2022 Solved: Unable to Format SD Card, SD Card Won't Format on PC/Android
Unable to Format SD Card That Needs Formatting
Your SanDisk 64GB SD card may be corrupted or infected with viruses, causing issues with your Samsung phone and computer. When connected to a computer, Windows detects a problem and suggests formatting, but you've encountered an error during the formatting process. This could be due to various reasons, such as physical damage, software glitches, or malware. To resolve this, you may want to try running a disk check or a virus scan on the SD card, or attempting a low-level format. If the issue persists, it might be worth trying a different card reader or computer to rule out any hardware or system-specific issues.
SD cards won't format due to various reasons, including file system corruption, virus infections, or physical damage. To resolve the issue, try connecting the SD card to a different computer or device, and format it using a different operating system. If the problem persists, try using a third-party formatting tool or a memory card recovery software to repair or recover the data.
To format an SD card that won't format in Windows, consider using a reliable formatting tool like Qiling Partition Master Free. This tool can check and fix file system errors, making your SD card usable again with a simple click.
General Causes for SD Card Won't Format
When a memory card has issues and needs to be formatted to work properly again, the problem often lies with the file system.
Some devices only support FAT32 SD cards, causing issues when other file systems are used. This can result in the SD card appearing as raw, unrecognizable, or showing up as unallocated space rather than a mass storage device.
However, it's mentioned that formatting the SD card can resolve issues like this, but we failed to format the SD card eventually. We arrived at some simple conclusions that may cause the SD card not to format, which could be the root of the problem.
- SD card is write-The `ReadOnly` attribute is used to protect a file or directory so that Windows is not allowed to make changes to it. This means that any attempts to edit, delete, or modify the content of the protected file or directory will be blocked, ensuring that its integrity is maintained.
- A corrupted SD card can't be formatted by Windows due to bad sectors, which can cause the card to become unreadable.
- Using a portable SD card across multiple computers or card readers can easily spread viruses, making it difficult for Windows to format the card and remove the virus.
How to Fix SD Card Won't Format Error on Windows 10/8/7 Computer (6 Methods)
If you're experiencing issues with formatting an SD card, there are several solutions to try. If your SD card won't format on a Windows PC or Android phone, you can troubleshoot the error using the following methods: [insert the six quick fixes]. These fixes can help resolve the problem and get your memory card up and running again.
Method 1. Format SD card Using Third-party SD Card Formatter [Easiest]
Free partition manager - Qiling Partition Master is a reliable third-party SD card formatter that can effectively format a corrupted, damaged, or inaccessible SD card on various Windows platforms.
- To format a USB drive or external hard drive, click on the drive you want to format and select the "Format" option. This will erase all data on the drive.
- Set the Partition label, File system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and Cluster size, then click "Proceed".
Method 2. Format SD Card in Windows Disk Management
For many of us who are unable to format an SD card for the first time, using Windows File Explorer can be a quick but sometimes unreliable option, as it may not complete the format successfully. Instead, you can try using Windows Disk Management, a more advanced program that allows you to format a disk, including an SD card.
Step 1. Open Disk Management in Windows 10/8/7 by going to This PC/My Computer > Manage > Disk Management.
Step 2. Locate and right-click on the SD card, and choose Format.
Step 3. Choose a proper file system like FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT and perform a quick format by clicking "OK".
Method 3. Run Diskpart to Clean SD Card That Won't Format
Step 1. To open the command prompt, press the Windows key + R keys simultaneously, type 'cmd' in the Run box, and then press Enter. This will open the command prompt.
Step 2. Type diskpartto run Diskpart Utility.
Step 3. Type list diskto list the drives on the computer.
Step 4. To erase and format your SD card, insert it into your computer, open Command Prompt as an administrator, and type `select disk 2` (replace 2 with the exact drive number of your SD card). Press Enter, then type `list disk` and press Enter to confirm the SD card is selected.
Step 5. To run the clean utility, type "clean" in the terminal. This will erase all data on the SD card, so make sure to save a copy or backup of the card data before proceeding.
Step 6. The command create partition primary is used to create a new primary partition on the SD card. This command is used in the context of disk management and is typically used in combination with other commands to create a new partition table and configure the disk for use.
