Windows was unable to complete formatting​

When you try to format a USB drive, SD card, or external hard drive on Windows, you might come across the frustrating error message: “Windows was unable to complete the format.” This issue can prevent you from successfully clearing or re-partitioning the drive, which can lead to data loss or problems with the drive not functioning properly.

File System Corruption: The file system on your drive might be corrupted, making it impossible to format.

Bad Sectors or Physical Damage: Physical issues like bad sectors on the drive or even mechanical damage can prevent the format process.

Write Protection: Many drives have a write protection switch that prevents them from being formatted. If enabled, this will block the formatting process.

Partition Table Issues: Sometimes, the partition table gets corrupted or is unreadable by Windows, causing the format attempt to fail.

Driver Issues: Incorrect or outdated drivers can cause issues when trying to format a drive.

Step 1: Check the Drive for Write Protection

One of the first things you should check is whether the drive is write-protected. Many SD cards, USB drives, and external hard drives have a physical write-protection switch that prevents them from being modified or formatted. Look for a small slider on the device and make sure it’s not set to “Lock.”

If the write protection is enabled via software, you can disable it by following these steps:

Windows Registry:

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies. If the folder doesn’t exist, right-click on Control, select New > Key, and name it StorageDevicePolicies.

Look for a value called WriteProtect. If it exists, double-click it and change the value to 0.

Restart your computer and try formatting the drive again.

Command Prompt:

Open the Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Start menu search bar, right-clicking on “Command Prompt,” and selecting “Run as Administrator.”

Type diskpart and press Enter.

Type list disk to see all the drives connected to your system.

Identify the disk number of the problematic drive (e.g., Disk 1).

Type select disk X (replace X with your disk number) and press Enter.

Type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter.

Try formatting the drive again.

Step 2: Use Disk Management to Format the Drive

If the write protection isn’t the issue, you can try formatting the drive using the built-in Disk Management tool.

Press Win + X and select “Disk Management.”

Find the drive you’re trying to format in the list of drives. Right-click on the drive and select “Format.”

Choose the file system you wish to use (e.g., NTFS or exFAT) and give the drive a name.

Click “OK” to format the drive.

If you still see the “Windows was unable to complete the format” error, it may be due to a corrupted partition or other issues.

Step 3: Check the Drive for Errors

Windows has built-in tools to scan and fix errors on your hard drive, which can often resolve issues that prevent formatting. Here’s how to use them:

CHKDSK Tool:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Type chkdsk X: /f (replace X with the letter of your drive) and press Enter.

Allow the tool to check the drive for errors and fix them automatically.

Error Checking in File Explorer:

Right-click on the drive in File Explorer and select “Properties.”

Go to the “Tools” tab and click on “Check” under the “Error checking” section.

Follow the on-screen instructions to check for and repair any errors on the drive.

Step 4: Delete the Partition and Create a New One

If the drive has a corrupted partition table, the formatting process may fail. To resolve this, you can delete the existing partition and create a new one using Diskpart.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Type diskpart and press Enter.

Type list disk and press Enter to see all connected drives.

Identify the disk number of your problematic drive.

Type select disk X (replace X with your disk number) and press Enter.

Type clean and press Enter to delete the partition.

After the partition is deleted, type create partition primary and press Enter.

Type format fs=ntfs quick or format fs=exFAT quick depending on the file system you want to use.

Once the formatting is complete, type exit to close Diskpart.

Step 5: Try Third-Party Formatting Tools

If none of the above solutions work, you can try using third-party software to format the drive. Some popular tools include:

EaseUS Partition Master: A comprehensive tool that can help you manage partitions, format drives, and even recover lost data.

AOMEI Partition Assistant: Another powerful partition management tool that offers more advanced formatting and partition recovery options.

MiniTool Partition Wizard: A well-known partition tool that allows users to format drives, recover lost partitions, and manage file systems.

Step 6: Use a Different USB Port or Computer

If the drive still won’t format, it could be an issue with your computer’s USB port or the operating system. Try the following:

Use a Different USB Port: Plug the drive into a different USB port on your computer, preferably directly into the motherboard port, not a hub.

Test on Another Computer: Try formatting the drive on another computer. This can help determine whether the issue is specific to your machine.

Step 7: Check for Hardware Failure

If none of the software-based solutions work, your drive may be physically damaged. Common signs of a failing drive include:

Frequent crashes or system freezes when using the drive.

Unusual sounds, such as clicking or grinding noises, coming from the drive.

Inability to access certain files or folders.

If you suspect hardware failure, it’s time to consult a professional data recovery service. They can attempt to recover data from a damaged drive and might also be able to fix the formatting issue.

Step 8: Use Professional Data Recovery Services

If the drive is critical for your work and contains important data, and all else fails, you may need to consult a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and expertise to recover data from drives with physical damage, corrupted partitions, or severe file system errors. However, data recovery services can be expensive, so it’s always best to backup data regularly to avoid the need for this service.