Kingston Format Utility is simply an indispensable thing for all owners of flash drives from the American company Kingston, helping to format the media, simultaneously correcting all existing errors.

Kingston is one of the most renowned manufacturers of USB drives and other external devices for desktop computers and laptops. Initially, this proprietary utility was planned to be released specifically for USB-drives of the HyperX series, but then the developers decided that it would be more expedient to make the software more universal and added support for all Kingston product lines.

This program It is good, first of all, in that it can boast of a noticeably higher speed of work in comparison with most competitors. And even more so in comparison with standard formatting solutions from Microsoft. The software runs perfectly on all Windows PCs.

The second, but not least, feature of the Kingston Format Utility is its conversion function. file system drive from FAT32 to NTFS. Each of them has its own pluses and minuses, but it is worth considering that the former is suitable for smaller files, while the latter copes with a bang even with the most massive directories.
All the functionality of the program is wrapped in a friendly interface that does not require any special skills to operate. Therefore, even a beginner can easily figure it out. First, you need to select the drive you are interested in, and then specify one of the two file systems. After that, the formatting process will begin, which will take no more than 15 minutes. At this time, you can safely move away from the PC, since in 99% of cases no problems arise in the process.

Key features

• elementary interface with all functionality in one window;
• the ability to work with file systems FAT32 and NTFS;
• The software is suitable for all Kingston products and does not conflict with other software;
• the program does not require a lot of hard disk space;
• Faster speed than counterparts and standard Windows services.

Good time!

It is not uncommon for SD cards and USB flash drives to experience all sorts of troubles: sometimes they are not readable, sometimes copying takes too long, then all sorts of errors appear (what, what formatting is required, etc.). Moreover, it happens sometimes for no reason and no reason ...

In this article, I want to recommend a dozen utilities that have helped me out more than once or twice. With their help, you can work with flash drives and drives different manufacturers (Silicon power, Kingston, Transcend, etc.), i.e. it is universal software. I think the material will come in handy for everyone who periodically encounters similar problems.

For testing and diagnostics

CrystalDiskMark

A very useful little utility. Allows you to quickly get data on the speed of reading / writing. Supports not only USB stick, but also classic HDD, SSD, external hard disks and other drives (which "Windows" sees).

Note: in most cases, they are guided by the first line "Sec" (sequential read / write speed). Read - read, Write - write.

USB Flash Benchmark

Developer site: http://usbflashspeed.com/

Another utility for testing the speed of flash drives. Allows you to get not only some numbers, but also compare them with other drives (i.e. evaluate your USB flash drive with other device models). This can be done due to the fact that the test results are saved on the site of the same name (along with flash drive models).

By the way! If you are thinking of buying a fast USB flash drive, just go to the website http://usbflashspeed.com/ and see the top 10. Thus, you can acquire what other people have already experienced in practice!

H2testw

A small utility from German programmers. Designed to scan USB drives for their real volume (approx. : some flash drives, for example, Chinese manufacturers - come with a "fake" overstated volume) ... In these cases, it is enough to drive the flash drive using H2testw, and then format it correctly.

How to find out the real volume of a flash drive and restore its performance (using H2testw) -

Flash Memory Toolkit

Flash Memory Toolkit is a good complex for servicing USB devices. Allows you to perform a whole range of the most necessary actions:

1. testing drives for errors in reading and writing;
2. data recovery from flash drives;
3. viewing properties and characteristics;
4. the ability to create a backup of a flash drive;
5. low-level test of the speed of the drive.

Flashnul

Developer site: http://shounen.ru/

This program can be diagnosed and corrected by many software bugs(especially when it is unclear what is happening with the flash drive: i.e. no errors are displayed). In addition, it supports almost all flash-based media: USB flash drives, CompactFlash, SD, MMC, MS, XD, etc.

Possibilities:

1. reading and writing testing: the availability of each sector of the media will be checked;
2. checking the integrity of files on the USB drive;
3. the ability to make an image of the content on a USB flash drive (it can be useful for data recovery);
4. the possibility of sector-by-sector recording of an image to a USB device;
5. some operations can be performed for other types of media: HDD, CD, Floppy disk, etc.

ChipEasy

Free and very simple utility for getting complete information about the flash drive. It will be very useful in cases when the marking on the flash drive itself was erased (or it was not there at all).

