The ‘Windows was unable to format PenDrive’ error mainly occurs when users try to format the pen drive. This is a standard error, and almost all Windows users might have faced it already. If you got this error, here’s how you can fix it.
1. Format the Drive from the Disk Management Utility
Windows 11 has an ultimate disk management utility that can be used to manage the installed drives. You can create partitions, resize, and shrink drive space.
1. Type Disk Management in the Windows Search. Open the Create and format hard disk partitions from the list.
2. Right-click on the drive you want to format and select Format.
3. On the Format prompt, enter the volume level, file system, and allocation unit size. Check the Perform a quick format option and click OK.
You can use this method to format your drives if you get the ‘Windows was unable to complete the format’ error.
2. Remove Write Protection
If you are trying to format a USB flash drive/SD card, chances are that the drive is write-protected. When a drive is write-protected, you won’t be able to add new data or remove existing data.
So, you must remove the write protection first. For that, follow our guide – How to Remove Write Protection From USB or SD Card.
3. Check For Errors
Windows has a built-in error-checking utility that can fix most USB-related errors. We will use the Error-checking utility to fix the error.
1. Open File Explorer and right-click on the Pendrive. From the Right-click menu, select Properties.
2. Head to the Tools tab and click on Check under Error-checking.
3. You will see another pop-up window. Click the Scan and Repair Drive.
The error-checking utility will check for errors. Once done, try to format it again; you will not get the error message this time.
4. Update USB Driver
Sometimes, the ‘Windows was unable to format the pen drive’ error occurs due to outdated USB Drivers. You need to update the USB Drivers to fix this problem.
1. Open the RUN dialog box on your computer. Press the Windows Key + R simultaneously, then type in devmgmt.msc. Press Enter.
2. Find and expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Find the corrupted USB devices by checking the Unknown Devices, right-click on it, and click Properties.
3. Click ‘Update Driver’ and select Search for driver automatically.
The utility will automatically search for the latest version of the USB driver and install it on your device.
5. Using Command Prompt
If you’re still unable to format, you should use CMD to format the USB device.
1. Connect your Pen Drive to the computer and remove all other USB devices.
2. Open Command Prompt as an administrator, type in diskpart, and hit Enter.
3. Execute the list disk command to see all connected devices. Note down the disk number of your USB Device.
4. Type in select disk disk_number. Make sure to replace the ‘disk_number’ with your disk number.
5. Type clean and press Enter.
6. Scan your computer for Malware
Malware infection is another prominent reason why Windows is unable to complete the format error message. The problem appears when a malicious file or a program prevents formatting the drive. So, you also need to scan your PC for malware.
1. Open the Windows Security app from the Windows Search.
2. Switch to Virus & Threat Protection.
3. Click the Scan Options under Virus & Threat Protection.
4. Select Full Scan and click Scan Now.
You need to wait for the scan to complete. Once complete, restart your computer and try to perform the format again.
7. Format the Drive on another computer/OS
If you are still unable to format your drive, the best option is to format the external drive on any other computer or operating system.
Connect the external drive to a computer and format it. It will help you determine if the issues lie with the connected drive or Windows.
These are the best methods to fix the ‘Windows was unable to format Pen Drive’ error on your computer. If you need more help on this topic, let us know in the comments.
The post How To Fix Windows Was Unable To Complete The Format Error appeared first on TechViral.
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