Windows can't format this disk?

XVZ012 · 05 Feb 2013

SO, problem is: I got this USB, it worked very well 'til some days ago. I can't format it, no matter what I try, e.g. formatting it using different formats, formatting it using Computer Management, formatting it in safe mode. None of these things seem to work for me, and I have no idea why. There's also something else to it: before it became unusable and not format-able, it was somewhere around 4GB, and now, when I want to format it, it gives only the option to format it using the capacity of 12.5MB, which doesn't work anyway. I've tried looking at unpartioned spaces in it, but there aren't any, so I completely have no idea how to go through this problem. If anyone could help, it'd be very appreciated!

TVeblen · 05 Feb 2013

Probably a failed stick. You usually get that message if the drive has bad sectors (memory addresses) or a bad controller, and the format cannot proceed.

You could try and wipe the drive (write all zeros) using Diskpart or a third party program like Partition Wizard, then see if you can create a volume and format it. But it might just be dead.

jumanji · 05 Feb 2013

Try formatting it with HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool Download HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3 Free - Windows-based Format Utility for HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB Device - Softpedia ( The Windows executable has to be run as administrator )

If it cannot format your drive, I would say that is the end.