Flash drive - a removable, solid-state USB drive that is used to transfer or store information by users. There are often times when, as a result of some kind of failure, it is impossible to format the USB flash drive. The flash drive itself consists of two components, a controller and memory. There are a lot of reasons why a drive can fail, but some of them can be solved independently.
We already had an article about. We did it in the standard way.
If you cannot format the USB flash drive using standard methods from the window "My computer"then you can try using additional tools.
Command line formatting
To do this, go to the menu "Start" and paragraph "Run" (this item can be called using hot keys Win + R), after which we introduce "Cmd"... The console will open. We will use the command "Chkdsk"to perform a low-level disk check.
To do this, enter into the console "Chkdsk H: / f / r"where "H:" this is the name of the disk, which is the flash drive (if the name is different, you must change it to the desired one).
After the command is typed, you must press Enter and the check will start. The test may take a long time, depending on the size of the drive. If the check is successful, then you can format the flash drive standard means.
Formatting using a third party utility
Let's use the utility HP USB Disk Storage format tool... You need to download and unpack it. This program does not require installation, but it is better to run it as administrator. After starting in the menu "Device" you should choose the necessary flash drive (attention, you should choose the right one, otherwise you can damage your computer). You can navigate by the name and volume of the drive.
Next, you need to select the required type in the menu « File System» (most often it is FAT32), set the label in the line "Volume label" and press "Start"... You don't need to put any more checkboxes, and if they are, then you need to turn them off. If the formatting was successful, then the flash drive will continue to work.
The above methods are suitable only if the USB drive is detected by the system normally, if this does not happen, then most likely the controller of the flash drive is damaged and repair will require more effort. If the memory chip is not damaged, then after the above manipulations, the flash drive should start working normally. And most importantly, to avoid losing valuable data, you should always do backup data placed on a flash drive, then if the flash drive fails, it can be easily disposed of without worrying that the data is lost.
Formatting is the process by which the data storage area is marked up. This area is called file system, and is a table.
Each square of such a table is called a cluster. And when a file is copied to a USB flash drive, the clusters are alternately filled with data until the file is completely moved.
If you frequently overwrite information on the device, the clusters begin to fill up unevenly, since some of them contain remnants of previous files. And the newly recorded files can occupy clusters at different ends of the "table", which slows down the operation of the flash drive.
Formatting resets all options and re-markup. This has a positive effect on the speed of the device, because the file system is reset to zero. That is, the "table" is cleared.
Why do you need to format
- To quickly destroy all recorded information
- To "kill" all viruses and traces of their activity
- To troubleshoot errors that occur when opening and writing files
- To speed up the device
- While creating bootable USB drive
Formatting erases all data that was written to the USB flash drive! Therefore, before starting it, be sure to transfer all important files to another location (for example, to your hard drive).
How to quickly format a USB flash drive
This can be done using standard system tools. They are available in any version of Windows (XP, 7, 8, 10).
1 . We insert the USB flash drive into your computer.
Most likely, an autorun window will open in a second or two. We close it.
2. Open Start - Computer.
3. Clicking right click mouse on the flash drive icon and select the "Format ..." item.
4 . We choose the parameters or leave everything as it is.
File system... It is suggested to choose one of three. The default is usually Fat32. It is good if small files will be written to the device, as it interacts with them faster. But if you need to write a file more than 4 GB, then problems arise - Fat32 does not support working with such large files.
NTFS is another matter. This system is capable of handling very large files, even over 1TB. But with small ones it works a little slower than Fat32.
There is also exFAT. It is an upgraded Fat 32 that can handle files over 4GB. However, at the moment it is only supported in windows system 7 and up, and other devices (such as TVs) and computers on the same windows versions can't work with her.
There are more advanced file systems such as ext4, but Windows does not yet support anything better than NTFS and exFAT.
So, if you plan to write small files to a USB flash drive, then you can leave file system by default (Fat32), and if you need to copy to it separate files over 4 GB (for example, a movie), then choose NTFS.
Cluster size. Minimum data size. It is better not to change anything in this field.
Volume label. The name of the device that will be shown at boot. For example, I want the flash drive to be displayed as "Neumeka". This means that I erase from this field what is proposed and type the name I need. As a result, it will be shown like this:
Formatting methods... Initially, this item is checked for "Fast (clear the table of contents)". This method will overwrite the file system, which is usually sufficient.
If you uncheck the box, it will be done full formatting, which means that first the computer will check the physical surface of the flash drive and if it finds damage, it will fix them. In fact, they will simply disguise themselves and then it will not be possible to write information there. And only after all this the file system will be written.
five . Click "Start".
The system will warn us that it will destroy all information from the device. We agree and wait for the end of the process.
When it ends, we will see the following window. Click "OK" and close the formatting window.
