How Can I Re-Format A Memory Stick?

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  1. Posts : 40
    Windows 7 Home Premium
       #1

    How Can I Re-Format A Memory Stick?


    I installed and formatted a Maxell 32 GB USB memory stick in my Dell computer which has a Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit operating system. Saved many photos on it, and then removed it. Today I re-inserted it, and the computer wouldn't read it: it advised I must format the stick before it could be used. Knowing full well I was about to wipe the thing clean, I did a "Format" operation, and it is now re-formatted to 1 MB.

    Any ideas about how I can restore the thing to 32 GB capacity?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 475
    Windows 7 Pro x64 -- PCLinuxOS KDE4 FullMonty 2011
       #2

    SD Card Formatter should do it. Just used it myself. Download link is on the left side of the page.
      My Computer


  3. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #3

    For storing data, I would format it to Fat32, not NTFS.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 40
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #4

    No Joy


    I previously formatted the stick to FAT32.

    Downloaded, installed, and ran the SD Card Formatter.

    The stick is still set to 1 MB.

    Thank you both for trying to help!
      My Computer


  5. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #5

    Post a picturre of Disk Management where your stick shows. That may help us to better understand what is going on.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 40
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #6

    How Can I Re-Format Stick Memory


    The stick memory (officially, I suppose it's a USB flash memory card) is the F Drive on the attached screen shot.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails How Can I Re-Format A Memory Stick?-disk-management-screen-shot.png  
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 475
    Windows 7 Pro x64 -- PCLinuxOS KDE4 FullMonty 2011
       #7

    Don't know why that program didn't work. I used it fives minutes before posting about it & it got my stick back to normal.

    Anyway see how this goes. You could use the 'clean all' option. That should get it back to new.

    Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #8

    Did you trying going into computer, left clicking the card, hitting format in the pop-up menu, then hitting the 'Restore Device Defaults' button?
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  9. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #9

    ColMac said:
    The stick memory (officially, I suppose it's a USB flash memory card) is the F Drive on the attached screen shot.
    Can you make the screenshot such that the stick also shows in the lower pane.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 40
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #10

    How Can I Re-Format. . .


    First of all, thanks to all of you for your advice and suggestions.

    I believe I have a hardware failure.

    In addition to trying to follow your advisories, I have downloaded, installed, and launched tools available online at:

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


    http://www.flashmemorytoolkit.com/

    Although Windows recognizes the drive, the HP tool does not. The flash memory tool kit re-formats it to 1 MB (again).

    So I give up, and will return the drive to the retailer, hoping for a credit or exchange.

    Again, thanks for trying to help.
      My Computer


 
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