What data does ChipEasy provide:

1. VID
2. manufacturer;
3. controller model;
4. serial number;
5. information about the firmware;
6. memory model;
7. Max. current consumption, etc.

Flash Drive Information

The utility is similar to the previous one. Allows for 2 mouse clicks to find out all the information about the drive (flash drive, memory card): model, controller, memory, etc.

For formatting and repair

HDD Low Level Format Tool

Low-level * formatting program hard drives, SD cards, flash drives and other storage devices. I would note its "unpretentiousness": even if other utilities freeze when trying to access a USB flash drive (or do not see it), the HDD Low Level Format Tool can help in most cases ...

Peculiarities:

1. most manufacturers (Hitachi, Seagate, Samsung, Toshiba, etc.) and interfaces (SATA, IDE, USB, SCSI, Firewire) are supported;
2. when formatting, absolutely all information from the disk is cleared (partition table, MBR);
3. recover information from disk after formatting with using HDD Low Level Format Tool - Almost Impossible!

MyDiskFix

A free small utility designed for low-level formatting of failed flash drives. Useful in cases where your flash drive cannot be formatted by standard means Windows, when an erroneous volume is shown on the flash drive, or a write error occurs.

Note: before formatting in MyDiskFix, you need to find out how many real-working sectors are on your flash drive. This can be done, for example, using the H2Test utility (which was given above).

USB Disk Storage Format Tool

Small utility for formatting HDD / USB Flash drive (file systems supported: NTFS, FAT, FAT32). By the way, the USB Disk Storage Format Tool does not require installation, does not freeze if it works with faulty flash drives, from which you need to wait for a response for minutes (like, for example, standard utility formatting in Windows).

Peculiarities:

• fast and safe formatting of the drive;
• at full formatting through the utility, all data from the flash drive is deleted (later, not a single file from it can be restored);
• scanning the drive for errors;
• creating partitions with the FAT 32 file system larger than 32 GB;
• tested with 1000 different flash drives (Compact Flash, CF Card II, Memory Stick Duo Pro, SDHC, SDXC, Thumb Drive, etc.), and various manufacturers (HP, Sony, Lexar, Imation, Toshiba, PNY, ADATA, etc.) ).

Format USB Or Flash Drive Software

A specialized utility for working with malfunctioning USB drives... Allows you to format and restore the operation of the flash drive. I would also note its very simple interface (see the screen above), and the ability to work without installation.

Peculiarities:

• file systems support: FAT, FAT32, eXFAT, NTFS;
• simple and user-friendly interface;
• the ability to complete and fast formatting;
• the ability to "see" drives that the explorer refuses to "show";
• possibility of integration into windows menu;
• compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10.

Transcend RecoveRx

Multifunctional program: allows you to recover files from flash drives, format them, and protect them with a password. In general, this program is designed for USB flash drives from the manufacturer Transcend, but I can't help but note that the formatting feature works for flash drives from other manufacturers.

RecoveRx is quite an omnivorous program: it supports USB sticks, memory cards, MP3 players, external hard drives (HDD) and solid state drives (SSD).

JetFlash Recovery Tool

This utility will help in cases where the standard Windows tools simply do not see the USB flash drive. Only USB sticks from Transcend, JetFlash and A-DATA are officially supported (unofficially - much more).

Important! Keep in mind that the program, in the process of repairing (restoring) a flash drive, produces complete removal all data from it! If you have the opportunity to save something from a faulty flash drive - do it.

Peculiarities:

1. simple and free utility (only 2 buttons!);
2. compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 (also works with older OS Windows XP, 2000 (other OS - work is not guaranteed));
3. only 3 manufacturers are officially supported: Transcend, A-DATA and JetFlash;
4. automatic recovery of the drive (from the user you need to press only 1 button);
5. low system requirements;
6. no utility installation required.

SD Formatter

Formatting Canon SD Cards to SD Formatter

This utility is designed to repair and restore memory cards: SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD. The developers have specially oriented their product to the needs of photographers, video operators, and specialists in the maintenance of such equipment.

The drive is restored in auto-mode. Suitable for the most different cases: in case of errors in the software, infection with viruses, malfunctions, due to misuse, etc.

Note: in the process of working with a flash drive - SD Formatter will delete all data from it!

