Type 0 at value data box to disable the storage write protection.
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* Note: If you don't have the ' WriteProtect' key, then right-click on an empty space (at the right pane) and select New > DWORD (32-bit) value. At the right pane double click to open the WriteProtect key. * Note: If you don't have the 'StorageDevicePolicies' folder, then right-click at the 'Control' folder and select New > Key. Navigate (from the left pane) to this key: * “ RegistryUntouched”), select at Export range: All and press Save.Ģ. your Desktop), give a filename to the exported registry file (e.g. From the main menu, go to File & select Export.IMPORTANT:Before you continue, first take a backup of your registry. Type regedit and press Enter to open Registry Editor. Simultaneously press the “ Win” + “ R” keys to load the Run dialog box.Ģ. FIX Windows was unable to complete the format error by disabling the USB/SD Write protection in Registry.Īnother method to resolve the "Windows was unable to complete the format" error, is to disable the write protection on the drives using registry.ġ. If your card is a mini SD card, then insert your card into the SD adapter and change the position of the write-protection switch to OFF position). So first of all, check if your device has this security switch and if it does, put this switch to UNLOCK (OFF) position to remove the write protection. – Some USB flash drives and media (memory) cards (SD/SDHC/SDXC) have a hardware Write Protection switch on their surface.
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Remove the USB/SD Write Protection using the UNLOCK switch.
#Cannot format external hard drive windows 7 how to#
How to fix: Windows Cannot Format HDD, USB disk or Memory Card (SD/SDHC/SDXC). In this tutorial you can find detailed instructions on how to resolve the "Windows was unable to complete the format" problem when you try to format a storage device. The file system on the drive (disk) is corrupted – unreadable. The file system type on the disk is in RAW format and it is not recognized by Windows.ģ.
![cannot format external hard drive windows 7 cannot format external hard drive windows 7](http://davidvielmetter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Unable-to-delete-EFI-partition.jpg)
The disk is write protected (Read-only) and you haven't permission to change/delete/modify the files on the disk or even to format the drive.Ģ. an SD media card or a USB flash disk or a USB external drive, etc.) means one of the following:ġ. The " Unable to complete the format" &" Disk is write protected" error/problems, while trying to format a local disk or an external/removable drive (e.g. If one of the above format error messages is displayed on your screen, means that the formatting process is not completed properly on your storage device and you cannot use your storage device at all. The " Windows was unable to complete the format" or the "D isk is Write Protected" error messages, may appear when you try to format an SD Card or a storage device (HDD, USB disk), by using the Windows Format tool.