Formatting an SD card/Windows: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:43, 23 June 2022

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This is an add-on section for formatting an SD card to work with the 3DS.

If the 3DS already recognizes the SD card, this guide is not required.

This page is for Windows users only. If you are not on Windows, check out the Linux or Mac pages.

What You Need

For SD cards 32GB or smaller: the latest version of SD Formatter
For SD cards 64GB or larger: The latest version of guiformat

Instructions (32GB or smaller)

Insert your SD card into your computer
If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer
Run SD Card Formatter Setup (the .exe file) in the downloaded .zip file with Administrator privileges, then install the program
Run SD Card Formatter from the Start Menu
Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"

Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!

Enter anything for "Volume label"
Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected
Click "Format"
Click "OK"
Wait for the format to finish
Click "OK"
Close SD Card Formatter
If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer

Instructions (64GB or larger)

Insert your SD card into your computer
If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer
Run guiformat.exe
Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Drive"

Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!

Select a size for "Allocation unit size"
- If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768
- If the SD card is larger than 64GB, choose 65536
Enter anything for "Volume label"
Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected
Click "Start"
Click "OK"
Wait for the format to finish
Click "Close"
If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer

Common errors with guiformat

Failed to open device: GetLastError()=32

Close everything that may be using the SD card, such as any File Explorer windows.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 <translate>
 <!--T:1-->
-This is an add-on section for formatting an SD card to FAT32.
+This is an add-on section for formatting an SD card to work with the 3DS.
+<!--T:2-->
+If the 3DS already recognizes the SD card, this guide is not required.
 <!--T:3-->
@@ Line 8: / Line 11: @@
 </translate>
-== Choose your SD card size ==
+== What You Need ==
-<tabber>
+*<translate><!--T:4--> '''For SD cards 32GB or smaller''': the latest version of <tvar name="sdformatter">[https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/sd-memory-card-formatter-for-windows-download/ SD Formatter]</tvar></translate>
-|-|<translate><!--T:40--> 64GB or larger</translate>=
+*<translate><!--T:5--> '''For SD cards 64GB or larger''': The latest version of <tvar name="guiformat">[http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm guiformat]</tvar></translate>
-=== What You Need ===
+<translate>
-*<translate><!--T:4--> The latest version of <tvar name="sdformatter">[https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/sd-memory-card-formatter-for-windows-download/ SD Memory Card Formatter]</tvar></translate>
+== Instructions (32GB or smaller) == <!--T:6-->
-*<translate><!--T:5--> The latest version of <tvar name="guiformat">[http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm guiformat]</tvar></translate>
+</translate>
+#<translate><!--T:7--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate>
+#<translate><!--T:8--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate>
+#<translate><!--T:9--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter Setup</code> (the <code>.exe</code> file) in the downloaded .zip file with Administrator privileges, then install the program</translate>
+#<translate><!--T:10--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter</code> from the Start Menu</translate>
+#<translate><!--T:11--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"</translate>
 <translate>
-=== Instructions === <!--T:39-->
+<!--T:12-->
+Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!
 </translate>
-<ol>
+#<translate><!--T:13--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:22--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:14--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:23--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:15--> Click "Format"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:43--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter Setup</code> (the <code>.exe</code> file) in the downloaded .zip file with Administrator privileges, then install the program</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:16--> Click "OK"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:44--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter</code> from the Start Menu</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:17--> Wait for the format to finish</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:45--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"</translate>{{warning|<translate nowrap><!--T:46--> Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!</translate>}}</li>
+#<translate><!--T:18--> Click "OK"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:47--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:19--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:48--> Click "Format"</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:20--> If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:49--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:50--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
+<translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:51--> Click "OK"</translate></li>{{info|<translate nowrap><!--T:52--> '''You're not done yet!''' Your SD card will be formatted to exFAT at this point. The following steps will format it to FAT32.</translate>}}
+== Instructions (64GB or larger) == <!--T:21--> </translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:53--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:22--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:25--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Drive"</translate>{{warning|<translate nowrap><!--T:26--> Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!</translate>}}</li>
+#<translate><!--T:23--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</translate>
+#<translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></translate>
-<ul>
+#<translate><!--T:25--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Drive"</translate>{{warning|<translate nowrap><!--T:26--> Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!</translate>}}
-<li><translate><!--T:28--> If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:29--> If the SD card is larger than 64GB, choose 65536 (note that if GUIFormat reverts to 32768, this does not mean it selected the wrong cluster size!)</translate></li>
+#*<translate><!--T:28--> If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768</translate>
-</ul></li>
+#*<translate><!--T:29--> If the SD card is larger than 64GB, choose 65536</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:31--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:30--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:31--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:33--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:33--> Click "OK"</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate>
-<li><translate><!--T:36--> If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer</translate></li>
+#<translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</translate>
-</ol>
+#<translate><!--T:36--> If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer</translate>
 <translate>
@@ Line 52: / Line 61: @@
 <translate>
 <!--T:38-->
-Close everything that may be using the SD card, such as any File Explorer windows. If it does not resolve the issue, try formatting the card to NTFS, then run GUIFormat again.
+Close everything that may be using the SD card, such as any File Explorer windows.
-</translate>
-==== GetLastError()=1117 ====
-<translate>
-<!--T:41-->
-Your SD card write-protection switch may be [https://3ds.hacks.guide/images/sdlock.png enabled]. The lock must be flipped upwards to allow writing to the SD card (including formatting).
-</translate>
-|-|<translate><!--T:42--> 32GB or smaller</translate>=
-=== What You Need ===
-*<translate><!--T:56--> The latest version of <tvar name="sdformatter">[https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/sd-memory-card-formatter-for-windows-download/ SD Memory Card Formatter]</tvar></translate>
-<translate>
-=== Instructions === <!--T:55-->
 </translate>
-<ol>
-<li><translate><!--T:7--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:8--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:9--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter Setup</code> (the <code>.exe</code> file) in the downloaded .zip file with Administrator privileges, then install the program</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:10--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter</code> from the Start Menu</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:11--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"</translate>{{warning|<translate nowrap><!--T:12--> Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!</translate>}}</li>
-<li><translate><!--T:14--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:15--> Click "Format"</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:16--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:17--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:18--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:19--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate></li>
-<li><translate><!--T:20--> If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer</translate></li>
-</ol>
-</tabber>
-==SD Card not formatting or has some other issue.==
-Refer to the [[SD Clean/Windows|SD Clean]] guide.
 {{hg imported|Guide_3DS}}
 [[Category:General guides]]