D-Soft Flash Doctor

Small portable program for diagnostics and repair of broken flash drives ( low-level formatting, soft reset). In addition, he can create images from flash drives / memory cards and write them to other storage media.

The program supports the Russian language (since the developer is from Kazakhstan), and is compatible with all modern OS Windows 7, 8, 10.

To recover files from a flash drive

R.Saver

Easy to use recovery software deleted files with different types carriers: hard drives, memory cards, flash drives, etc. It can be used for various errors, file system failures, after formatting, virus infection, etc.

Supports file NTFS systems, FAT and ExFAT. For residents of Russia (when used for non-commercial purposes) the program is free.

Important!

You can learn more about working with R. Saver in the article on how to recover a photo from MicroSD card memory or USB stick -

Recuva

File recovery software from the developers of CCleaner (the famous utility for cleaning Windows from junk files).

Recuva allows you to work not only with HDD, but also with USB flash drives, external drives, SSD, memory cards. The program is aimed at a novice user, so its use is very simple.

Peculiarities:

1. all actions in the program are performed in steps;
2. 2 modes for scanning drives;
3. sorting files by their name, size, state, etc .;
4. the utility is free;
5. Russian is supported;
6. compatible with Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (32/64 bits).

MiniTool Power Data recovery

A very powerful program (with unique scanning algorithms) that will allow you to recover data from broken flash drives, memory cards, external disks, CDs and other drives. Popular file systems are supported: FAT 12/16/32, NTFS.

On my own I note that, in my humble opinion, the algorithms of the program are actually different from other programs of a similar kind, tk. several times with its help it was possible to recover information when other software simply did not find anything ...

Note: in free version MiniTool Power Data Recovery software can recover only 1 GB of information.

Addition!

In general, there are a lot of such programs ( approx. : which can scan the drive and recover some of the deleted files)... In one of my previous articles, I have already cited a dozen of the most successful free products (most of them work not only with classic HDDs, but also with flash drives). I publish the link to the article below.

10 free software to recover deleted data: files, documents, photos -

That's all for now. Supplements for useful and interesting utilities are always welcome.

Recovering USB flash drives from Kingston

Flash drives from Kingston are very popular due to the fact that they are fairly inexpensive and reliable. This is not to say that they are cheaper than the others, but their cost can still be called low. But, since absolutely everything breaks down in our world, it is not at all surprising that Kingston's removable media can also fail.

This happens quite simply - you insert the USB flash drive into the computer, and he "does not want" to read the data from it. The drive can be detected, but it will appear as if there is no data on it. Or, it may simply not be all the data defined. In general, situations can be very different. In any case, we will analyze several effective ways to restore the performance of a Kingston drive.

Kingston has own funds recovery of flash drives. There is also universal way recovery of removable media, which is relevant for devices of any company. We will analyze all the most working methods.

Method 1: MediaRECOVER

Click on the inscription "Tools" in the running program.

In the field under the inscription “ Select device»Select the inserted USB flash drive according to its letter. Then there are two options. We recommend using both options in turn - first one, and then, if all else fails, the second. It should be said right away that none of these options involves the preservation of lost data. So, the first option is to format the flash drive and restore it automatically. To do this, click on the button " Format”And wait for the end of formatting. The second option is to erase and restore removable media. Click on the " Wipe”And, again, wait until the end of the process.

The second option looks more "humane" for a flash drive. He just assumes the recovery of the flash drive. In any case, if using MediaRECOVER does not help, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Kingston Format Utility

This is another proprietary Kingston program. It is suitable for all flash drives of this brand, starting with the DTX 30 series and ending with USB devices Datatraveler HyperX. This utility also formats a USB flash drive without a chance to save any information. To use the Kingston Format Utility, do the following:

Download the program.Run the downloaded file. Unpacking - specify the path and click on the button " Unzip". In this case, you do not need to install anything, just run this program using the shortcut. Further in the upper field (" Device») Indicate your media according to its letter. The file system will be detected automatically, but if this is not done correctly, specify it in the “ File system". After that, just click on the button " Format”And wait for the end of formatting and recovery.

