Formatting an SD card/Windows: Difference between revisions

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 [[Special:MyLanguage/Formatting an SD card/Linux|Linux]] or [[Special:MyLanguage/Formatting an SD card/Mac|Mac]] pages.

 

== Choose your SD card size ==

 

*<translate><!--T:5--> The latest version of <tvar name="guiformat">[http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm guiformat]</tvar></translate>

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

<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>}}

<li><translate><!--T:53--> Close SD Card Formatter</translate></li>

<li><translate><!--T:24--> Run <code>guiformat.exe</code></translate></li>

<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>

<li><translate><!--T:27--> Select a size for "Allocation unit size"</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>

<li><translate><!--T:32--> Click "Start"</translate></li>

<li><translate><!--T:33--> Click "OK"</translate></li>

<li><translate><!--T:34--> Wait for the format to finish</translate></li>

<li><translate><!--T:35--> Click "Close"</translate></li>

{{info|<translate nowrap> <!--T:57--> To confirm that your SD card was formatted correctly, navigate to This PC, right-click the SD card drive, and select Properties. Ensure that the file system is set to FAT32. </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, unless you were linked to this by another guide that needs the SD to be formatted and blank</translate></li>

</ol>

=== Common errors with guiformat === <!--T:37--> </translate>

==== Failed to open device: GetLastError()=32 ====

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><!--T:42--> 32GB or smaller</translate>=

 

*<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>

=== Instructions === <!--T:55-->

</translate>

<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>

{{info|<translate nowrap> <!--T:58--> To confirm that your SD card was formatted correctly, navigate to This PC, right-click the SD card drive, and select Properties. Ensure that the file system is set to FAT32. </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, unless you were linked to this by another guide that needs the SD to be formatted and blank</translate></li>

</tabber>

== SD Card not formatting or has some other issue. == <!--T:59-->

 

<!--T:60-->

Refer to the {{ml|SD Clean/Windows|SD Clean}} guide.