Do you know what to do when you can't visit or access your data on storage devices? There are a number of common issues that may happen to any brand of storage devices.
Here, we have taken SanDisk as an example and categorized the usual problems that occurred on SanDisk USB flash drives, pen drives, micro SD cards, SDHC cards, and SDXC cards, into two groups with corresponding solutions.
These problems can all be solved by either formatting the disk using a reliable SanDisk format tool or manually repair the device with a SanDisk repair tool.
Common Issues with SanDisk Cards and Flash Drives
Check which category that your problem falls into, then follow the respective guide to get your SanDisk or other brands of devices work again.
| Category 1. Need a SanDisk Format Tool | Category 2. Need a SanDisk Repair Tool |
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Whether the problem you have is on your internal hard drive, external hard drive, USB, memory SD card, apply the recommended SanDisk format tools or SanDisk repair tools with how-to tutorials to make your device function again.
- Damaged registry files, malware, viruses, and corrupted data can result in Sandisk issues. These errors are often caused by improper maintenance of your system. If not fixed, this may lead to severe computer problems.
- Jun 15, 2019 The free Windows version of this SanDisk recovery software tool can undelete up to 500 MB of data and preview an unlimited number of files. To recover more data, you need to upgrade to Disk Drill PRO for just $89.
Part 1. SanDisk Format Tool Free Download and Format the Disk
When facing SanDisk problems similar to the listed entries in the first category, go ahead and download SanDisk format tools for help. Here in this part, we've collected 4 formatting tools that you can pick up one to format your SanDisk devices now:
- #1. EaseUS Partition Master
- #2. Windows File Explorer
- #3. Windows Disk Management
- #4. CMD - Windows DiskPart Command Prompt
#1. Format SanDisk Device using EaseUS Partition Master
Remember to back up your data to another location first if you can access the device for now. If you cannot open the device at all, format your device first, and then let reliable data recovery software to bring all your lost files back.
Instead of recommending Windows built-in tools, we would like to let you try EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition. The reason why we recommend this free partition manager as the first SanDisk format tool is that it enables you to perform more advanced operations besides formatting.
- Pros: ①. 100% free formatting; ②. Format 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, and even bigger device to FAT32; ③. Convert FAT32 to NTFS; ④. Clone and partition storage device, etc.
- Cons: Doesn't work on macOS.
- Supported Format: NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, Ext4/Ext3/Ext2, exFAT, etc.
- Best for: All levels of users - beginners, experienced and professional users
Guide: 4-Step Format a Sandisk Drive in Windows
Connect your problematic SanDisk drive or removable device to your PC and follow next steps to format it with ease.
Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition on your external hard drive/USB/SD card which you want to format and choose the 'Format' option.
Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click 'OK'.
Step 3. In the Warning window, click 'OK' to continue.
Step 4. Click the 'Execute Operation' button in the top-left corner to review the changes, then click 'Apply' to start formatting your external hard drive/USB/SD card.
#2. Format SanDisk Device using File Explorer
As Windows File Explorer is a Windows built-in tool, you don't need to download it at all. As long as the File Explorer is working properly, you can format your SanDisk or other brands of devices with ease.
- Pros: 100% free
- Cons: Cannot format 64GB or bigger USB, SD card to FAT32;
- Supported Format: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT
- Best for: Window beginners
Tutorial: 4-Step to Format SanDisk Device
Step 1. Connect SanDisk device to your PC. Open Windows File Explorer, right-click on SanDisk device that you need to format, select 'Format'.
Step 2. Rename the drive, reset its file system to FAT32 or exFAT.
Step 3. Click 'Start' to begin the formatting.
Step 4. When the formatting process completes, click 'OK' and close File Explorer.
#3. Format SanDisk using Windows Disk Management
Being similar to File Explorer, Windows Disk Management is pre-installed on Windows computer. You can easily apply it to format or change a device file system. As a result, no download and installation are required.
