Unable to Format 16Gb USB Pen?

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:08

I'm trying to copy some music onto a brand new Sandisk Ultra 1.00 16Gb pen drive, trouble is, I can't get the damn thing to play ball.
Rather foolishly, when I plugged it in I noticed a few folders already on the drive with what looked like utilities, I simply deleted them all and then tried to reformat the disk to FAT32 format (which is the file system the car uses that I want to use this in)

I'm drawing a blank, I error messages saying "Windows was unable to complete the format" if I try from explorer, if I use diskpart (From CMD), I can select the disk but if I try to format I'm told "There is no volume selected" - I type list volume but my stick isn't visible.

Can somebody point me in the right direction please?

I've tried a couple of utilities to see if they help (HP USB Disk format tool being one I've used with success before) but no joy.

I'm hoping somebody can point me toward an all powerful utility that'll fix this!

Thanks.

Orcvader · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:14

Have you tried disk management? Does another file system such as NTFS work?

MiniTool partition wizard was pretty handy when I had to format stuff for other OSes which Windows didn't support.

AHarvey · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:21

Sandisks are normally set up as vaults, password protected systems etc.

try some of these: http://www.partition-tool.com/resou...-sandisk-write-protected-memory-card-usb.html

Might not be the same error message but worth a try

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:31

Orcvader said:
Have you tried disk management? Does another file system such as NTFS work?

MiniTool partition wizard was pretty handy when I had to format stuff for other OSes which Windows didn't support.

Tried disk management to no avail unfortunately.

Just tried Partition Wizard that you linked to, it recognised the drive, all good, I tried to format it to FAT32 (which it said it had) now neither Explorer nor Partition Wizard appears to be able to find it! :/

AHarvey said:
Sandisks are normally set up as vaults, password protected systems etc.

try some of these: http://www.partition-tool.com/resou...-sandisk-write-protected-memory-card-usb.html

Might not be the same error message but worth a try

Think I've upset it by maybe deleting this vault / password stuff prior to trying to format the thing maybe...

Tried this earlier (Making a new DWORD in Regedit) but no joy.

To make sure its not my PC, I've tried a couple of other USB sticks that I have, all are just fine.

SC0TTRS · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:32

Use DiskPart via CMD.

AHarvey · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:50

SC0TTRS said:
Use DiskPart via CMD.

OP has already tried that, says in the OP.

According to the sandisk site it shouldn't be this difficult. Maybe the drive is corrupt?
https://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/312

Armageus · 25 Jan 2017 at 14:57

Daft one, but it's not got a write protect switch?

The HP Tool normally works great so I would stick with that.

If you have access to another PC, worth trying that just in case yours has the Sandisk vault software installed or anything like that.

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:05

SC0TTRS said:
Use DiskPart via CMD.

Been there, done that.

Armageus said:
Daft one, but it's not got a write protect switch?

The HP Tool normally works great so I would stick with that.

If you have access to another PC, worth trying that just in case yours has the Sandisk vault software installed or anything like that.

Definitely no write protect switch.

I'll try the stick on my other half's laptop later, as I say though, my other sticks work just fine.

AHarvey · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:06

Files still in the recycle bin that you could put back on? not that it should make any difference but it's all worth a try.

Google shows a few people with similar issues, one had the same problem but it formatted fine on her boyfriends laptop.

Semple · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:14

Scania said:
if I use diskpart (From CMD), I can select the disk but if I try to format I'm told "There is no volume selected" - I type list volume but my stick isn't visible.

Did you try clean rather than format?

Select Disk X
Clean
then format with your required filesystem

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:22

AHarvey said:
Files still in the recycle bin that you could put back on? not that it should make any difference but it's all worth a try.

Google shows a few people with similar issues, one had the same problem but it formatted fine on her boyfriends laptop.

I had a cleanup last night after deleting the files but prior to realising I had a problem

- CCleaner has zapped them :/

I'll try the laptop later, fingers crossed!

Semple said:
Did you try clean rather than format?

Select Disk X
Clean
then format with your required filesystem

Tried that too, no joy.

demonix · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:47

Gparted might be another option (if it can see USB drives)

You never mentioned where you got it from (unless it was from an actual competitor), but if you got it from the 'bay or some other private seller somewhere on the internet then you might have gotten a fake (although the presence of the space hogging programs might indicate that it wasn't, but the fakers might have those files available to add to their fake drives).

andicole0 · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:54

Armageus said:
Daft one, but it's not got a write protect switch?

The HP Tool normally works great so I would stick with that.

If you have access to another PC, worth trying that just in case yours has the Sandisk vault software installed or anything like that.

Sandisk recommend using the HP USB tool.

http://download.cnet.com/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool/3000-2094_4-10974082.html

Andi.

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 17:29

demonix said:
Gparted might be another option (if it can see USB drives)

You never mentioned where you got it from (unless it was from an actual competitor), but if you got it from the 'bay or some other private seller somewhere on the internet then you might have gotten a fake (although the presence of the space hogging programs might indicate that it wasn't, but the fakers might have those files available to add to their fake drives).

Bought from a high st retailer who rhyme with "Whyman"

- I suppose technically they are a competitor so far as USB drives are concerned.

I'll give Gparted a whirl, thanks.

andicole0 said:
Sandisk recommend using the HP USB tool.

http://download.cnet.com/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool/3000-2094_4-10974082.html

Andi.

If you read my OP, I have that already.

andicole0 · 25 Jan 2017 at 18:25

Scania said:
SNIP

If you read my OP, I have that already.

Oops missed that.
Andi.

marc2003 · 25 Jan 2017 at 18:42

Looks like it's DOA. Get it sent back for a new one.

I've had plenty of Sandisk sticks over the years and while some have been dog slow, I've never had a problem formatting any of them.

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 18:43

Not having much joy with Gparted either :/

ron3003 · 25 Jan 2017 at 18:46

Give the free AOMEI Partition Assistant a go at it, got me out of trouble before.

Semple · 25 Jan 2017 at 19:26

Scania said:
Bought from a high st retailer who rhyme with "Whyman" -

Are they well known? i can't think of what on earth that could be!

Back on topic, i would suspect it's faulty.

With a number of the tools mentioned in this thread i wouldn't have expected none to have failed. Have you had it long? send back for replacement?

Scania · 25 Jan 2017 at 20:42

My father in law got it at the weekend, he wants me to put some music on it for him so he can use it in his car (2015 Kia Sportage) thing is he lives in Cyprus and flys back on Monday, I've been tasked this as he's a bit of a technophobe and has had trouble trying to do this with a different stick back home.

Despite the numerous tools suggested, none work, I can see the drive but have to unplug and plug it back in to do so.

Fairly sure it's borked.