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Formatting an SD card/Windows: Difference between revisions

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(tabber)
(Cleared confusion on 65536 cluster size reverting to 32768 for GUIFormat)
 
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<translate>
<translate>
<!--T:1-->
<!--T:1-->
This is an add-on section for formatting an SD card to work with the 3DS.
This is an add-on section for formatting an SD card to FAT32.
 
<!--T:2-->
If the 3DS already recognizes the SD card, this guide is not required.


<!--T:3-->
<!--T:3-->
Line 11: Line 8:
</translate>
</translate>


== What You Need ==  
== Choose your SD card size ==
*<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>
<tabber>
*<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>
|-|<translate><!--T:40--> 64GB or larger</translate>=
 
=== What You Need ===
*<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>
*<translate><!--T:5--> The latest version of <tvar name="guiformat">[http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm guiformat]</tvar></translate>


<translate>
<translate>
== Instructions ==
=== Instructions === <!--T:39-->
</translate>
</translate>


<tabber>
<ol>
|-|<translate>32GB or smaller</translate>=
<li><translate><!--T:22--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate></li>
 
<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:7--> Insert your SD card into your computer</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:8--> If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:44--> 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: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:10--> Run <code>SD Card Formatter</code> from the Start Menu</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:47--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:11--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:48--> Click "Format"</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:49--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:13--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:50--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:14--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</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>}}
#<translate><!--T:15--> Click "Format"</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:53--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:16--> Click "OK"</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:17--> Wait for the format to finish</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:18--> Click "OK"</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</translate>
#<translate><!--T:19--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate>
<ul>
#<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:28--> If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768</translate></li>
 
<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>64GB or larger</translate>=
</ul></li>
 
<li><translate><!--T:31--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:22--> Insert your SD card into your computer</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</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:33--> Click "OK"</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></translate>
<li><translate><!--T:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>
#<translate><!--T:25--> Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Drive"</translate>
<li><translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</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: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:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</translate>
</ol>
#*<translate><!--T:28--> If the SD card is 64GB, choose 32768</translate>
#*<translate><!--T:29--> If the SD card is larger than 64GB, choose 65536</translate>
#<translate><!--T:30--> Enter anything for "Volume label"</translate>
#<translate><!--T:31--> Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected</translate>
#<translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</translate>
#<translate><!--T:33--> Click "OK"</translate>
#<translate><!--T:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate>
#<translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</translate>
#<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>
<translate>
Line 60: Line 52:
<translate>
<translate>
<!--T:38-->
<!--T:38-->
Close everything that may be using the SD card, such as any File Explorer windows.
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.
</translate>
</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>
</tabber>
==SD Card not formatting or has some other issue.==
Refer to the [[SD Clean/Windows|SD Clean]] guide.


{{hg imported|Guide_3DS}}
{{hg imported|Guide_3DS}}


[[Category:General guides]]
[[Category:General guides]]

Latest revision as of 20:46, 19 June 2024

Other languages:
  • English

This is an add-on section for formatting an SD card to FAT32.

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

Choose your SD card size

What You Need

Instructions

  1. Insert your SD card into your computer
  2. If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer
  3. Run SD Card Formatter Setup (the .exe file) in the downloaded .zip file with Administrator privileges, then install the program
  4. Run SD Card Formatter from the Start Menu
  5. Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"
    OOjs UI icon information-warning.svg Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!
  6. Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected
  7. Click "Format"
  8. Click "OK"
  9. Wait for the format to finish
  10. Click "OK"
  11. OOjs UI icon information-progressive.svg You're not done yet! Your SD card will be formatted to exFAT at this point. The following steps will format it to FAT32.
  12. Close SD Card Formatter
  13. Run guiformat.exe
  14. Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Drive"
    OOjs UI icon information-warning.svg Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!
  15. 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 (note that if GUIFormat reverts to 32768, this does not mean it selected the wrong cluster size!)
  16. Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected
  17. Click "Start"
  18. Click "OK"
  19. Wait for the format to finish
  20. Click "Close"
  21. 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. If it does not resolve the issue, try formatting the card to NTFS, then run GUIFormat again.

GetLastError()=1117

Your SD card write-protection switch may be enabled. The lock must be flipped upwards to allow writing to the SD card (including formatting).

What You Need

Instructions

  1. Insert your SD card into your computer
  2. If the SD card has any files and folders on it, copy everything to a folder on your computer
  3. Run SD Card Formatter Setup (the .exe file) in the downloaded .zip file with Administrator privileges, then install the program
  4. Run SD Card Formatter from the Start Menu
  5. Select your SD card’s drive letter for "Select card"
    OOjs UI icon information-warning.svg Make sure you choose the correct drive letter, otherwise you might accidentally erase the wrong drive!
  6. Ensure that "Quick Format" is selected
  7. Click "Format"
  8. Click "OK"
  9. Wait for the format to finish
  10. Click "OK"
  11. Close SD Card Formatter
  12. If the SD card had any files and folders on it before the format, copy everything back from your computer

SD Card not formatting or has some other issue.

Refer to the SD Clean guide.