Full formatting or quick formatting? Formatting methods. How to properly format a flash drive. Programs and formatting methods
Everyone, one way or another, has at least once encountered the need to format a flash drive. Standard procedure, but not everyone pays due attention to it, especially to the format itself. This is exactly what I would like to talk about in more detail in this material. So let's discuss what format to format everything in.
Why formatting is needed
Before we get to the point, it’s worth understanding a little about why formatting is needed in the first place. Many people mistakenly believe that by formatting a flash drive, they simply delete all unnecessary information from her, but that's not true. The drive has a certain digital structure, similar to the same hard drives. The structure consists of clusters that have a certain volume for storing information.
Over time, clusters can become overwritten, overwritten, or even become broken. As a result, this all leads to not quite correct operation the drive itself, and the only thing that can help in this situation is formatting.
During this process, the entire structure (clusters) is updated anew, which brings it, so to speak, to its normal, previous form. It is also possible to completely overwrite clusters by changing the format. Let's figure out which format is best to format a flash drive.
Ext4
The first format is Ext4. It is extremely rare to find flash drives with such a file system, and all for one simple reason - such drives can only work in the operating room Linux system. If you insert such a flash drive into a PC running Windows, nothing will happen, because the system is not designed to work with this format.
FAT32
When choosing which format to format the flash drive for, you can choose the standard one, which is offered by default by the operating system - FAT32. It already exists quite for a long time and remains one of the most popular on at the moment. Almost all flash drives and drives that leave the factory (up to 8 GB in capacity) are formatted in the FAT32 file system. Previously, there were 2 more formats - FAT and FAT16, but they were quite outdated, so they were abandoned.
FAT32 is easily recognized by any operating system, which makes this format universal. Another advantage can be called high speed transferring data when copying. However, there were some downsides. The most important drawback of the format is the limitation on the maximum size of one file: it should not exceed 4 GB. Also, the disadvantages include not very high reliability. As a rule, flash drives running FAT32 fail quite quickly, as a result of which the user may lose some important information at the most inopportune moment.
NTFS
Very often the question: “In what format should I format the flash drive?” you can hear a very common answer: “Well, of course, in NTFS!” And this is not surprising, because NTFS is devoid of almost all the disadvantages that the FAT file system has. For example, there are no file size restrictions, which is a big plus. In addition, drives with the NTFS file system have very high reliability and durability, which allows them not to be afraid of system failures or incorrect extractions.
The disadvantages of NTFS include not the highest data transfer speed. In fact, it is much less than that of FAT32, but, as they say, As for compatibility, drives with the NTFS file system work with almost all operating systems, except perhaps very old Windows ME, 98 and 95.
exFAT
exFAT is a format that replaced FAT32. Its main difference from its predecessor is that it has no restrictions regarding file sizes. In other words, it is practically the same NTFS, but with some differences. Firstly, the cluster volume has been increased to 32 KB, secondly, the data transfer speed is much higher, and thirdly, exFAT uses space more economically.
The main disadvantage of this format is that it is not yet very widespread and has poor compatibility with other operating systems. Drives with such a file system work correctly only on Windows 7 and higher operating systems. Performance on devices other than computers is also low.
If you choose which format to format the flash drive in from the three presented above, then perhaps you should opt for NTFS if your drive has a capacity of more than 8 GB. If less, then the choice is obvious - FAT32. For those who like experimenting, we can recommend exFAT, but you need to be extremely careful with it.
What format should I format a flash drive for Android?
When formatting microSD cards For Android smartphones it is recommended to use file system FAT32, which is the default. Why not NTFS? Because the Android OS is based on Linux, which is not friendly with this system from birth. On the Internet, of course, there is a lot of information about how, with the help of various manipulations and programs, you can still make NTFS work on Android, but inexperienced users It is better to refrain from such experiments.
So, when choosing which format to format a flash drive for Android in, it’s best to stick with the usual FAT32.
Flash drive– a removable, solid-state USB drive that is used to transfer or store information by users. There are often cases when, as a result of some kind of failure, it is not possible to format a flash drive. The flash drive itself consists of two components: a controller and memory. There are a great many reasons why a drive can fail, but some of them can be resolved on your own.
We already had an article about. We did it in a standard way.
If you can't format the flash drive standard methods from the window "My computer", then you can try using additional means.
Formatting using the command line
To do this, go to the menu "Start" and point "Run"(this item can be called using hot keys Win+R), after which we enter "cmd". The console will open. We will use the command "chkdsk", which will allow you to perform a low-level disk check.
To do this, enter into the console "chkdsk H: /f /r", Where "H:" this is the name of the disk that is a flash drive (if the name is different, you need to change it to the desired one).
