How To Format a Removable Storage Device using Windows Command Prompt (PHOTOS)

Sometimes formatting a flash disk, hard drive or any random removable storage device can prove difficult. Even when the device is connected to the system and formatting is tried by going to 'My Computer',
right clicking and choosing format; it could still show a message like 'Windows couldn't Complete Format'. This could be due to errors in the device due to several reasons.

Below are steps with photos, to guide you on formatting your storage device (flash drive, hard disk, memory cards, phones e.t.c ) using the command prompt system application which has proved to be reliable where other methods have failed.

Steps

1. Plug in the removable device and wait until it is confirmed connected.

You can check by going to 'My Computer' or pressing Windows + E.

2. Locate and Press the windows button and R, together  (i.e Windows + R) or go to the start menu locate and click 'run'. You could type 'run' into the search textbox there to locate it. In the dialog box that appears, clear whatever is displayed and type in 'cmd'.

There, a black window appears, that's the command Prompt.

3. Go back to 'My computer' and check which label your removable device carries. Mine is I: in the picture in step 1. Go back to the command prompt window and type format i: where you see the cursor blinking after 'C:\users\kizi>' i.e ('C:\users\kizi> format i:), if your label is any other letter, replace i: with it. E.g format g:. Press Enter 

Press Enter again

4. The following will be displayed and the format process begins. Wait until it is 100%

5. On completion (i.e 100%) A 'Volume Label' of not more than 11 characters will be requested. You could enter your name, nick name or which ever name or word you like or nothing at all, then press enter.

6. Wait for some spilt second(s) till it shows you a window like the one below.

Format is completed!

7. Go back to 'My computer' and notice that the label you entered and the device's size is displayed. If you entered nothing for the volume label,it displays 'Removable Disk<label:>' as shown in the first pic below.

Drop a comment if you found this useful.