How do I format a USB key

Happychappy

I have a 1gb USB memory key which I have tried to format, the Windos XP right click and format does not do anyhting, I can also see it is in RAW which I thought it used to be a FAT32 or similar

Anyone ever tried to format a USB, any help appreciated

Conor_3

Just did the same as you. Takes quite a while to initialise though. Might be better doing it in Disk Management, deleting and re-creating the partition, than the way you've tried.

Happychappy

Unfortuantely when I go to disc management it just shows the disc to be Unreadable? I have also tried a command prompt to format L:\ but that also doesnt work, so any help out there apreciated.

The flash pen had worked fine until the other day when I loaded the contents of a CD and it changed from FAT file system to RAW and now gives reading of being full and unreadable.

torbrex

I did one from windows explorer and just right clicked it then format removeable disc, mine was fat32 though I dont know how that differs from raw.

ormus

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/serveroptions/us/download/23839.html

if windows xp wont do it under disk management, then try the hp utility prog above. it works for most usb pens.

KILL_BILL

if its a flash drive then it would be fat 32 file system

raw refers to image file system used in digital cameras

Happychappy

KILL_BILL wrote: »

if its a flash drive then it would be fat 32 file system

raw refers to image file system used in digital cameras

I appreciate that, it was Fat 32 but is now showing as RAW and I tried the HP route but that came up showing a write protected error. ?

espresso

What make/model is it? the decent ones have several years guarantee.

spakkker

I use the manufacturers program which should be available from their website.However I've had a 1GB drive exchanged because it had 'locked up' earlier this year and now I always use the correct removal method.