copes with its job. I recommend!

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

4.2) For SD flash drive/card

This program formats all SD cards, SDHC and SDXC. The program is free and works on almost all versions of Windows. In general, I don’t know what else can be added about it - if you have 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 are working normally. This is done in order to avoid various compatibility problems...

To start formatting, run the utility, then select the disk (in the example in Fig. 9, this is M:), then click Option and where Format Type- we put Full (Erase), and where Format Size Adjustment - we 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 the flash drive and run the utility: then select it in the list of drives;
2. Press the button Continue;
3. Next open the section Low-Level Format(low-level formatting);
4. Press the button Format this device(then wait until the operation is completed).

Important! After low-level formatting - you will need to carry out high-level formatting, as was shown just above in the article -.

As a rule, after such low-level formatting, the drive begins to operate in normal mode (if it is not physically damaged).

Determining the controller model and flashing the flash drive

If all other methods do not help, then most likely you will have to try to reflash the flash drive. This must be done carefully, because if you choose the wrong firmware, you will ruin the flash drive and then it will not be restored...

Instructions for flashing

Since this topic is quite extensive, I have separated it into a separate article to consider all the nuances. The general meaning is as follows:

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

As a rule, after such a procedure, even those flash drives that many have given up on begin to work...

Lastly. I accidentally dropped one of my flash drives on the floor. Everything would be fine, but after that it stopped displaying. After disassembling it, I found that several contacts had come loose and needed to be re-soldered. By the way, in most cases, it is the contacts that come off, the microcircuit itself remains intact (unless a hammer or brick falls on the flash drive).

After resoldering, the flash drive began to work as normal, and not even a single file was lost! This method, however, is only suitable for those who know a little soldering (well, if the flash drive does not have very necessary data, otherwise, it is better to give it to a service center).

By the way, you can open a flash drive using a knife and a screwdriver. Some models have a non-demountable body - so 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!

Have you already encountered the problem that your Android device does not see the SD card or cannot format it? This error is quite common, not only on Android, but also on other platforms. Unfortunately, this type of flaw in most cases means that the hardware on your SD card will start to malfunction, so you may end up not only with crashes, but also with data loss. Of course, no one will like such a development of events, so you should act immediately after the first signs of shortcomings are discovered.

Why is the "Android failed to format SD card" process an error? Whenever your Android device fails to format the SD card, it can be said that the write operation is no longer possible (the file system comes to the fore, which is of great importance). SD cards have a lower write density than other forms of storage. What does this mean? After a certain number of “uses”, all SD cards eventually lose the ability to re-write data, and after a while they become completely unreadable. After this, their further operation is not possible.

If you encounter this error, then most likely it’s time to start looking for a replacement - this is the most logical solution that everyone should agree with. However, you can still take certain steps to continue using the card for a while or, more importantly, restore the data on it. Now we will take a closer look at what needs to be done at the very beginning, as well as what risks exist.

How can I continue to use the card?

In order to continue using your card, you will have to format it on another device - you can use the help of friends to do this.

Which option would be most preferable? It is best to choose a computer, preferably a laptop with a built-in SD card reader. On the other hand, there are no restrictions regarding special devices that help read memory cards via USB - you can choose what is more convenient and accessible.

Step #1. After you connect your SD card to your computer, you need to open “Start”, select “My Computer” (or “Computer” if we are talking about Windows 10), and then find the “Devices and Drives” section. where we can find the drive we are interested in.

Step #2. Right-click on your SD card and then select Format.

Step #3. In the pop-up window that you can see next to it, you need to select the item that allows you to format the card (FAT32 file system). What will this lead to? This action will destroy all data on the SD card, but if Windows is able to format the drive, it can be used in the future, although there may be a deterioration in performance related to direct storage.

What to do if you need to save data?

If the Android device failed to format the SD card, resulting in an error being reported, this can only mean one thing - the data on the drive cannot be read. Of course, such a development of events cannot be encouraging; moreover, in some cases it will lead to certain problems when you urgently need to access a particular file.