Everything! The device is now ready for use.
If it didn't work out
Despite the fact that a flash drive is more reliable than a CD and DVD disc, nevertheless, it also suffers from problems. For example, it may simply not appear in the "Computer".
This happens for several reasons:
- File system damaged
- The device has not been formatted by the manufacturer
- The letter of the flash drive matches the letter of the already used Windows drive
To eliminate these reasons, go to Start - Control Panel.
Go to "System and Security" and / or "Administration".
We open "Computer Management".
Click on "Disk Management" on the left side.
The window looks like this.
Right-click on the flash drive and select "Format ...".
Command line formatting
Another way to format. But in order to use it, you need to know exactly the letter of the flash drive. Otherwise, you may accidentally delete data from another, desired drive.
1 . Press the keyboard shortcut Win + R.
2. In the Run window, enter cmd and press the OK button.
3. In the window that appears, enter format G: / FS: NTFS / Q / V: flashka
- format is the command to start formatting
- G is the drive letter under which your computer identifies the USB flash drive (do not confuse!)
- / FS: NTFS is the file system in which to format the device. If you want fat32, then enter FS: FAT32
- / Q - fast formatting. If you need complete that just don't use this command
- / V: flashka - volume label (this name will be displayed when loading in the "Computer").
When everything is ready, a similar inscription will appear.
Low-level formatting or "flash drive treatment"
You should use this method only if all of the above did not help.
Download and install hDD program LLF Low Level Format Tool from the official site. During the installation process, select "Continue for free".
Open the program, select your USB flash drive and click Continue.
A window with information about the device will appear. Go to the LOW-LEVEL FORMAT tab.
Click on the FORMAT THIS DEVICE button.
A warning appears that all data recorded on the media will be erased. Click "Yes".
And we are waiting for the end of the process: when the window becomes something like this and 100% complete is written.
We close it and do the usual formatting, otherwise the flash drive will not open. To do this, follow the first instructions from this article (Start - Computer - right-click on the flash drive icon - Format ...).
Hey. Today I will write a small instruction on how how to format a USB flash drive on your computer. Flash drives, wonderful devices that have firmly entered our lives and are slowly replacing CDs and DVD discs... I don't know, maybe these are for the better, because a flash drive is more practical, but like any other device it can fail, and the first thing we need to do is try format her. But before formatting the flash drive, we need to clarify something:
Why should I format a USB stick?
Good question, let's try to answer:
- For example, you have a large-capacity flash drive, and you need to clean it in one fell swoop. Then formatting is the best option.
- The flash drive has suffered from viruses, as a rule, flash drives are very well infected and then the best way is to scan it with an antivirus or format it. There is one such virus (I don't know exactly what it is called) that makes all folders on a USB flash drive with the extension .exe and the information in these folders becomes unavailable. I had this case more than once, and I had to format the USB flash drive.
- If you see problems with writing to a flash drive, then you can try to format it.
- If you want to change the file system of a flash drive with FAT 32 to a newer NTFS. NTFS system has some advantages, for example, it allows you to work with large files, this is especially important if you have a large flash drive. In this case, you can format flash drive to NTFS... I'll write about this in the instructions below.
You must remember that formatting will destroy all data from the Flash Drive!
1. Insert the USB flash drive into your computer.
2. Go to "My computer" and find our flash drive.
3. Click on it with the right mouse button and rip out "Format" this window will open:
4. Setting everything required parameters... Here we need to change (optional) only "File system" as you can see there is FAT 32. But if we need, then click on the drop-down menu and select NTFS.
When all the parameters are set, click "Start". We agree to the warning and wait for the formatting process to complete.
As you can see, there is nothing difficult in this and everything is very simple. Just do not forget that formatting will erase absolutely all files from the flash device and it will be possible to restore them, but not everything is very difficult.
Everything, now your flash drive is like new. Here's a simple tip that I hope you find useful. Good luck!
More on the site:
Updated: December 9, 2012 by the author: admin
Process complete cleaning flash media is not very different from Many users do not even think that there is any program for formatting flash drives, and that you can use some parameters. Further it will be considered as standard way cleaning the drive from under the operating system, and using utilities.
What is formatting?
Before you find out what kind of program you need to format flash drives, you need to consider what kind of process it is. Formatting means processing information carrier, which is related to the ordering of its structure. The source can be either a hard drive or a flash card, SD card, solid state drive... In the process of formatting, the structure of access to information changes.
It is important to note that different formats have different formatting features. So, all stored data on a USB flash drive is destroyed. Recovery can be carried out only with the help of special resuscitation utilities, but there are no guarantees. That is why formatting can be called a rather unsafe procedure. The more pleasant thing is that when you clear the flash drive, the system checks the structure and sometimes fixes errors.
