Format RAW USB Drive via CMD (Recover First) — format raw usb drive cmd

When a USB shows as RAW, Windows can’t read its file system. Below, you’ll first recover your files using a free utility, then repair and format USB drive cmd-style (and with alternatives) so it works like normal again. ✓

Step 1 — Recover files from the RAW USB (Free) ➜ iCare Recovery Free

Important: formatting fixes structure but destroys existing directory metadata. Before any write operations, try recovery:

• ➤ Download, install and launch iCare Recovery Free (free edition).
• ➤ Select the RAW USB device and run a full scan with RAW DRIVE RECOVERY or Deep Scan Recovery.
• ➤ Preview and save found files to a different healthy drive (not the USB being repaired).
• ➤ After verifying your important files, proceed to formatting.

⚠️ Tip: Stop using the RAW USB immediately; new writes can overwrite lost data.

Step 2 — Fix & format the corrupted USB with CMD (DiskPart)

Use DiskPart to wipe broken partitioning and recreate a clean FAT32 volume.

1. Press Win + X → Terminal (Admin) / Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Run:

   diskpart
   list disk
   select disk N      ← replace N with your USB's number
   clean
   create partition primary
   format fs=fat32 quick
   assign
   exit

3. Safely remove and reinsert the USB to confirm it mounts normally.

⚠️ Warning: clean removes all partitions on the selected disk. Double-check the disk number before pressing Enter.

Detailed Guide — Formatting a RAW USB Drive Using Command Prompt

Formatting a RAW USB drive using Command Prompt involves utilizing the diskpart utility. This process will erase all data on the drive. Follow these steps carefully:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
   • Search for "cmd" in the Windows search bar.
   • Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
2. Launch Diskpart:
   • In the Command Prompt window, type diskpart and press Enter.
3. List Disks:
   • Type list disk and press Enter to display all connected disks.
   • Identify your USB drive from the list based on its size. ⚠️ Be very careful to select the correct disk to avoid formatting another drive.
4. Select the USB Drive:
   • Type select disk X (replace X with the disk number of your USB drive) and press Enter.
5. Clean the Disk:
   • Type clean and press Enter. This command removes all partitions and data from the selected disk.
6. Create a Primary Partition:
   • Type create partition primary and press Enter.
7. Format the Partition:
   • Type format fs=NTFS quick (for NTFS) or format fs=FAT32 quick (for FAT32) and press Enter.
   • The quick option performs a quick format. Omit quick for a full format (takes longer).
8. Assign a Drive Letter (Optional but Recommended):
   • Type assign and press Enter to auto-assign a letter.
   • Or type assign letter=Y (replace Y with a desired letter) to specify one.
9. Exit Diskpart and Command Prompt:
   • Type exit and press Enter to leave Diskpart.
   • Type exit again and press Enter to close the Command Prompt window.

✅ Your USB drive should now be formatted and accessible.

Video Guide: Formatting RAW USB NTFS Using CMD

Here are the steps for formatting raw usb ntfs using cmd.

• Launch cmd and type 'diskpart'
• Type 'list disk'
• Type 'select disk *'
• Type 'clean'
• Type 'create partition primary'
• Type 'format fs=ntfs quick'

Video Guide - formatting raw pendrive fat32

Option, instead of fat32, you may also format the raw usb to ntfs using cmd, the following guide would show you the detailed steps.

Alternate CMD method (when a partition already exists)

If the USB already has a valid partition but shows errors, try a simple format command:

format X: /FS=FAT32 /Q /V:USB_DRIVE

Replace X: with your USB drive letter. Use /FS=exFAT or /FS=NTFS if you prefer those file systems.

“Format FAT32 USB CMD” alternatives (no CMD required)

If you prefer tools or a GUI, these free options can also format a RAW/corrupted USB:

• ✓ Disk Management (GUI) — diskmgmt.msc → right-click the USB → Delete Volume (if needed) → New Simple Volume → choose FAT32 → Quick Format.
• ✓ PowerShell —

  Get-Disk | Where PartitionStyle -Eq 'RAW'
  Get-Partition -DiskNumber N -ErrorAction Ignore | Remove-Partition -Confirm:$false
  Initialize-Disk -Number N -PartitionStyle MBR
  New-Partition -DiskNumber N -UseMaximumSize -AssignDriveLetter | 
    Format-Volume -FileSystem FAT32 -NewFileSystemLabel 'USB' -Confirm:$false -Force

• ✓ Rufus — Create a plain FAT32 volume (no ISO needed) and tick Quick format. Handy for drives >32 GB.
• ✓ SD Card Formatter — Simple UI that can also reinitialize some troublesome flash drives.
• ✓ Vendor mass-production / low-level tools — As a last resort for severely corrupted controllers (advanced users only).

Free USB Format Tools You Can Use

If you don’t want to rely only on CMD or Windows Disk Management, there are several reliable free USB format utilities that can quickly repair and reformat RAW or corrupted USB drives:

• IM-Magic Partition Resizer — A lightweight partition manager that allows you to resize, create, delete, and format USB drives. It supports FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS with an easy-to-use interface.
• Rufus — Known primarily for creating bootable USBs, Rufus can also reformat USB sticks to FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS. It’s particularly useful for large drives and quick setups.
• HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool — An older but still effective utility that specializes in formatting stubborn flash drives that Windows cannot format. It’s simple and fast.
• SD Card Formatter — Developed for SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but also works on many USB drives. It restores compatibility and clears hidden partitions.

These tools provide a safe and user-friendly alternative to raw command-line formatting, and can often handle USB drives that Windows refuses to process. 🚀

Also read: 8 usb format tools

Which file system should I choose? 🤔

• FAT32 — Best cross-platform (Windows/macOS/Linux, consoles, cameras). Single-file limit 4 GB.
• exFAT — Cross-platform with large file support; great for big video files.
• NTFS — Windows-centric, journaling, permissions; ideal for Windows-only use.

Troubleshooting if formatting fails

• ➤ Try exFAT instead of FAT32 (some large sticks behave better).
• ➤ Run chkdsk X: /f if the drive mounts but shows errors.
• ➤ Toggle partition table type: convert mbr (or initialize GPT in Disk Management) then recreate the partition.
• ➤ Use a different USB port/PC; avoid hubs. ✓
• ➤ If the drive goes read-only or disappears randomly, the flash may be failing (backup and replace).

Troubleshooting if formatting fails

• ➤ Try exFAT instead of FAT32 (some large sticks behave better).
• ➤ Run chkdsk X: /f if the drive mounts but shows errors.
• ➤ Toggle partition table type: convert mbr (or initialize GPT in Disk Management) then recreate the partition.
• ➤ Use a different USB port/PC; avoid hubs. ✓
• ➤ If the drive goes read-only or disappears randomly, the flash may be failing (backup and replace).

Summary: Recover first with iCare Recovery Free → rebuild the partition and format via CMD (DiskPart) → if needed, use FAT32 alternatives like Disk Management, PowerShell, Rufus, or SD Card Formatter. → Test and safely eject. ✔️

Last updated on 27/8/2025

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