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19 February 2024  Amanda J. Brook  Senior Product Manager
 

Summary
Discover effective methods for resolving "Need to format"-like error messages on SD cards and how to retrieve data in the event of accidental formatting. Overcome common SD card challenges with our comprehensive guide.



Table of contents

table iconI. When the SD card is inserted into the computer, it prompts that it needs to be formatted.
table iconII. How to solve the problem that the SD card needs to be formatted?
table iconIII. Use Renee Undeleter to recover data from formatted SD card
sd card needs to be formatted

I. When the SD card is inserted into the computer, it prompts that it needs to be formatted.

Possible reasons for an SD card appearing formatted when plugged into a computer after long-term use:
● SD card accidentally dropped
● The SD card is pulled out abnormally
eject USB flash drive
● Forgot to remove SD card during factory reset
● Formatting the SD card in an incompatible system
● Formatting the SD card on older systems
Formatting is required to use the error message
When we receive the “Need to format” prompt, we need to use a specific method to resolve it. Here are some common repair methods to consider.

II. How to solve the problem that the SD card needs to be formatted?

1. Run the Chkdsk tool to fix errors

The Chkdsk tool is a command for the Windows system to check the current state of the disk, memory state, and the number of files in a specified path, as well as repair the disk. Repairing an SD card with Chkdsk tool is simple, follow these steps:
Step 1: Connect the SD card to the computer using a card reader and ensure it is recognized.
how to recover deleted pictures from the SD card when it is connected to pc
Step 2: Search for "cmd" in the search box in the lower left corner, right-click on “Command Prompt,” and select “Run as administrator” to open the command prompt tool.
run as administrator
Step 3: Enter the command chkdsk F: /f /r /x in the command prompt window, where F is the disk number of the SD card. Press Enter to fix errors. Reinsert the SD card into the device to check for normal functionality.
Enter the disk repair command

2. Format the SD card

Formatting the SD card can repair various failures and restore normal functionality, but it will clear all data. If you have backed up your data, proceed with formatting. If not, use data recovery software to scan and restore files. For detailed steps, refer to the third part of this article.
Step 1: Connect the SD card to the computer through a card reader, press the (Windows+X) keys simultaneously, and select the (Disk Management) option from the pop-up list.
Step 2: Find the SD card that needs formatting, right-click on it, and select the Format option.
format sd
Step 3: Select FAT32 for 2-32GB SD cards or exFAT for larger than 32GB, check quick format, click OK, and follow instructions to complete the formatting process. Repair SD card failure after completion.
quick Format

3. Format the SD card with the help of the DiskPart command

The DiskPart command is a command in the Windows environment, which can realize various operations and management of the hard disk. Let’s learn how to format the SD card with the help of the DiskPart command.
Step 1: Connect the SD card to the computer through a card reader, and enter (cmd) in the search bar.
Step 2: Right-click (Command Prompt) in the search results and select (Run as administrator).
run as administrator
Step 3: Enter the (diskpart) command and press Enter to run it. Then enter (list disk) to view the disks connected to the current computer.
Step 4: Then enter (select disk 1) to select the disk to be formatted (here the SD card is disk 1).
Step 5: Enter the (clean) command, which shows that DiskPart successfully cleared the disk.
Step 6: Enter (creat partition primary) to create a primary partition, and enter (active) to mark the partition as an active partition.
Step 7: Finally, enter the command (format fs=FAT32 quick) to format the SD card, and fill in the file system you want to set for the SD card after (fs=), here is to format the SD card to the FAT32 file system.
format operation
If you accidentally format the SD card, immediately stop using it and perform data recovery to retrieve cleared data. Use a practical SD card data recovery tool to easily recover data. Do not save new data to the SD card after losing data to avoid overwriting deleted data and hindering successful recovery.

III. Use Renee Undeleter to recover data from formatted SD card

1. What is Renee Undeleter?

Renee Undeleter is a software specifically designed for restoring various data files. It covers four functional modules: file recovery, format recovery, partition recovery, and image creation. This tool can help recover lost files in situations such as accidental deletion, emptying the recycle bin, or formatting the SD card/disk/external storage. It offers a comprehensive solution to all possible data loss problems that may occur during system use.
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Easy to use Recover data by 3 steps;

Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan;

Supported file types Image, video, audio, text, email and so on;

Image creation Create a partition image to read and back up data;

Supported devices SD card, SDHC, SDXC, USB flash drive, hard disk and computer.

Easy to use Recover data by 3 steps;

Multiple scan modes Fast partition/whole partition/whole disk scan;

Supported devices SD card/USB/hard disk.

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2. How to recover lost data with Renee Undeleter?

Recovering lost data with Renee Undeleter is very simple, the specific steps are as follows:
Step 1: Connect the SD card to the computer through a card reader, download, install, and run Renee Undeleter, and select the (Whole Partition Scan) option in the main interface.
select whole partition scan in renee undeleter to recover deleted video from sd card
Data recovery function introduction:

Fast Partition Scan: Quickly retrieve files lost due to accidental deletion or emptying the recycle bin.
Whole Partition Scan: Quickly recover files lost due to inaccessible or formatted partitions.
Whole Disk Scan: Partition information can be analyzed and obtained, and the entire partition can be fully scanned.
Image Creation: A mirror can be created for a partition to back up the current partition state.

Step 2: Select the SD card partition and click on (Next) to begin the scanning process. Please wait patiently.
Renee Undeleter Whole Partition Scan
Step 3: After the scan is complete, double-click the file to preview, select the file to recover, and click the (Recover) button.
Notice: Please choose another disk or partition to save the recovered files, not the original disk where the data was lost, to avoid data overwriting.
preview before recovery
undeleter preview docx