Step 7. To format a partition to the desired file system, type `format fs=ntfs` (or `format fs=fat32`) in the command line.
Qiling Partition Master is a more user-friendly alternative to Diskpart and Disk Management, offering an intuitive, wizard-based approach to formatting SD cards. Even those with limited computer knowledge can easily troubleshoot and resolve SD card won't format errors using this software.
Method 4. Change Drive Letter and Paths to Detect The SD Card
To resolve SD card won't format issues, you need to make the SD card recognizable first. To do this, try booting your device in safe mode, checking for corrupted files, running a disk check, and updating your device's drivers. If the issue persists, try formatting the SD card on a different device or using a different formatting tool. If you're still unable to format the SD card, it may be faulty and needs to be replaced.
Step 1. Connect the won't format SD card to PC.C.
Step 2. Right-click on This PC/My Computer> Manage > Disk Management.
Step 3. To change the drive letter and path of an SD card, locate it in the file explorer, right-click on it, and select the option to change the drive letter and paths.
Step 4.Re-select a new drive letter for your SD card and click OK to confirm.
Method 5. Remove Write Protection from Not Formatted SD Card
Write protection on a hard drive, memory card, or USB flash drive prevents you from using or formatting it as you normally would. This is often the cause of the "SD card won't format" error in Windows PCs and mobile devices. To resolve this, you can try removing the write protection using the Command Prompt, or follow the easiest method recommended.
If you're not tech-savvy and not familiar with command lines, don't worry. There are graphical-based solutions available to help you remove write-protection from your hard drives, USB drives, and even SD cards.
Step 1. Open Qiling Partition Master. Connect the your SD card to PC.
Step 2. Select the write-protected partition, click on it and select "Format".
Step 3. In the next window, enter the Partition label, choose the NTFS file system, and set the cluster size according to your needs, then click "Proceed".
Method 6. Check and Repair Bad Sectors
Bad sectors on storage media can prevent smooth access to devices and files, but are often invisible. Formatting the disk is a common troubleshooting method, but if you can't directly format an SD card with bad sectors in Windows, you'll need to run command lines to check and repair the bad sectors first. Once the bad sectors are removed, you can easily format the SD card using any method.
Step 1. To open the command prompt on Windows, press the Windows key and the R key simultaneously, type "cmd" in the Run dialog box that appears, and press Enter. This will open the command prompt (cmd.exe).
Step 2. To check the SD card for errors and fix them, open the Command Prompt and type the command "chkdsk E: /f /r /x" (replace "E" with the actual drive letter of your SD card), then press Enter. This command will scan the SD card for any errors, fix them, and then exit. The "/f" option forces a check of the disk, the "/r" option scans for and attempts to repair any bad sectors, and the "/x" option forces a dismount of the drive before scanning.
The Other 3 Cases for You Can't Format SD Card
#1. How to Fix The RAW SD Card Won't Format
When you encounter a RAW SD card in Disk Management, you'll need to convert the RAW file system to a usable file system like NTFS or FAT32. This can be done by formatting the disk, which involves deleting all existing data. If the formatting process fails, you can try using alternative methods, such as using a third-party formatting tool or reinserting the SD card to see if it reappears in Disk Management. If these methods fail, you may need to consider more advanced troubleshooting steps.
- Format RAW SD card using Diskpart cmd
- Format RAW SD card using Qiling Partition Master
#2. How to Repair SD Card Won't Format on Android/Cannon Camera
First, remove the memory card from the mobile phone or camera and reinsert it to see if the issue resolves itself.
If you're having trouble formatting your SD card, try removing it and connecting it to a Windows PC or laptop. You can then use one of the methods to format the SD Card on your Windows 10/8/7 computer.
- Format Android SD card using Disk Management
- Format an external SD card using cmd
- Format a not formatted SD card using Qiling Partition Master
#3. How to Fix SD Card Won't Format to FAT32
Windows has a file system limitation that prevents formatting SD cards over 32GB to FAT32. To overcome this limitation and format larger SD cards (such as 64GB, 128GB, or 512GB) to FAT32, using Qiling Partition Master is the most straightforward and effective approach, resulting in a successful formatting outcome without reducing the usable storage capacity of the SD card.
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