"Windows" can not finish formatting: error. Formatting "Windows"

In addition to the fact that information can be stored on the hard disk of a computer or in a section that is a virtual volume, removable media is often used. However, sometimes when preparing a device to transfer information to it, you may need to format it. And here there can be a problem, connected with that "Windows" it is not possible to finish formatting. Solve it is not so difficult.

What is formatting?

From the point of view of computer science, formatting is a software process for marking the area of the information carrier, in which data is stored. In simpler terms, it is a conditional creation of a table indicating the precise location of sectors and clusters.

A sector is a minimal cell with a size of 512 bytes, and such cells can be combined into clusters (several homogeneous sectors). As a rule, clusters with a size of 512 bytes and higher are used to unify data storage in most operating systems. For example, in the NTFS file system, sectors can be clustered up to 4096 bytes (4 sectors).

So the formatting process creates not only a numbered working area of markup, but also gives a clear indication of where (at what address) is this or that sector or cluster. It is best to demonstrate this on the example of a chessboard or the game "Sea Battle". The chessboard illustrates an example of the arrangement of sectors (one figure on one cell).

"Sea battle" in this respect gives an idea of how the sectors are clustered (2, 3 and 4-deck ships).

So with the data that occupy some place in the system. You can always accurately determine not even one, but several addresses of the same object. This approach allows the operating system itself or the programs that are installed in it to quickly find files at predefined coordinates (addresses).

Ways of formatting

The main methods in this process can be called fast formatting and full formatting.

Quick formatting only clears the table of contents, that is, simply deletes the files and folders.

Full formatting does not only completely remove information, but also creates a new file system, which is often required. But here there can be a problem of that "Windows" it is not possible to finish formatting.

Problems with formatting removable media

As for removable media, the most common problem here is that the process of copying the information to it has not been completed correctly or even stopped at all. This used to be very often observed with obsolete floppy disks.

In some cases, the problem may be related to physical damage to the surface of the removable media, whether it's a regular USB flash drive or a USB hard drive. And it should be noted that standard methods do not always help. But more about this later.

Why "Windows" can not finish formatting a hard drive partition

Quite often problems of this kind arise with the formatting of hard disk partitions, and with the formatting of the entire hard drive.

Again, the problem may be the failure of the file system or in the mechanical damage to the surface. However, although you can not finish formatting, you can use several basic methods to fix the problem without resorting to third-party programs.

Troubleshoot problems with Windows tools

If a user receives a system message stating that Windows can not finish formatting, do not panic. To start with, you can apply the standard method by right-clicking on the media in the same Explorer and selecting the "Format ..." command. You can do this using the command line (in the main menu, the command "Execute") by specifying the format h: command in the line, where h is the removable media. In the case of formatting, say, section "D", the drive letter (format d :) simply changes.

Sometimes this does not help either, and again a message appears indicating that "Windows" can not finish formatting. In this case, you can use the computer boot in safe mode, then set the command specified above.

In some cases, if you can not complete the formatting, you can use the disk administration options. This command is called very simply: use the main menu or the command line where the discmgmt command is entered. In the window that appears, you just need to select the desired disk and after the right click in the context menu select the same command "Format ...".

Formatting "Windows 7" produces by the usual algorithm. But the problem may be due to the presence of errors on the disk. Actually, the formatting of "Windows 8" has the same approach. Now you need to call the disk checker. You can do this in the same Explorer by right-clicking on the "Properties" menu, where on the "Maintenance" tab there will be a check start button. Here you can select the usual scan, scan with automatic file system error correction and complete with hard disk surface check.

You can type chkdsk c: / f on the command line (a disk with automatic error correction will be checked ). Sometimes it may be necessary to check the entire file system. To do this, use the command chkntfs / xc: (for drive "C"). For other drives, the letter just changes.

Only after a full scan (sometimes even with a disk surface check) can you run the re-formatting. As a rule, after such checks (especially if you use the last command for the entire NTFS file system), no user will have problems.

Third-Party Programs

As for the use of third-party programs for formatting drives, for example, for USB drives that for some reason are not formatted or show zero capacity, the best option is to use utilities such as D-Soft Flash Doctor, EzRecover, USB Repair Tool and . For hard disks (hard disks) or their partitions, you can use software products such as Acronis Disc Director Suite or something similar.

In any case, say that a program for formatting "Windows 7" or for any other version of the operating system is the best, it is impossible. Each of them has its own unique features and functional set.