If you can't use another device to format the memory card, it probably means the read/write controller is either broken or can't do anything with a lot of errors causing it to lock up. Unfortunately, in this situation there are not many options left, since finding a solution on your own will be very problematic. What's the solution? You need to contact a data recovery expert who will try to make a copy of the data - a lot will depend on the condition of the SD card. However, you should not be skeptical about this recommendation in advance, since the success rate for such “rescue” of files (and they may include important photos or videos) is quite high.

Is there an alternative storage solution on Android?

If you thought that after all of the above you could call it a day, then we are ready to offer you an alternative option for storing data on your Android device. Are errors when formatting an SD card a common occurrence? Our proposal will radically solve all sorts of shortcomings that arise during operation. What exactly is the offer? At a distance... from the map itself!

To do this you need , or On The Go (an extension of the USB 2.0 protocol specification). USB OTG opens up additional possibilities because it now accepts the usual size of USB peripherals - which is why many modern smartphones support this standard. This means that a person can use a special OTG adapter to connect either a flash drive of any size or an external hard drive. This allows you to not be limited to just a phone, because there is an excellent opportunity to use devices with much higher performance and, accordingly, reliability of data storage when compared with an SD card.

To make sure that your phone supports this standard, you just need to make a connection - the only effective option. There are no problems with modern devices, so this alternative can be an excellent solution for securely storing any amount of data.

Conclusion.

So, if you are unable to format or fully access your SD card, your best bet is to either buy a new memory card or use a device connected via USB OTG to save yourself the headache. Unfortunately, such problems with SD cards are really bad news, moreover, some of us have to deal more than once with formatting problems or, much worse, data loss. That’s why you shouldn’t ignore a recommendation that will be relevant no matter how much your Android device costs: don’t forget to back up important data so that problems don’t catch you by surprise.

If, when you try to format a USB flash drive or SD memory card (or any other), you see the error message “Windows cannot complete formatting the drive,” here you will find a solution to this problem.

Most often, this is not caused by any malfunction of the flash drive itself and can be solved quite simply using the built-in Windows tools. However, in some cases, a flash drive recovery program may be required - this article will discuss both options. The instructions in this article apply to Windows 8, 8.1, and Windows 7.

You can also fix the problem with formatting a USB flash drive or memory card using free programs specially designed for this, which will do everything necessary automatically. Below are examples of such software.

D-Soft Flash Doctor

Using the D-Soft Flash Doctor program, you can automatically recover a flash drive and, if desired, create an image of it for subsequent recording on another, working flash drive. I think there is no need to give any detailed instructions here: the interface is clear and everything is very simple.

You can download D-Soft Flash Doctor for free on the Internet (check the downloaded file for viruses), but I do not provide links, since I did not find the official website. More precisely, I found it, but it doesn’t work.

EzRecover

EzRecover is another working utility for recovering a USB drive in cases where it is not formatted or shows a volume of 0 MB. Similar to the previous program, using EzRecover is not difficult and all you need to do is press one “Recover” button.

JetFlash Recovery Tool or JetFlash Online Recovery - to recover Transcend flash drives

The utility for recovering USB drives Transcend JetFlash Recovery Tool 1.20 is now called JetFlash Online Recovery. You can download the program for free from the official website http://www.transcend-info.com/products/online_recovery_2.asp

With JetFlash Recovery, you can try to fix errors on a Transcend flash drive while saving data, or fix and format a USB drive.

In addition to the above, there are the following programs for the same purposes:

• AlcorMP - program for recovering flash drives with Alcor controllers
• Flashnul is a program for diagnosing and correcting various errors in flash drives and other drives with Flash memory, such as memory cards of various standards.
• Format Utility For Adata Flash Disk - to fix errors on A-Data USB drives
• Kingston Format Utility - respectively, for Kingston flash drives.

I hope this article will help you solve problems that arose when formatting a flash drive in Windows.