Fix Windows was unable to complete the format

If you are trying to format SD card or USB drive then it’s possible you may face the error “Windows was unable to complete the format.” There are many possible explanations as to why you’re facing this error such as bad sectors, storage device damage, disk write protection, virus or malware infection, etc. Another major issue regarding formatting USB drive or SD card seems to be because Windows cannot read the FAT partition table. The problem may occur when the following conditions are true:

• The file system on the disk uses 2048 bytes per sector.
• The disk which you’re trying to format is already using a FAT file system.
• You have used another Operating system (other than Microsoft such as Linux) to format the SD card or USB drive.

In this case, there are various solutions to fiThereessage; what may work for one user doesn’t necessary. What will work for another as these fixes depend on user system configuration and environment. So without wasting any time let’s see how to actually Fix Windows was unable to complete the format error message with the below-listed troubleshooting steps.

Fix Windows was unable to complete the format

Qinisekisa ukwenza indawo yokubuyisela nje ukuba kukho into engahambi kakuhle.

Method 1: Check if your SD card or USB drive has physical damage

Try to use the SD card or USB drive with another PC and see if you’re able to. Next, insert another working SD card or USB drive into the same slot in order to verify that the slot is not damaged. Now once you have removed this possible explanation for the error message we can continue with our troubleshooting.

Method 2: Make sure the USB drive or SD card is not Write Protected

If your USB drive or SD card is write protected then you won’t be able to delete files or folder on the drive, not only this but you also won’t able to format it. In order to fix this issue, you need to switch Tourity lock to Unlock position on the disk in order to remove write protection.

Method 3: todrive using Windows Disk Management

1. Cofa i-Windows Key + R uze uchwetheze diskmgmt.msc kwaye ucofe u-Enter ukuvula Ulawulo lweDiski.

2. If you’re not able to access disk management via above method then press Windows Key + X then select Iphaneli yokulawula.

3. Uhlobo Lawulo in the Control Panel search and select Izixhobo zokulawula.

4. Once inside Administrative Tools, double click on Computer Management.

5. Now from the left-hand menu, select Ulawulo lweDiski.

6. Find your SD card or USB drive then right-click on it and select Ifomathi.

7. Follow-on-screen option and make sure to uncheck the Quick Format ukhetho.

This should help you to resolve Windows was unable to complete the fat issue but if to not able to format the drive then continue with the next method.

Method 4: Disable Write Protection in Registry

1. Cofa i-Windows Key + R uze uchwetheze regedit uze utshayele ukungena.

2. Yiya kweli qhosha lilandelayo lobhaliso:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMYangokuControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies

Phawula: If you can’t locate the UkugcinaDevicePologyies key then you need select Control key then right-click on it and select Entsha> Isitshixo. Name the key as StorageDevicePolicies.

3. Find the registry key BhalaProtect under storageManagement.

Phawula: If you are not able to find the above DWORD then you need to create one. Select StorageDevicePolicies key then right-click on it and select Entsha > DWORD (32-bit) ixabiso. Name the key as WriteProtect.

4. Cofa kabini kwi WriteProtect key kwaye set it’s value to 0 in order to disable Write Protection.

5. Qalisa kwakhona iPC yakho ukugcina utshintsho.

6. Again try to format your device and see if you’re able to Fix Windows was unable to complete the format error.

Method 5: Format using Command Prompt

1. Cofa i-Windows Key + X uze ukhethe I-Prompt (Admin).

2. Now type the following command and hit Enter after each one:

diskpart
uluhlu lwe disk

3. Select your disk from the list and then type the command:

select disk (disk number)

Phawula: For example, if you have disk 2 as your SD card or USB drive then the command will be: select disk 2

4. Again type the following command and hit Enter after each one:

acocekileyo
Dala ulwahlulo oluphambili
ifomathi fs = FAT32
Phuma

Phawula: You may receive the following message:

The format cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. The format may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID.
Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? (Y/N)

Type Y and hit Enter, this would format the drive and fix the error “Windows was unable to complete the format.”

5. Your SD card or USB drive has been formatted, and it is ready to use.

Method 6: Use SD Formatter

 

Phawula: It deletes all the data, so make sure you backup your SD card or USB drive before continuing.

1. Download SD Formatter from here.

2. Double-click the download file to install the application.

3. Open the application from desktop shortcut then selects your ileta yokuqhuba from the Drive drop-down menu.

4. Now, under Formatting options, select Overwrite format ukhetho.

5. Click Yes to confirm pop up message which says “Formatting will erase all data on this card. Do you want to continue?”

6. You will see the SD Card Formatter window, which will show you the status of Formatting your SD card.

8. Completely formatting a USB drive or SD card can take some type, so be patient while the above process continues.

9.After the format is complete, remove your SD card and re-insert it.

Ithethelelwe:

Yiloo nto unayo ngempumelelo Fix Windows was unable to complete the format error kodwa ukuba usenayo nayiphi na imibuzo malunga nesi sikhokelo zive ukhululekile ukubabuza kwicandelo lezimvo.