# Can't format USB drive



## eee-tee (Feb 13, 2004)

my 1 gig USb pen drive cant be formatted- I can start it, but an error message pops up at the end. It needs to be formatted to use it. Anything i can do?


----------



## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

Do you have any other devices attached, like another USB flash drive or external CD/HDD drive


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Start, Run, diskmgmt.msc

Right click on it and try formatting it there.


----------



## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

"I can start it, but an error message pops up at the end. "

So once you start the format, what is the error message?


----------



## eee-tee (Feb 13, 2004)

Hi, I do have other USB devices attached, but when I try using it on my laptop, which doesn't, the problem is the same.
When I attempt to format using My Computer> Format it starts but at the end says "Windows was unable to complete the format".
When i try the disk mgmt the same happens


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The drive may have simply died.


----------



## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

JohnWill said:


> The drive may have simply died.


either that or not initialized.


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Couriant said:


> either that or not initialized.


Possibly, though usually that would be an error at the start of the format, not the end. Can't hurt to try.


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

eee-tee said:


> Hi, I do have other USB devices attached, but when I try using it on my laptop, which doesn't, the problem is the same.
> When I attempt to format using My Computer> Format it starts but at the end says "Windows was unable to complete the format".
> When i try the disk mgmt the same happens


In disk Management, try right clicking on the left hand panel next to the drive and see if the Initialize option is available. If so, try that before you do the format.


----------



## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

JohnWill said:


> Possibly, though usually that would be an error at the start of the format, not the end. Can't hurt to try.


hmmm... correct, that you are.  I couldn't think of anything else that is associated with formatting


----------