After the command has been entered, you must press Enter and the check will start. Verification may continue long time, depending on the storage capacity. If the check is completed successfully, then you can format the flash drive using standard means.
Formatting using a third-party utility
Let's use the utility HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool . You need to download and unpack it. This program does not require installation, but it is better to run it as an administrator. After launching in the menu "Device" should choose the necessary flash drive(Attention, you must choose correctly, otherwise you may damage your computer). You can navigate by the name and capacity of the drive.
Next, you need to select the required type from the menu « File System» (most often this is FAT32), set the label in the line "Volume label" and press "Start". You don’t need to check any more boxes, and if they are, you need to disable them. If formatting was successful, the flash drive will continue to work.
The above methods are only suitable if the USB drive is detected by the system normally; if this does not happen, it means that the flash drive controller is most likely damaged and repair will require more effort. If the memory chip is not damaged, then after the above manipulations the flash drive should start working normally. And most importantly, to avoid losing valuable data, you should always do backup copy data placed on a flash drive, then if the flash drive fails, it can be easily disposed of without worrying that the data is lost.
Sometimes, to restore the functionality of a flash drive, you need to format it. In this article, we will look at how to properly format a flash drive and which formatting system is better to choose: FAT or NTFS.
To format a flash drive, you should not download or search for any special programs or utilities. Windows handles this task perfectly in a short time.
Which better system formatting to choose? How is the FAT system different from NTFS? All you need to know about these systems is that a formatted flash drive in FAT system you cannot copy or write a file larger than 4 gigabytes, for example ISO image or some movie high quality. A NTFS system Supports recording files larger than 4 gigabytes.
So when choosing to format a flash drive, be guided by the size of the file you want to write to it.
So, to format a flash drive, insert it into USB port computer and wait for it to be determined. Open “My Computer”
We find our flash drive. For me it is called “SARDU”, for you it will most likely be called “ Removable disk" Read below how to name a flash drive with your own name.
Select the flash drive with one click of the left mouse button
Then click on the selected flash drive with the right mouse button, thereby bringing up a window with a choice of options. In the window that opens, select “Format”
The formatting window opens. Here we can choose which section to go to format FAT or NTFS
Select a formatting system from the drop-down menu. For example, I chose NTFS, since I need to write a file larger than 4 gigabytes
In the “Volume Label” form, enter any title or Name. This will be the name of your flash drive. It will be visible when browsing your computer's disks. For example, I called it “SARDU”, now I gave it the name “My flash drive”
Below we see formatting methods. Mostly quick formatting is used, but if your flash drive is very buggy, then you can use full formatting; to do this, you need to uncheck the box next to “Quick (cleaning table of contents)”. Be aware that full formatting will take much longer than usual. So everything is ready. Click the start button.
A warning message should appear information window. We agree and click the “Ok” button. Formatting has started.
After formatting is complete, an information window will appear indicating that formatting is complete. Click “OK” 
Now we see that our flash drive is formatted and empty. It's called "My flash drive", i.e. as I wrote in the “Volume Label” field
And remember that formatting a flash drive will destroy all data on it. So before doing this, copy all the files to your computer.
Introducing programs for reliable formatting of flash drives
In this article we will look at the following question: which program to choose for formatting flash drives. Nowadays flash drives different types are used everywhere.
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Let's get down to business...
Introduction
In terms of convenience and speed of work (in moving information) - better than a flash drive can't find the device. But like any device, a flash drive can fail, that is, break. Their breakdowns are different.
For example, if it is a mechanical malfunction, such as a flash drive fell on the floor and became unreadable, or the flash drive was in water, and so on. Such breakdowns usually cannot even be repaired, unless they undergo specialized repairs.
But since the prices for them are now very low, repairing them in specialized service not profitable unless the flash drive contained very important data, which can often be recovered.
From this we can conclude that a flash drive is a fairly fragile device and careless use of it can lead to its breakdown and loss of all data on it.
Formatting a flash drive
But it also happens that a flash drive just needs to be formatted in order to improve its performance or change the file system, install ntfs or fat32. This can of course be done in the standard way in operating system (go to my computer - right-click on the flash drive "properties" - format), but this doesn't always help.
But in this case there is a lot various programs, which help not only change the file system but also bring the flash drive back to “life” or improve its speed. We will analyze these programs in this article.
This advice is that if you decide to find a program for formatting a flash drive, then it is advisable to use the same one as the manufacturer of the flash drive. For example, if you have a Kingston company, then it is advisable to select a utility for Kingston flash drives, but this is only possible, if not or don’t want to bother searching, then just use the ones presented below.
But this is not always possible to do, so you can completely use drives that are universal for all types of drives.