How to format the drive in the operating system
Those users who do not even think that there is a program for formatting flash drives use this method. You need to go through the explorer to "My Computer", select the drive and right-click on it. Will appear context menu, in which the desired item will be. Here you will need to select the type of file system. Often users leave everything by default. At the bottom there is a button "Start", by clicking on which the flash drive will be cleared.
Which file system should you choose?
What are the differences between file systems?
NTFS can store files larger than 4 gigabytes. The formatting process is easier. Information is compressed better, which saves space.
The FAT and FAT32 file systems work on all popular operating systems. When recording information in these systems, much fewer disk operations are performed.
Thus, FAT or FAT32 systems are better suited for drives with a capacity of up to 32 gigabytes and in the case when the stored files weigh no more than 2 and 4 gigabytes, respectively. For all other drives, it is better to choose the NTFS file system.
Choosing a cluster size
Clusters are the building blocks of a drive. The larger their size, the less efficiently the space is used. Small size slows down the drive because files are fragmented into smaller pieces and take longer to read.
If you need to store large files on a flash drive, then you need to choose a larger size. Accordingly, when storing small files, the cluster size should be small.
Choosing a formatting utility
The standard formatting method is not a panacea for the drive in the event that service information is damaged. It should be said that with this type of damage, data recovery becomes much more difficult.
The operating system does not always format the disk correctly. Therefore, you need a proprietary program for recovery, formatting flash drives, which you need to look for on the manufacturer's website. But not every manufacturer has such utilities. Therefore, below we will consider universal programs.
JetFlash Recovery
it universal program for formatting a flash drive in NTFS, FAT and other systems. It will be useful in the following situations:
- The drive has failed or errors.
- The information on the drive is not read.
- The user does not know how to properly format the media.
This program for formatting flash drives is very easy to install. It works with most drive models, but some may not accept. The advantage is that it is free.
USB Disc Storage Format Tool
This exFAT program makes it possible to clean the storage medium correctly and quickly. The main functions are:
- Removing any traces of malware softwarethat could infect the drive.
- It makes it possible not only to clear the USB flash drive, but also removes all service information and frees up space that cannot be freed up using the standard method.
- Creates a volume label.
- Finds errors if any;
- Can create FAT32 volumes larger than 32 gigabytes.
- Scan the drive for errors before formatting.
HDD Low Level Format Tool
This is a program for a USB flash drive. Despite the name, it cleans not only hard drives, but also memory cards. It has free version... Supports a huge number of manufacturers. The utility is capable of erasing absolutely all information from a flash drive at the system level.
Formatting software from HP
Disc Storage Format Tool is simple programwhich doesn't have a lot of settings. It simply formats the disk in various file systems. Its advantage lies in the speed of work, since the user can process the storage medium in a matter of seconds without going into details. This utility has an interesting function: it can be used to create a bootable drive. Other programs cannot do this. What is this feature for? Using a bootable USB flash drive, you can install on a computer oS without using a disk drive, and also check the system for errors in the recovery mode, when such a check is impossible under normal conditions.
Often, formatting a flash drive is necessary to restore the drive's performance. Sometimes you can come across a situation when, when trying to read or rewrite information, problems appear, and this cannot be done. One of the reasons is damage to some parts of memory. If you format, these areas can be eliminated. Oddly enough, but such an operation is also applicable to recover information from a damaged media.
What are the types of formatting?
Today there are only two types of formatting, namely full and fast. In the first case, information is replaced with zeros (that is, zeroing occurs), in other words, irrevocable deletion files. After such formatting, there can be no question of any further recovery. This method used to reanimate damaged areas of memory, as well as to remove viruses. In the second case, the deletion is performed exclusively technical information, while all files remain in their original locations. This is the method used when recovering files that are on a failed media.
The flash drive is formatted for optimization
Often, when buying a brand new flash card of decent capacity, you cannot write a file that is more than 4 GB in size. In this case, most likely, your flash drive was formatted in FAT32, and it does not work with such large files. To fix this inconvenience, you will need to format the flash drive in a different format, for example, formatting a flash drive in Linux... Any utilities can be used for this procedure. The standard programs of the installed operating system work well.
Format a USB flash drive to speed up work
Formatting a flash drive can also be performed to speed up its work. During operation, information is repeatedly erased or written into special cells, and this, in turn, contributes to the division of memory into numerous separate sections. As a rule, this feature slows down the operation of the flash drive to some extent. In order to remove such a nuisance, full formatting is required.
Low-level formatting
All disks go through this procedure at the factory, this also applies to flash drives. It is possible to do this only on specialized equipment. In fact, the process is some kind of markup hard diskwhere tracks are divided into sectors. Service information is recorded in some of these sectors, and marks are placed, which are later used to position the heads. All other tracks are cleared, the information recorded on them becomes irrevocably inaccessible.
