Can't Format

scout617 · 26 Apr 2013

I recently lost the right click | format ability. I can right click and choose format, but the dialogue box doesn't open. I also attempt to format by right click on the drive in Explorer but get a pop-up every time as depicted in the attached screen shot. The disk has no write-protect switch and I can format the disk in disk administrator then write files to the disk. I am a huge right click junkie so this is driving me nuts. I am sure there is a quick fix I am missing but have done everything I can think of.

DocBrown · 26 Apr 2013

Welcome scout617,

Can you give us a screen snip from your Disk Management ?

Start

Computer Management

Disk Management
Maximize to full screen
Take a Snip of it with the Snipping Tool, Save snip, then upload the snip here in your post.

gregrocker · 26 Apr 2013

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image - Windows 7 Help Forums

scout617 · 27 Apr 2013

Doc,

Thank you for the help.

-Scout

DocBrown · 27 Apr 2013

From the snip, this looks like a 2gb USB flash drive ? And you are on a MAC, was it originally formatted on a Mac ?

Since I have not had any Science Experiments with MAC's, I don't want to suggest anything that may make things worse.

scout617 · 27 Apr 2013

I formatted the USB disk in Windows using disk management. That works. Unfortunately I can't right click format, nor can I format in Explorer. Totally bizarre I know. But I teach, a lot. And format frequently. Small potatoes but the extra clicks when you are in a routine are not fun, and frankly, I am intrigued. I am thinking a registry value got hosed somewhere.

Strangely, when I right click and choose format, nothing happens. When I insert a USB disk, the window I sent in my first post pops up, and then format fails. Then I can go to disk management and format there.

Can't Format

Can't Format

Here you go.

You can't make it worse