- Pros: ①. 100% free; ②. Partition SanDisk or other brands of devices;
- Cons: Cannot format 64GB or bigger device to FAT32;
- Supported Format: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT;
- Best for: Experienced users
How-to Guide: 4-Step to Format SanDisk Device
Step 1. Connect your SanDisk device to PC, right-click 'This PC' or 'My Computer' and choose 'Manage'.
Step 2. Go to 'Disk Management'.
Step 3. Right-click the SanDisk hard drive partition and choose 'Format'.
Step 4. Set the volume label, file system, and click 'OK' to start formatting the drive.
When the formatting process completes, exit Disk Management.
#4. Format SanDisk using Windows DiskPart Command Prompt
Windows DiskPart command prompt is more like a disk management tool that cannot only format your SanDisk device but also work to resolve other issues on your devices. You can easily bring it up without downloading or installing it.
- Pros: ①. 100% free; ②. Works more than formatting, such as to convert disk to GPT;
- Cons: ①. Complex for beginners; ②. Any false operation may cause serious problems;
- Supported Format: NTFS, FAT/FAT32, exFAT;
- Best for: Professional or advanced users
Step-by-Step Guide: Format SanDisk Device using DiskPart
Step 1. Keep your SanDisk device connected to PC. Type cmd in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt and select 'Open as Administrator'.
Step 2. Type diskpart in Command Prompt and hit Enter.
Step 3. Type below command lines in DiskPart and hit Enter each time to quick format SanDisk drive:
Make sure you enter the right command each time.
- list disk
- select disk 2 (Replace 2 with your SanDisk disk number)
- list volume
- select volume 10 (Replace 10 with the volume number of the partition that you want to format)
- format fs=ntfs quick (If you need to format a hard drive partition to FAT32 or other file systems, replace ntfs with fat32, exfat, etc.)
Step 4. Type exit and hit Enter to close the command window when DiskPart reports it has successfully formatted the volume.
Part 2. SanDisk Repair Tool Free Download
For the situations in the second category, simply formatting the disk will likely not be sufficient. Instead, it will require some advanced operations, such as applying SanDisk repair tools to fix these issues on your device.
Here, we also collected several SanDisk repair tools for you to pick up and apply to repair corrupted, unreadable and even write-protected SanDisk devices:
- #1. EaseUS CleanGenius + EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition
- #2. CMD - Windows DiskPart Command Line
- #3. File Explorer + Disk Error Checking
- #4. Registry Editor
As the solutions toward different cases are different even using the same SanDisk repair tool. In the following, we'll guide you through the process to repair different SanDisk device errors with respective SanDisk repair tools.
Case 1. Repair a Write-protected SanDisk SD Card or Flash Drive
When a SanDisk card, USB, or other brands of storage devices become write-protected, you cannot direct format to remove the write protection.
For example, when an SD card or USB becomes write-protected, you can try to unlock the device by toggling its switch. However, if this doesn't work, you'll need to fix a write-protected SanDisk drive with the following methods:
Method 1. Fix Write-Protected SanDisk Device using EaseUS CleanGenius and EaseUS Partition Master
Connect SanDisk device which is write-protected to your computer. And then continue to remove write protection with the following steps. It's free.
If you are not professional in computing management and not familiar with command lines, don't worry. EaseUS R&D team has promoted a fresh kit for helping you resolve the write-protection issue on your hard drive, external hard drive, USB or SD card, etc., devices.
EaseUS CleanGenius is a practical computer fixing tool that is safe and light-weighted. It's a perfect alternative to the command line.
Use this one-click tool to solve the write-protection issues on your own:
Step 1: DOWNLOAD and install EaseUS CleanGenius for free.
Step 2: Run EaseUS CleanGenius on your PC, select 'Optimization' and choose the 'Write Protection' mode.
Step 3: Select the device which is now Write-Protected and click 'Disable' to remove the protection.
