We often have to deal with differentsystem operations. Everyone uses a computer differently. Someone knows how to reinstall Windows, how to format a USB flash drive or how to clear the registry. Some PC users are not so knowledgeable about the operation of the system. Therefore, when faced with a particular problem, they go to the Internet.
Deletion process
Before you figure out how to formatflash drive, it is important to understand what the formatting process is. This operation involves the processing of the media, during which the structure is ordered. The information carrier can mean not only a flash drive, but also a hard or solid-state disk, SD cards and other similar devices.
It is important to understand that the formatting will change the structure, and therefore access to personal data.
Process
Not everyone knows what happens when formattingirrevocable processes. Firstly, after this operation, all information stored on the flash drive will be destroyed. Although it will still be possible to recover files. There are special utilities that help to recover lost files. But they do not always cope with data that has been cleared by formatting.
Therefore, if you decide yourselfTo format a USB flash drive, before this it is desirable to transfer all personal information to another medium. In addition, when formatting, structure error checking occurs. Sometimes the system copes with them, sometimes it doesn't.
Stages
Before you figure out how to format a USB flash drive, you need to understand what steps the process itself is divided into. Formatting a hard disk or any other medium is divided into three stages:
- low level deletion;
- division into sectors;
- high level removal.
Low-level formatting occurs at the stage of release of the device. The surface of the flash drive is conditionally divided into sectors, which will soon take service information.
High-level formatting is related to recording.logical structures. The process itself can be fast and complete. In the first case, rewriting applies only to file system tables, and in the second, media sectors are checked, damaged partitions are fixed, error analysis is performed.
Multifunctionality
It is important to understand how to format correctly.flash drive. The fact is that many users simply click on the format button and start the process. But it is important to understand all the settings of this operation. These parameters may affect the performance of the media, as well as its read and write speed. Therefore, in some cases, settings should be changed so that the operation itself is successful.
A simple way
Immediately it is worth noting that sometimes formattinghelps to restore the functionality of the drive. After this process, the flash drive will correctly record the information, sometimes the write protection is reset, work is restored.
In general, you can format the USB flash drive in the system itself. You do not need to install additional programs. Such regular software is used in all versions of Windows.
How to make quick formatting?
- First of all, you need to connect the USB flash drive to the computer.
- After go to the conductor. This can be done through the "Start" and the "My Computer" section.
- In the table we find our flash drive and click the PCM on it.
- In the context menu, click on the line "Format".
- Next you have to determine the type of file system.
- If you still don't understand this, just start formatting.
- After the notification appears that all data from the flash drive will be deleted. Need to confirm this action.
- A message appears that the flash drive is formatted.
Customize
Вышеописанная операция - это самый простой способ formatting flash drive. But in order to avoid any further errors, you need to understand the formatting options. After the new window appears, you will see several settings items.
The line "Capacity" shows the size of the drive.Each time you format a flash drive, it is important to verify the volume. The following is the file system. In general, types in most cases do not matter. But there is one nuance. If you have a 32 GB drive, and you want to upload a file larger than 4 GB to a USB flash drive, you need to select the NTFS file system. Otherwise, with the Fat32 type, you will not be able to download a file of more than 4 GB, even if you have a larger flash drive.
Full or quick formatting?
As mentioned earlier, there are twoformatting options: full and fast. The choice depends on what goals you are pursuing. For example, if you just need to clean the flash drive, you can select quick formatting. If you suspect that there are some errors on the drive, and you need to diagnose them, you should choose full formatting.
Protection
Some users have encountered a question abouthow to format a protected flash drive. For starters, it is obvious that you need to unlock it. How to understand that your drive is protected? This will tell you the system.
If you install a USB flash drive into a computer, try to format it, and the computer issues a notification that the disk is write-protected, then you are faced with this problem.
Protected USB flash drive does not allow creating or copying files to it, deleting and transferring them. Therefore, to release your personal files, you need to remove protection.
If the flash drive is write protected, asformat it? The fact is that some models of drives can be equipped with a special switch. He is the write protection. More often, such levers are present on SD-cards. To gain access to working with files on a flash drive, you can simply raise or lower the switch.
The device can be protected due to infection.viruses that may block access to recording and formatting. You can check the stick antivirus. A similar error may occur when the drive is full. You need to check the amount of free space.
Unlock
Basically, you can systemically free andformat the USB flash drive. To do this, run the command prompt as administrator. First enter the diskpart command, after we specify the list disk and select the name of our flash drive. Next you need to enter the attributes disk clear readonly command. After that, the drive should give access to work with files.
The command line allows you to immediately format the USB flash drive. But this should be done only if there is no important data on it.
Other problems
How to format a flash drive if it does notformatted? There may be many reasons for this. We have already considered the issue of recording security. But what if some files are occupied by any process of the system?
In this case, you can format everything through the console. To do this, use the combination Win + R and enter the command diskmgmt.msc.
So we run the disk manager. In the table you should find a flash drive and click on it with the right button. In the opened context menu, select the line "Format".
Programs
How to format a flash drive through the program?In principle, the process itself is almost identical with the operations that use regular software. It happens that the usual flash drive methods are not cleared. You can install the USB Disk Storage Format Tool. The utility is free and easy to use.
Having opened a software, it is necessary to choose a drive from the list. After that, you will need to click on the Option button, select Full Format Type and enable Format Size Adjustment. After start the formatting process.
Please format
It happens that the flash drive itself asksformat. What to do in this case? Almost always in this situation helps regular software. Simply agree with the formatting device. Of course, in this case, you will lose all personal data that was stored on the drive. But it is possible to restore them with auxiliary utilities.
If the system asks to format the USB flash drive, then there are some errors in the structure. Therefore, it is desirable to carry out a full format, which will find all the problems and fix them.
If this way it is impossible to formatflash drive, you can refer to the auxiliary programs. In addition to the above USB Disk Storage Format Tool, there is a USB Flash Drive Repair Tool utility. This program is good because it performs low-level formatting, and can also disable the write protection of the drive. It helps those who want to learn how to format the USB flash drive.
conclusions
Unfortunately, not all flash drives are durable.Sometimes even reusable formatting with a regular utility or third-party programs does not help to fix errors. The drive can independently delete personal data, encrypt it or hide it. In this case, it is worthwhile to say goodbye to the flash drive and not waste time on restoring its performance.