Method 3: HDD Low Level Format Tool

Judging by user reviews, this program copes well with damaged Kingston flash drives. The Low Level Format Tool works at a low level, so it is quite successful in its business. And it's not just Kingston's removable media. But, again, the utility formats the USB flash drive and restores its performance, but not the data from it. To use this program, you need to do very little, namely:

In the list of available storage media, select the one you need and click on it. This will make it stand out. Then click on the button " Continue". It is located in the lower right corner of the program window.

Further, the specified storage medium will be checked. The field at the top will display information that all data from the media will be permanently erased. Click on the " Format this device"To format it.

Wait until the end of the process and try using the inserted USB flash drive.

Method 4: Super Stick Recovery Tool

Another very simple program, designed to restore Kingmax flash drives, but will work for Kingston as well (although for many it will seem quite unexpected). So, to use Super Stick Recovery Tool, do the following:

If all is well and the program can work with your USB flash drive, information about it will appear in the main window. Click on the " Update"To start formatting. After that, just wait for the process to finish and try again with the USB flash drive.

Method 5: Search for other recovery utilities

Not all Kingston flash drive models are suitable for the programs listed in methods 1-4. In fact, there are a lot of similar programs. In addition, there is a unified database with information about programs intended for recovery. It is located on the iFlash service of the flashboot website. The process for using this repository is as follows:

First you need to find out the system data of removable media, specifically, VID and PID... Without going into details, let's say that you can find this data using standard Windows tools... To do this, use the tool " Computer management". To launch it, open the menu " Start"(Menu" Windows "in later versions) and click on the item" Computer»With the right mouse button. In the drop-down list, select the item " Control».

In the menu on the left, select the item " Device Manager". Open the section " USB controllers »And right-click on the desired medium. In the list that appears, select the item " Properties».

In the properties window that opens, go to the "Information" tab, select the item " Equipment ID". Further, in the field " Meaning»You will find VID and PID your flash drive. In the photo below VID is equal to 071B, but PID - 3203 .

Now go directly to the iFlash service and enter these values ​​in the appropriate fields. Click the " Search»To find information about it. All entries related to your device will appear in the list below, and in the column “ Utils"The link to the program or its name will be indicated. For example, in our case, we managed to find it simply.

The name of the program must be entered into the search bar of the flashboot.ru website. In our case, we managed to find Phison Format & Restore and several other utilities. Usually the use of the found programs is quite simple. Click on the name of the program and download it, then use it.

Kingston Flash drives are built for reliability and durability. long term services, but they are also not protected from various failures. Sometimes the drive really "dies" and it is not possible to restore it. More often, there are situations when a USB flash drive can be brought back to life using a special utility for firmware.

Most often break flash drives Kingston dt100g2 and datatraveler.

Is it possible to recover a USB flash drive

Signs that the drive can be recovered:

• When a flash drive is connected, a notification appears that a new device has been detected.
• The system prompts you to format the removable disk.
• The drive does not open, but appears in the explorer.
• Errors occur while reading and writing data.

These problems are eliminated by controller firmware or media formatting, but if the flash drive has important information, then before performing any recovery procedures, you need to try to "pull it out". Use a recovery program like Recuva to extract or to avoid losing the files you need.

Search for a program for controller firmware

To recover, you will need special utility for the Kingston flash drive. In order not to be mistaken and download correct program, you need to know the drive controller model.

Method 1

Look necessary information can be found on the website flashboot.ru in the iFlash section, using the VID and PID values ​​of the flash drive as a filter.

1. Connect the drive to your computer.
2. Open the device manager (right-click on the "Computer" icon - Management).
3. Find "USB Mass Storage Device".
4. Right click and open properties.
   
5. Go to the Details section and select the Hardware ID property.

Method 2

Another way to get necessary information- download Flash Drive Information Extractor and click the Get Data button. The report will contain the lines "VID" and "PID"; use their value to find a utility that can correctly restore the Kingston Datatraveler flash drive.

You can download the program in the "Files" section of the flashboot.ru website. If there is no utility here, try to find it on other web resources.

Recovery utilities

You can find the program you need without a controller model - just type in the search engine the query “utility recovery kingston". In the results you will see several utilities, among which there will certainly be programs such as Phison Preformat, AlcorMP AU698x RT, etc.

The problem is that Kingston flash drive recovery programs only work if they are compatible with the controller installed in the drive. Therefore, if you download the first available repair utility, it may not detect the connected media.

