To be able to save files on removable media, such as USB memory sticks, a file system is required . If such a system is not available or the system is damaged, one can be configured manually by formatting the drive. To do this, it must be taken into account, among other things, that the chosen file system must be compatible with the operating system of the computer to which the memory is to be connected. The stick probably already includes a filesystem that you want to replace with another . In this article we show you what file systems you have at your disposal and how to format a USB memory from a Windows computer..
Before getting to work, think about what type of filesystem you want to configure on your external memory. The criteria that most influence the choice of the system are the storage capacity , the size of the files to be saved and the operating system of the device to which the unit is to be connected. Microsoft Windows generally supports the following four formats:
If you want to format your USB memory so that it works exclusively with Windows devices , the NTFS format is the best choice, since you will not have to worry about the size of the stick or the size of the files you want to save. If, instead, you plan to use memory to transfer data to a Mac computer , it would be best to use one of the two oldest FAT systems (preferably FAT32) to avoid having to depend on an additional program if you want to take advantage of all the functions external drive. Finally, exFAT should only be used when working with devices that have the latest generation of operating systems .
Windows allows you to format a USB drive easily. Doing so, however, erases all the files on the storage media . If the device in question is new, this is not a problem, but if you want to replace the original system of a USB memory in which there are already saved files, you should first make a local copy of these..
If the reason for formatting is a last-ditch attempt to repair a broken USB , you will often have no choice but to go to a professional to save your files.
Once you have decided which file system you want to use and, if necessary, have made a copy of your files, you can start the formatting process by connecting the drive to your computer. Then open Windows File Explorer (by pressing [Windows] + [E] or clicking the icon on the desktop)..
Then, find the corresponding USB memory on the left side of the browser, click on it with the right mouse button and select the option? Format ? (Format):
Windows will then open the formatting dialog box, the first line of which will show the drive's storage capacity , which naturally cannot be changed. In the second row you can set the file system for the USB, although you can only choose between the FAT16, FAT32, exFAT and NTFS formats, explained previously.
The rubric? Allocation unit size ? (Allocation unit size) allows you to define the size of the clusters of the saved data, but you can leave the size set by default. If you're not sure which setting to choose, just click? Restore defaults ? (Restore device defaults) and Windows will automatically apply the standard settings to the USB stick.
In the countryside ? Volume label ? (Volume label) you can also assign a new name to the USB stick (or keep the old one). The box? Quick Format? (Quick Format) allows you to decide whether you want Windows to format the USB drive quickly (the files can be recovered using certain tools) or especially exhaustively (recovering the data will then be very difficult or even impossible). If you decide on the second option, uncheck the box. Finally, to start formatting, click? Start ? (Start).
Once you have clicked "Start", Windows will display the notice of deleting the data stored in memory during formatting. To continue the process anyway, click ? Accept ?
After this last step, the USB memory format starts.
