is it viewable in the explorer (assuming windows)? then you can right
click on it and choose format.

hope that works

Thankyou. That worked perfectly.

Globe Treader schrieb:
> is it viewable in the explorer (assuming windows)? then you can right
> click on it and choose format.

Then the flash drive is formatted, but the data are not erased;-)

Roy

Roy:
>> Then the flash drive is formatted, but the data are not erased;-)
do you mean that the files are still visible and there in explorer? or
you mean you can recover the files from flash drive even though they
are not visible in explorer?

AFIK, windows format by default does not completely erase the
filesystem, it just writes fresh boot record, FATs and bad sector list.
*data* is still there dangling on the disk. Using data recovery tools,
files can be recovered in most cases.

is this what you were trying to put across Roy?

Kiran

Globe Treader schrieb:
> Roy:
>>> Then the flash drive is formatted, but the data are not erased;-)
> do you mean that the files are still visible and there in explorer?

No.

> or
> you mean you can recover the files from flash drive even though they
> are not visible in explorer?

Yes.

> AFIK, windows format by default does not completely erase the
> filesystem, it just writes fresh boot record, FATs and bad sector list.
> *data* is still there dangling on the disk. Using data recovery tools,
> files can be recovered in most cases.
>
> is this what you were trying to put across Roy?

Exactly, Kiran! THX for clarifying.


Roy

> AFIK, windows format by default does not completely erase the
> filesystem, it just writes fresh boot record, FATs and bad sector list.
> *data* is still there dangling on the disk.

Correct. This is what Quick Format does in Windows. Full Format will also send
the VERIFY command to all disk sectors, but this is a non-destructive operation
too.

--
Maxim Shatskih, Windows DDK MVP
StorageCraft Corporation

Format is not a destructive operation. Data can be recovered using data recover tools.

For power users, they can use some of the available open source tools and other tools that will completely wipe the data on your harddrive. Search on google for "Secure Data Wiping Tools"

For end users / consumers, we recommend that you refrain from sharing any drives that previously contained confidential or extremely sensitive personal information. 95% of the time, the data on those drives are recoverable and we have heard of horror stories of people unknowingly sharing their financial data, pics/videos with complete strangers by doing this.

Most Data Recovery Companies and Tools can recover the data even after you format a thumb or zip or flash drive.