# Solved: Cannot format/delete micro sd card



## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

I have tried to format a 8G micro sd card without success using a USB Card reader, to use the card for general documents etc..

I've tried various methods of DOS commands, Dos with Safe mode, switching the adaptor.

Used chkdsk with results as below:-

The type of the file system is FAT32.
The volume is in use by another process. Chkdsk
might report errors when no corruption is present.
Volume Serial Number is 6564-6531
Windows is verifying files and folders...
File and folder verification is complete.
Windows has checked the file system and found no problems.
7,753,728 KB total disk space.
3,168 KB in 98 folders.
4,290,720 KB in 7,644 files.
3,459,808 KB are available.

32,768 bytes in each allocation unit.
242,304 total allocation units on disk.
108,119 allocation units available on disk.

If I go to properties to change from 'read only' I get the following error:-

"An error occurred applying attributes to the file"

" F:\****"

"Data error (cyclic redundancy check)"

Yet if I do this in Dos with the cmds, it completes it function in changing its attributes without errors. I can do other cards I have of 4G without any problems showing the adapter is good. 

The card was an old GPS/SatNav card, so it appears to have something written to prevent any changes or formats/deletion.

Unless someone knows otherwise.

thanks


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

is the card seen in disk management please
that is control panel admin tools computer management disk management
or windows button right click computer and click manage
then disk management on left pane


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

Thanks for the reply.

Yes its shown as a "7.40 GB FAT32 - Healthy (Primary Partition)"


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

right click it on the lower pane is format an otion


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

Right clicking within the panel for the micro sd card partition F:, will show Format.

Have tried both "Quick format" which tells me the Format did not complete successfully" or if "Quick format" is unchecked, led indication on the USB reader goes on for evermore without any indication of failure or success.

thanks


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## mtzlplex (Aug 5, 2002)

If you`ve a mind to, see if this freeware gives a little more info on the card/errors than what you have. It is H2testw found here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/H2testw.shtml


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

thanks

Tried the test and it writes nothing to the card to verify, although the led is flashing on the card reader showing activity of some sort. Tried switching the write protection with no results.

Yet if I put the adapter with the micro into my internal card reader within my Laptop and carry out the same test.
The results as follows:-

Error creating file 'F:\1.h2w'.
(The media is write protected. Code 19)
Warning: Only 3378 of 7572 MByte tested.
Writing speed: 0.00 KByte/s
H2testw v1.4

thanks


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## mtzlplex (Aug 5, 2002)

If there is no write protect switch on the side of the card/adapter, I would venture to say that you are out of luck. Over all the years, I have never been able to/seen some one reverse write protection enabled on a flash drive or sd card that doesn`t have a write protection switch. I`ve seen hundreds of people on the web that couldn`t reverse write protection, but I have never seen someone accomplish it. That`s just a personal opinion, hang in there, someone may come along with the answer you need.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

mtzlplex said:


> If there is no write protect switch on the side of the card/adapter, I would venture to say that you are out of luck. Over all the years, I have never been able to/seen some one reverse write protection enabled on a flash drive or sd card that doesn`t have a write protection switch. I`ve seen hundreds of people on the web that couldn`t reverse write protection, but I have never seen someone accomplish it. That`s just a personal opinion, hang in there, someone may come along with the answer you need.


I think you are the first to mention the tab. That needs to be checked, for sure. If it is a micro, it needs to go in an adapter with a slide switch.

To the OP: It IS a normal SD card and not an SDX or other type, right (for which you will need a special file-system driver)?


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Also, if it does have lock protection, inserting the micro SD card into the adapter may well activate the write protect
TRY this
If the card adapter's lock keeps locking, the act of inserting the card into the card reader could be switching the lock back. A small piece of tape over the locking switch will prevent this from happening.


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

thanks guys,

Yes the Adapter has a switch, no it does not change position once set no matter if it is placed into Laptop card reader or USB card reader.

Have tried using "Killdisk.exe" and "WriteprotectUSBdevices" from the 'HirensbootCD'.

And still no joy..........

thanks again


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

blairzou said:


> You can get in the Disk Management by right-click the Computer on the left.In Disk Management, you can manage your disk with extend or delete volume.
> If you are finding a easy way to complete yor goal, you can use Partition Assistant by download free demo.
> 
> http://www.partition-magic.org/download.html


I can get into Disk Management, and still cannot format or delete the data on the removal mass storage.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I think we are back to the earlier answer


> Over all the years, I have never been able to/seen some one reverse write protection enabled on a flash drive or sd card that doesn`t have a write protection switch. I`ve seen hundreds of people on the web that couldn`t reverse write protection, but I have never seen someone accomplish it. That`s just a personal opinion, hang in there, someone may come along with the answer you need.


from my colleague* mtzlplex*

I am sure you must have covered this, but presumably you cannot gain access to the model of GPS on which it was OR if still a current make does their website have any info.

Neither can I really see WHY it would work but try DISKPART on a cmd prompt 
TYPE
Diskpart
then
list disk
then select the disk
then try the format/clean cmds
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(v=ws.10).aspx


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

thanks tried them,

But as before it tells me the disk is 'write protected'.

The disc shows to have a capacity of 7.39GB
The satnav program takes 4.09GB, leaving 3.29GB

No matter whether I try to format or paste something on it, it always 'Write Protected'..

I shall try and find the satnav system I used it on for more info.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

well - How I wish - I from the North of the land of song could help you from the south
Unfortunately - I have no other ideas.

This to me seems so way out as to be not really worthy of trying
BUT who knows
I do not think the microSD will make a difference
https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

Done some searching for the cure.

As my Laptop is Win 7 Home 64 bit, it appears to be a common problem.

One site suggests the following:-

Start -> Run... -> gpedit.msc -> OK
Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Removable Storage Access
In here I disabled all of the "Deny read access/write access" options; you may only want to disable the ones relating directly to the type of media that you want to access.
Here are the ones I changed:

Removable Disks: Deny execute access
Removable Disks: Deny read access
Removable Disks: Deny write access

Double-click each one and select the 'Disabled' radio button.
Do the same as above, except the first step is "User Configuration" instead of "Computer Configuration"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Firstly I did not have gpedit.msc so I found a download and placed it in system32 as instructed.

Doing as instructed above and searched for:- Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Removable Storage Access. 

Removable Storage is not listed. Why ???

The site also says to run 'mmc', here also no mention of Removable Storage.

Also as many suggest to go into the registry and check "Hkey_Local_Machine>System>ControlSet/01/02 to check Dword value at 0, if not there. Then put it in manually.

Any clues


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Have you tried my last on post 15


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## exceller (Dec 2, 2003)

Macboatmaster said:


> Have you tried my last on post 15


Sorry, Yes tried that ages ago with same results. No Joy....

thanks


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Well I am back to my earlier post - 15
I have run out of suggestions
Sorry
Hope you find the solution


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