Let's move on to downloading programs for formatting a flash drive - we present below the 2 most effective and popular
The first program we will analyze will be HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. Very good tool to fulfill our goal.
You can also download it from the official website. The program can be downloaded from this link http://www.teryra.com/articl_comp/kak_otformatirovat_fleshky/HPUSBFW.ZIP (copy, paste into the browser and press enter). There is no need to install the program, just run it.
It is packaged in an archive, in order to run it you may need an archiver, in general it is standard program How and where you can download it, see the article on how to open a rar file.
And so, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool program very easy to use. All you need is:
- Launch it
- Indicate your flash drive in the first line
- Next, specify the file system, preferably NTFS, although FAT32 is also possible
- And put a tick in the Quick Format line. There is a small nuance here. If you just need to change the file system, for example from FAT32 to NTFS, then check the box. A tick indicates that formatting will be quick. If we need to fix incorrect operation flash drive or you can’t write files to it at all, then don’t check the box. This means that the formatting will be complete. At full formatting speaking in simple language, some errors that have accumulated on the flash drive are corrected and perhaps after this process it will work better.
Don't forget that formatting deletes all information from the flash drive, so copy it if there is anything important
If everything is specified, then click “Start”:
The following program is hdd low level format tool
To download it, click here:
Install hdd low level format tool
The installation process is standard, click next and next everywhere, only in the window license agreement click “Accept”.
The entire program is installed, the only thing is that it is paid and when you start it a window will appear asking you to pay or use it for a limited time. But it will be enough for us to perform several operations.
If you don't want to pay, then choose trial version, that is, click the bottom line “Continue for free”:
The program looks like the figure below. In our case, as we see, the program has identified two devices, these are hard drive at 1.5 Tr. and a 16 GB flash drive:
How hdd low level format tool works
This program approaches the formatting process more thoroughly. It performs low-level formatting (as stated, although there is an opinion that this process can only be launched in factory conditions, but we still try).
During this formatting, sectors are edited and bad zones are eliminated. Can show the technical condition of the hard drive (only for hard drives), to do this, in the initial device selection window, select your hard drive and click “Continue”, and then go to the S.M.A.R.T. tab. and click on the “Get Smart Data” button:
In order to format a flash drive, select it in the initial window ( ATTENTION! WE ARE VERY CAREFUL HERE, WE CHOOSE Slowly, Otherwise, you will format your hard drive and lose all the data accumulated over a long time), click “Continue”:
In the next window, go to the LOW-LEVEL FORMAT tab and click on “Format This Device” at the bottom. The process will begin low level formatting, will take from 40 minutes to several hours:
This program often helps to cope with a problem such as a flash drive that has stopped being read or has started to work slowly. It is very important to do everything slowly and thoughtfully. If you doubt something, it is better to ask someone again than to later regret hasty actions.
So we looked at such an interesting and popular question as a program for formatting flash drives. This is very useful information. Thanks to it, in many cases you can save a flash drive from emerging problems.
Often formatting a flash drive is necessary to restore the drive's functionality. Sometimes you can encounter a situation where problems arise when trying to read or rewrite information, and you cannot do it. One of the reasons is damage to some parts of the memory. If you format, these areas can be eliminated. Oddly enough, this operation is also applicable to recovering information from damaged media.
What types of formatting are there?
Today there are only two types of formatting, namely full and quick. In the first case, information is replaced with zeros (that is, zeroing occurs), in other words, permanent deletion files. After such formatting, there can be no talk of any further restoration. This method used to resuscitate damaged memory areas, as well as to remove viruses. In the second case, the removal is performed exclusively technical information, while all files remain in the same places. This is the method that is used when restoring files that are located on failed media.
The flash drive is formatted for optimization
Often, when buying a brand new flash card of decent capacity, you cannot write a file whose size is more than 4 GB. IN in this case, most likely, your flash drive was formatted in FAT32, but it does not work with such large files. To correct this inconvenience, you will need to format the flash drive in a different format, for example, formatting a flash drive in Linux. Any utilities can be used for such a procedure. They work well staff programs installed operating system.
Format a flash drive to speed up work
Formatting a flash drive can also be done to speed up its operation. During operation, information is repeatedly erased or written to special cells, and this in turn contributes to the division of memory into numerous separate areas. As a rule, this feature slows down the operation of the flash drive to some extent. In order to remove such a nuisance, full formatting will be required.
Low-level formatting
All disks go through this procedure at the factory, this also applies to flash drives. Only on specialized equipment it's really possible to do this. Essentially, the process is a kind of markup hard drive, in which the tracks are divided into sectors. Service information is recorded in some of these sectors and marks are placed, which are subsequently used to position the heads. All other tracks are reset to zero, and the information recorded on them becomes irrevocably inaccessible.