When you have removed write protection from the device, you can then apply EaseUS Partition Master with its Format feature to format the device usable again. You can revert to the formatting tutorial in Part 1 as a guide.
Method 2. Remove Write Protection from SanDisk Device using CMD
Remember to connect the write-protected SanDisk device to your computer before starting the following steps. Be careful while using DiskPart command line.
Step 1. Press 'Windows + R' and enter cmd. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Step 2. Type diskpart and hit Enter.
Step 3. Type the following command lines and hit Enter each time:
- list disk
- select disk # (# is the number of your SanDisk USB/SD card/SSD drive that you want to remove write protection from.)
- attributes disk clear readonly
Step 4. Type exit and hit Enter to close DiskPart.
Method 3. Remove Write Protection from SanDisk using Registry Editor
If you are a Windows beginner, we suggest you revert to Method 1 and apply EaseUS CleanGenius for help. Registry Editor is efficient in removing write protection error, however, it's not for beginners.
Any false operation may cause device malfunction on your computer. Follow the steps carefully while removing the SanDisk device write protection error:
Step 1. Type Regedit in the search box and hit Enter.
Click 'Yes' to open the Registry editor when you see it is displayed at the top of the list.
Step 2. And then navigate to the following key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies
Step 3. Double-click on the WriteProtect value in the right-hand pane of Registry Editor.
Change the Value data from 1 to 0 and click 'OK' to save the change.
After this, close Registry and restart your computer.
Case 2. Repair Corrupted, Unreadable SanDisk Device on Windows PC
Mostly, when SanDisk or other brands of storage devices not detected by Windows PC or becomes inaccessible, it may contain a file system error, bad sector, or internal errors. To fix this issue, you can try the following methods with a reliable SanDisk repair tool for help:
Method 1. Use Free Partition Manager - EaseUS Partition Master
EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition with its Check File System feature enables you to easily fix file system error, soft bad sectors, and even some internal errors that stop you from visiting the device on Windows PC.
Here are the steps:
Method 2. Run Disk Error Checking in File Explorer
Step 1. Open File Explorer, right-click the SanDisk device and choose 'Properties'.
Step 2. Under on the Tools tab, click the Check button under the Error-checking section.
Step 3. Next, you can choose to 'Scan drive' to scan errors and click 'Repair drive' if errors were found.
Method 3. Run CHKDSK Command to Repair SanDisk Drive Error
CHKDSK command works to repair internal device errors on all brands of storage devices. Follow the steps carefully when you need to run the command and repair corrupted SanDisk device:
Step 1. Type cmd in the Search box.
Step 2. Right-click 'Command Prompt' and choose 'Run as administrator'.
Step 3. Enter the following command: chkdsk E: /f /r /x
Replace 'E' with the drive letter of the SanDisk drive you want to repair.
Bonus Tip: SanDisk Offical Resolution - Repair using Registry
The official SanDisk knowledgebase states that a corrupt registry entry can cause your SanDisk product to not be detected by the computer. Removing the registry keys created upon installation of your SanDisk product will allow the computer to fully reinstall the device and may resolve the issue.
Step 1. Back up the registry
1. Unplug the SanDisk device from the USB port.
2. Run regedit.
- Windows XP: Go to 'Start' > 'Run', type in regedit and then click 'OK'.
- Windows 7, 8 and Vista: Click the Start button, type regedit in the search box, and then press Enter.
- Window 10: Type regedit, in the 'Search the web and Windows' field (lower-right) and then select 'Regedit - Run Command'.
3. From the registry menu, choose 'File' > 'Export'.
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4. Name the file SNDK.reg and save it to your desktop.
If you experience any issues after editing the registry, you can restore this backup by following steps 1 through 3, but choosing File > Import instead. Choose the SNDK.reg file that you backed up, allow it to import, then restart your PC.
Step 2. Remove SanDisk info from the registry
WARNING: DO NOT delete any registry keys other than keys that include VID_0781, the SanDisk devices' keys. Deleting important registry keys can result in booting issues and other system malfunctions.
