Format usb from device manager​

Formatting a USB via Device Manager can be a useful process when you encounter issues with the USB drive’s file system or need to completely wipe and re – configure it.

1. Formatting via Device Manager

Why Use Device Manager for Formatting?

Device Manager provides a more technical and in – depth way to manage the storage devices connected to your computer. It allows you to interact with the device at a lower – level compared to the simple formatting options available through File Explorer. This can be especially useful when you suspect there are problems with the device driver or the device is not recognized properly by the operating system’s standard formatting tools.

For example, if a USB drive has a corrupted file system that causes errors when trying to access or format it through the regular means, Device Manager can sometimes offer a more effective way to address the issue.

Precautions Before Formatting

Backup Data: Before formatting any USB drive, it’s crucial to back up all the important data stored on it. Formatting will erase all the existing data on the drive. You can copy the files to another storage device such as an external hard drive, another USB drive, or your computer’s hard disk.

Check Device Compatibility: Make sure the USB drive is functioning properly at a basic hardware level. If the drive is physically damaged, formatting may not solve the problem and could potentially lead to further issues. You can test the drive on another computer to rule out problems with the USB port or the computer’s own configuration.

2. Accessing Device Manager

Windows Operating System

In Windows, you can access Device Manager in several ways. One common method is to right – click on the Start menu and select “Device Manager”. Another option is to search for “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar.

Once you open Device Manager, you’ll see a list of device categories such as “Disk Drives”, “Universal Serial Bus controllers”, and others. The USB drive you want to format will typically be listed under the “Disk Drives” category.

Mac Operating System

Macs generally don’t use Device Manager in the same way as Windows for formatting USB drives. However, for advanced users, you can access the Disk Utility application. You can find it by going to “Applications” > “Utilities” > “Disk Utility”. While not exactly the same as Device Manager in Windows, Disk Utility provides similar functionality for managing and formatting storage devices on a Mac.

3. Identifying the USB Drive in Device Manager

Windows Device Manager Details

In the Windows Device Manager’s “Disk Drives” category, you’ll see a list of all the disk – based storage devices connected to your computer. The USB drive will usually have a name that indicates its brand and model, such as “SanDisk Cruzer”, “Kingston DataTraveler”, etc. You can also check the device properties to get more information, such as the device ID and driver details.

To view the properties of a device, right – click on the USB drive entry in Device Manager and select “Properties”. In the Properties window, you can find tabs like “General”, “Driver”, “Details”, etc. The “Details” tab can be particularly useful as it allows you to view various technical details about the device, such as the hardware IDs and the device instance path.

Mac Disk Utility Identification

In Mac’s Disk Utility, when you connect a USB drive, it will appear in the list of available storage devices. The drive’s name, capacity, and file system type will be displayed. You can select the USB drive from the list on the left – hand side of the Disk Utility window to view more details and perform formatting operations.

4. Formatting the USB Drive in Device Manager (Windows)

Uninstalling the Device Driver (Optional but Sometimes Necessary)

Before formatting, in some cases, it might be beneficial to uninstall the device driver. This can help resolve any driver – related issues that could be causing problems with the USB drive’s performance or formatting. To uninstall the driver, right – click on the USB drive entry in Device Manager and select “Uninstall device”. You’ll be prompted to confirm the uninstallation. After uninstalling, you can restart your computer and let the operating system reinstall the driver automatically.

Formatting Steps

Right – click on the USB drive entry in Device Manager and select “Properties”.

In the Properties window, go to the “Policies” tab. There are two options: “Quick Removal” and “Better Performance”. If you choose “Quick Removal”, you can safely unplug the USB drive at any time without using the “Safely Remove Hardware” option. If you choose “Better Performance”, you need to use the “Safely Remove Hardware” option before unplugging the USB drive to avoid data loss. For formatting purposes, it’s usually okay to leave it on either setting.

After setting the policy, go to the “Volumes” tab and click on the “Format” button. You’ll be presented with a formatting dialog box.

In the formatting dialog box, you can select the file system type. The most common file systems for USB drives are FAT32 and NTFS. FAT32 is more widely compatible with different operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux, but it has a file size limit of 4GB. NTFS is more suitable for larger file sizes and offers more advanced security and file – permission features, but it may not be as well – supported on non – Windows operating systems. You can also enter a volume label, which is a name for the USB drive.

Once you’ve selected the file system and volume label, click on the “Start” button to begin the formatting process. A progress bar will show you the status of the formatting. Be patient as the process may take some time depending on the size of the USB drive.

5. Formatting the USB Drive in Disk Utility (Mac)

Erasing and Formatting

In Mac’s Disk Utility, select the USB drive you want to format from the list of available storage devices.

Click on the “Erase” button in the toolbar. A dialog box will appear.

In the dialog box, you can choose the name for the USB drive (volume name), the file system format, and the scheme. The available file system formats usually include Mac OS Extended (Journaled), FAT32. and exFAT. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the default format for Mac – only use and offers features like journaling for data protection. FAT32 is useful for cross – platform compatibility, and exFAT is a more modern format that supports larger file sizes and is also good for cross – platform use.

After choosing the options, click on the “Erase” button in the dialog box to start the formatting process. A progress bar will show the status of the formatting. Similar to Windows, the time it takes to format depends on the size of the USB drive.

6. Verifying the Formatting

Windows Verification

After the formatting is complete in Windows, you can check the USB drive’s properties again in Device Manager. The file system type should match the one you selected during formatting. You can also open File Explorer and check the USB drive’s capacity and available space. If you try to access the USB drive, it should now be empty and ready to use.

Mac Verification

On a Mac, after formatting in Disk Utility, you can check the USB drive’s information in Disk Utility itself. The file system format and volume name should be as you set them. You can also try to copy some files to the USB drive to ensure that it’s working properly and the formatting was successful.

7. Troubleshooting

Formatting Fails in Windows

If the formatting fails in Windows, there could be several reasons. One possibility is that there is a problem with the device driver. Try reinstalling the driver as described earlier. Another reason could be that the USB drive is write – protected. Check the physical write – protect switch on the USB drive (if it has one) and make sure it’s in the unlocked position. If the drive is still not formatting, it’s possible that the drive is physically damaged. Try testing it on another computer or with different formatting software.

Formatting Fails in Mac

On a Mac, formatting failures can also occur. If the Disk Utility is unable to format the USB drive, it could be due to a software conflict or a problem with the drive’s hardware. Restart your Mac and try again. Make sure you have the latest version of the operating system and any available updates for Disk Utility. If the problem persists, the drive may be faulty and you can try testing it on a different Mac or a Windows computer.