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Go through two steps to safely remove 'memory card not formatting' error without causing data loss. [step 1] Recover data from not formatted SD card; [step 2] Download SD card formatter to format memory card when it is not formatting.
Quick Fix To Repair Memory Card Not Formatted with Diskpart:
- Press Windows + R shortcut.
- Input cmd in the pop window and click OK.
- Type Diskpart > list disk > select disk 1 > clean > create partition primary > format fs = ntfs quick
- For more details>>
A RAW issue with the error message "you need to format the disk", "disk not formatted" can happen to memory cards or SD cards unexpectedly and bring you trouble while accessing your device and data. It usually occurs because your device is corrupted. On this page, a step-by-step tutorial will show you how to fix or repair a memory card that shows "not formatted" error without losing data. These solutions can also fix format errors that happened to other removable devices like SD card, external hard drive, USB flash drive, etc.
Reasons for memory card not formatting
- Bad sectors in the memory card. (You can use EaseUS Partition Master to do a surface test.)
- The memory card is write-protected. (You can only read but not write data in the memory card.)
- The virus attacks the memory card.
- Improper install.
- Sudden power failure during data writing, editing, or reading.
First. Recover data from memory card format error
When a memory card shows not formatted error, you should first retrieve your data if you have important data on the device and then format the device to fix it. EaseUS disk data recovery is a great tool that can help you. Try this safer way if you are thinking about how to repair a memory card without formatting to protect your data, try this safer way. It can help with data recovery in all the following situations:
- Memory card warns with "not formatted" message and asks you to format the card.
- Memory card became RAW with 0-byte memory.
- SD card is damaged. Try reformatting it.
- Getting "memory card not formatted operation failed" error message.
- 'Card cannot be accessed. Reinsert/change the card or format card with camera'.
- Receiving "This type of file system is RAW. Chkdsk is not available for RAW drives" error message.
To recover data from "memory card not formatted" before fixing the error:
Step 1. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, select the SD card and click "Scan".

Step 2. Wait until the scan is over. If you are looking for a specific file type, click "Filter" to find a specific file type. You can also search for wanted files at the top-right corner.

Step 3. Select the wanted files to recover. A double click allows you to preview the files before recovery. Next, click "Recover" after making the decision.

- 1. Unformat the drive
- 2. Repair the RAID, RAW disk or operating system
- 3. Recover lost partition (the one that cannot be recovered by software)
Second. Repair a memory card that cannot be formatted with error
After recovering your data, you can try to repair the memory card format error by formatting it in Windows. But sometimes, you may encounter a memory card format problem with Windows saying it was unable to complete the format or other error messages. Here you can download EaseUS partition software for free, a powerful memory card format problem solution software. It works well to repair memory card not formatted error.
- Warning
- The formatting operation will erase your data totally.
Method 1:To repair memory card not formatted with EaseUS partition tool:
Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition on your external hard drive/USB/SD card which you want to format and choose the "Format" option.

Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. In the Warning window, click "OK" to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute Operation" button in the top-left corner to review the changes, then click "Apply" to start formatting your external hard drive/USB/SD card.

Method 2: To repair memory card not formatted with Diskpart
Diskpart is a powerful tool to format sd card in Windows 10. However, the formatting process needs more steps than method 1. Be patient about diskpart steps.
1. Press Windows + R shortcut.
2. Input cmd in the pop window and click OK.
3. Type Diskpart > list disk > select disk 1 > clean > create partition primary > format fs = ntfs quick
Method 3:To repair memory card error with Disk Management
1. Click Windows + X shortcut.
2. Choose Disk Management.
3. Find your memory card on the right panel.
4. Right-click the memory card and choose Format.
5. Set Volume label, File system, and Allocation unit size.
6. Click OK to complete a quick format.
Method 4:To fix memory card problem via Windows File Explorer
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Choose This PC.
3. Right-click the memory card and select format.
4. Set the proper volume label, file system, and allocation unit size.
5. Click Start.
- Notice:
- When you use Disk Management and File Explorer to repair memory card not formatted error, you may receive such a message like “The format did not complete successfully” or “Windows was unable to complete the format”.
- So we recommend using method one and method two to finish card format error.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. Why choose EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard?
-
"EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best we've seen. It's far from perfect, partly because today's advanced disk technology makes data-recovery more difficult than it was with the simpler technology of the past, but it's fast and efficient..." —PCMag
"The first thing you'll notice about EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Pro is that its interface is very clear and uncluttered, with only a small collection of self-explanatory controls. You won't find lots of extra options hidden in a system of hidden menus, either; what you see really is what you get." —techradar
"Recover lost files, even after deleting a partition or formatting your drive." —Macworld
- 2. Why cannot I recover 2GB data for free?
-
It is recommended to check the version installed is Free or Trial because they are different versions.
Trial has data preview function but cannot save any files, while the Free version enables to recover 2 GB files. The default free space is 500 MB and you may share the product on social media to get another 1.5 GB.
- 3. Why cannot the recovered files be opened?
-
A file is saved as 2 parts on the storage device: directory info (which is comprised by file name, time stamp and size info, etc.) and data content.
If the files with original file names and folder structures cannot be opened, one possible reason is the corrupted directory info. There is still a chance to recover the data content with the RAW Recovery method in our software.
- 4. Why isn't it suggested to recover the files back to the original drive?
-
The storage structure of the lost files would be altered or damaged by any changes on the drive. If you save the recovered files back to the same drive, the original data structures and data content would be corrupted or overwritten, which causes permanent data loss. So you should prepare another disk to save the files.
- 5. How can I check whether my data is recoverable or not before purchase?
-
The Free version helps you save 2GB files, so verify the recovery quality of our product before purchase.
- 6. How long does it take to scan the drive?
-
It strongly depends on the capacity of your hard drive and the performance of your computer. As reference,most drive recoveries can be completed in around 10 to 12 hours for a 1-TB healthy hard drive in general conditions.
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