1. From the registry menu, click 'Edit' and choose 'Find'.
2. Type in VID_0781 and click 'Find' Next.
3. Once the search finishes, right-click the highlighted registry key and select 'delete'.
4. Press the F3 key to find the next registry key that includes VID_0781.
5. Right-click the highlighted registry key and select 'delete'.
6. Repeat this process until the search returns with No results Found.
NOTE: Under Windows 7, 8 and Vista, some registry keys may be protected and cannot be deleted. Simply skip over these keys if you receive a message that the key cannot be deleted.
7. Once all registry keys containing VID_0781 have been deleted, reboot your computer.
8. Plug the device into the computer after it's finished rebooting. The device will be reinstalled.
If you have trouble completing this process, there is another way that you can try to fix a USB flash drive not showing up in another way.
Wrapping Up
When you complete the whole process, you may lose some files after formatting or repairing SanDisk device. Reliable data recovery software is capable of helping you out. If you need a detailed tutorial, please refer to Restore Formatted Files for help.
On this page, we concluded the symptoms when a SanDisk or other brands of storage devices do not work properly on Windows PC. We divided these issues into two groups and present respective solutions to help you make your SanDisk device work again by using SanDisk format tool and Sandisk repair tool.
As for Windows beginners, we suggest you take EaseUS Partition Master and EaseUS CleanGenius as for formatting and repairing problematic SanDisk memory card, SD card, USB, external and even internal hard drives.
You have landed at the right place if you cannot format SanDisk SD card for some reason. The prominent factor is file system corruption due to excessive use of the card on several devices. Figure out how you can solve the issue with the solutions described in this article.
Part 1. Possible Reasons for SanDisk SD Card Not Formatting
You cannot format SanDisk micro SD card, which you often use in your Android, digital cameras, and other devices due to file system corruption. Even though a card serves as storing data, its purpose may change according to your need. For instance, you can choose to use it for storing photos on your digital camera.
When you find that your card is not responding or functioning as it did yesterday, you will feel frustrated because you did not take a backup of the contents. You will see the message 'SD card not formatted' error pop-up each time you try to access the card's contents. The following are additional reasons why such error display occurs:
- SanDisk SD card failed to mount properly
- You removed the SD card in an inappropriate manner
- Frequent use in different devices caused file system corruption
- Virus or malware attack
- Damage to the chipset
Part 2. Five Possible Solutions to Cannot Format SanDisk SD Card Error
Method 1: Formatting the SD Card Using Windows Disk Management
Using the Windows Disk Management utility will help you fix the SanDisk micro SD format error in a few simple steps.
1. Open 'Windows Disk Management' on your computer by right-clicking the Windows button and selecting the option.
2. In the window that appears, identify the micro SD card, and select 'Format' option.
3. In the format property window, choose the file system type, such as NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT. You can format the card in two options - quick and regular. Pick the preferred method and press 'OK'. to fix cannot format SanDisk micro SD card.
Method 2: Using Diskpart to Clean SD Card to Format
You can use the Diskpart feature in the Windows operating system to attend to the SanDisk card not formatting error. You can clean the SD card and then try to format the same. The following are the steps to follow:
1. Launch the command prompt by pressing both Windows and R buttons.
2. Enter 'diskpart' in the command screen. Then enter 'list disk' to list the available drives on the computer.
3. Enter 'select disk 2' (make sure to replace the number with the drive number of the SanDisk SD card).
4. Enter 'clean' and press Enter to run the cleaning utility. The process will erase all the contents present on the SD card. Therefore, make sure that you created a backup of the card before proceeding with the process.
5. Enter 'create partition primary'. It will help you in creating a partition for the SD card. At last, enter 'format fs=ntfs or format fs=fat32' to format the SD card to the required file system.
