Formatting an SD card/Windows: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:17, 8 July 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

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

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 22: / Line 22: @@
 |-|<translate>32GB or smaller</translate>=
-#<translate><!--T:7--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate>
+<ol>
-#<translate><!--T:8--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:7--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate></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><translate><!--T:8--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:10--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter</code> from the Start Menu</translate>
+<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>
-#<translate><!--T:11--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:10--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter</code> from the Start Menu</translate></li>
-#:{{warning|<translate nowrap><!--T:12--> Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!</translate>}}
+<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>
-#<translate><!--T:13--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:13--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:14--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:14--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:15--> Click "Format"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:15--> Click "Format"</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:16--> Click "OK"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:16--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:17--> Wait for the format to finish</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:17--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:18--> Click "OK"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:18--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:19--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:19--> Close SD Card Formatter</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:20--> If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer</translate></li>
+</ol>
 |-|<translate>64GB or larger</translate>=
-#<translate><!--T:22--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate>
+<ol>
-#<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:22--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></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:25--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Drive"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></translate></li>
-#:{{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: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:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</translate>
-#*<translate><!--T:28--> If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768</translate>
+<ul>
-#*<translate><!--T:29--> If the SD card is larger than 64GB, choose 65536</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:28--> If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:30--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate>
+<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>
+</ul></li>
-#<translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:30--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:33--> Click "OK"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:31--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</translate></li>
-#<translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</translate>
+<li><translate><!--T:33--> Click "OK"</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:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
+<li><translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</translate></li>
+<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>
+</ol>
 <translate>