Hey everyone! I recently used my USB thumb drive to install Arch Linux, and now it's not showing up on my Windows 11 system. I want to reuse it for something else, like Fedora or Mint. I've already tried out a bunch of solutions I found on YouTube without any luck. I did get some help from someone, but now, when I attempt to format it, I get an error message saying, "Windows was unable to complete the formatting." Any advice would be appreciated!
7 Answers
Another quick fix: go into Command Prompt, type `diskpart`, then `list disk` to find your flash drive. Select it with `select disk [number]` and just type `clean`. That should get it ready to use again!
For future reference, tools like RUFUS and Fedora Media Writer can help revert a USB back to a regular Windows data USB. Check out the FAQ for RUFUS for more info!
Consider installing Ventoy on it; then you can just copy ISO files of different distros on the USB and use them to boot or install. Easier than reformatting!
I used to be a big fan of Ventoy too, but I found some issues with installation. I'm cautious about recommending it now since it can be tricky for new users.
I never really liked that app! Why does Ventoy come in a **.zip** file? Wouldn't it be better as a single .exe like RUFUS?
If the formatting is still failing, your USB might be dying. It may be best to replace it altogether.
Actually, I managed to solve the problem! It's working fine now, thanks!
If your USB drive shows up in Disk Management, try reinitializing or reformatting it from there. If it doesn’t show up in Disk Management, you can use the Terminal: just run `diskpart`, list the disks, select your USB, and then clean it. After that, you should be able to format it normally. Good luck!
Did you really just ask ChatGPT for help? That's so distasteful! You totally ruined my day.
It seems like you might need to reformat for it to work again as a USB stick. Using RUFUS could help with that.
It shows up in Disk Management, but I can't do anything with it!
Does your USB show up in Disk Management? If it's visible but you can't use it, that could indicate a problem. Make sure to follow these steps: Press Windows + R, type `diskmgmt.msc`, and hit Enter. Check how it's listed there.
Yes, it shows up, but I still can't do anything with it.
If it shows up as 'No Media', your USB might be dead. I haven't found a way to fix that!
Sounds like a success, but I got a popup saying, 'Windows was unable to complete the formatting.' Any ideas?