Method 3: Change Letter and Path to Allow Windows to Identify the SD Card
SanDisk not formatted error shows up at times because the system is unable to identify the letter or the designated path. You can proceed with the steps below to change the drive letter and path to make Windows recognize the SD card:
1. Connect the SanDisk micro SD card to the computer. Right-click on the Windows symbol and select 'Disk Management'.
2. Identify the SD card and right-click on the same. Choose the 'Change Drive Letter or Path' feature.
3. You can select a new letter for the SD card and click 'OK' to confirm the change in the drive letter.
Method 4: Disable Write Protection for Not Formatted SD Card
Once you activate the write protection for an SD card, you cannot continue to write or format any longer, as you did previously. Write protection is one of the primary causes of cannot format SanDisk SD card. You can continue to use the SanDisk SD card once you remove the protection. There is a physical switch that you can turn-off to disable the feature. For protection caused due to software, follow the steps:
1. Click Windows and R button together to launch the command prompt. Enter 'list disk'.
2. Select the SanDisk SD card using the drive letter, for example, drive 1. In the next line, enter 'select disk 1' and press Enter.
3. Enter 'attributes disk clear read-only' and hit the 'Enter' key.
The process will remove the writing attributes and protection of the SD card.
Method 5: Check for Bad Sectors and Repair the Same
You cannot format SanDisk micro SD card if there are any bad sectors. They are not visible, and you must use the command prompt to clear them. You will first check the number of bad sectors present on the disk and then proceed for repairing the same. After removing the segments, you can easily format the card and re-use it for any purpose.
1. Press Windows and R keys together to start the command prompt window.
2. In the command prompt screen, enter the following instruction: chkdsk E: /f /r /x
Note: Ensure to replace the letter E with the SD card drive letter.
As you can see, any of the options that you choose from the above will erase the contents. If you do not have a backup of the contents, you will lose the data present on the SD card. Therefore, it is essential to recover the files present on the card before choosing any option to overcome the SanDisk micro SD format error.
Part 3. How to Retrieve Files from SanDisk SD Card That Cann’t Be Formatted
The recovery tool you will use for the recovery is iBeesoft Data Recovery. The software possesses advanced technologies that help in the retrieval of content from storage devices, including SanDisk SD cards. The robust algorithm, along with a plethora of options provided, makes it simple to recover lost or stolen data from hard drives, SSDs, SD cards, digital cameras, and other digital devices in a few simple steps.
Your Safe & Effective SanDisk SD Card Recovery Tool
- You can recover files deleted by pressing the Delete or Delete + Shift keys and retrieve data from hidden or lost partitions of a hard drive.
- You can get back contents present on a disk lost due to improper operation, such as removing the media during process.
- The data recovery software for Mac or Windows PC helps in retrieving contents from drives that display the file system as RAW.
- You can also extract contents from storage devices corrupted due to virus attacks.
Guide for Restore Data from SanDisk SD Card After Formatted
iBeesoft SanDisk SD card recovery software is available for trial. You can download the standalone program by clicking the DOWNLOAD button and install it on the computer. Ensure that you established a connection between the computer and the SD card. Proceed with the following steps to get back the files on the card with ease:
Step 1. Select File Type
Click the icon of the program on the desktop to launch the iBeesoft recovery tool. The launch screen will show all the file types it can retrieve with ease. You can choose the important format or select all the formats. Click 'Start' to proceed with location selection.
Step 2. Select the SanDisk SD card
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The next window will show the different partitions of the hard drive and externally connected storage devices. Here, you must choose the SanDisk SD card. Click the 'Scan' button to allow the software to begin scanning the SanDisk SD card.
Step 3. Preview and Recover Formatted SanDisk Card
The time to complete the scan depends on the file format selected and the size on the SanDisk SD card. Once the scan is complete, iBeesoft will show the recoverable files in a new screen. It arranges the records according to the file type in order. You can choose a file to preview the content. Use this feature to mark important files and click 'Recover' to save them on the computer.
You can try the 'Deep Scan' feature in the result window as well. It will find more files from the SanDisk SD card for you.