When desired program found, you can start to restore it. Be sure to look at the instructions that should be packed into the archive along with the recovery utility - perhaps the program has a special order of work. The general recovery procedure looks like this:

You don't need to do anything else: the program will fix the errors on its own and return the flash drive to a usable state. This completes the restoration of the Kingston flash drive; if the controller firmware did not help to fix the problem, then the cause of the incorrect operation should be looked for among the hardware faults.

Flash drives from Kingston are very popular due to their reliability, durability and relative cheapness. But, like any other technique, they are not protected from various breakdowns and failures. The drive sometimes does "die" and it is not possible to recover it. Although the situation is more common when a USB flash drive can be brought back to life with the help of special utilities.

In this article, we will tell you several effective ways to recover a Kingston flash drive.

Is it possible to restore

Here are some signs that your flash drive can be recovered:

• the system prompts you to format the removable disk;
• a notification appears when a flash drive is connected that a new device has been detected;
• errors occur when writing data and reading;
• the drive appears in explorer but does not open.

These problems are eliminated by formatting the media or firmware of the controller, but if there is important information on the drive, then you should try to "pull it out" before starting recovery procedures.

Controller firmware

To restore a Kingston flash drive, you will need a special utility, and in order not to make a mistake and download the correct program, you need to find out the controller model.

One way to get the information you need is Flash Drive Information Extractor.

• on the website flashboot.ru go to the iFlash section;
• enter the value of PID and VID in the corresponding windows and click Search.

Click the get data button, a report with PID and VID strings will appear. Their value is used to find utilities for the correct recovery of the Kingston Datatraveler flash drive.

Using the FLASH MODEL and FLASH VENDOR columns, find your flash drive and see which of the utilities is suitable for the drive controller.

Kingston flash drive recovery software

Of course, you can find the necessary utility without knowing the controller model. To do this, it is enough to type the request "recovery utilities" in the browser search engine. There are several applications in the results, among which there will definitely be the following recovery tools.

The problem is that Kingston flash drive recovery utilities only work if they are compatible with the controller that is installed in the drive. Therefore, if you download the first utility that comes across, you can expect that it will not detect the connected USB flash drive.

When required program found and installed, you can proceed with the recovery procedure. Just be sure to first read the instructions, which are usually packed together with the utility in the archive, to find out if there is a special procedure for the recovery program.

Kingston format utility

This is a proprietary utility designed to format Kingston flash drives. The program was originally released specifically for the HyperX DTHX30 / XXGB USB series. Nevertheless, it supports any drives from this manufacturer. This program is faster than other standard formatters.

Kingston uses this utility by converting the media file system to NTFS and FAT32. Both of these systems have both advantages and disadvantages. Let's just note that FAT32 is better for storing small files, and NTFS is better for large ones. In addition, FAT32 drives have limitations that will not allow you to write files larger than 4 GB. This must be taken into account before starting formatting and when choosing a file system.

All the necessary program controls are concentrated in one window, where the necessary media is selected (if several are connected) and the source file system is indicated. Formatting will begin immediately after pressing the Format button.

The program does not need to be installed and works with drives of any size.

Key features:

• fast formatting of drives from Kingston;
• work in portable mode;
• support for FAT32 and NTFS file systems;
• minimum of controls in the main window;
• high speed of work compared to other formatting tools.

Recovering a Kingston flash drive

Hetman Uneraser is designed to recover files deleted from various media. The application supports work with almost any information storage device - USB devices, hard drives, memory cards, cell phones.

Supported file systems include VFAT, NTFS, and FAT 12/16/32. Hetman Uneraser is able to recover office documents, multimedia files, emails, photos, RAR and ZIP archives, etc.

You can also try to recover not only deleted information, but also data from damaged and already formatted media.

USB Drive Antivirus utility

Designed for all those who worry and care about the security of their computer and its file system as a whole. There are many different spyware and viruses nowadays, which, when infiltrating your computer, will erase all your data or steal passwords and confidential information. therefore Special attention it is recommended to turn to the exchange of information with partners and friends via USB-drives.

All antiviruses usually slow down the work of the system, take up a lot of space, and also consume a lot of your system's resources to work. USB Drive Antivirus Portable does not require installation and runs directly from a USB drive or other removable media, consumes a minimum amount random access memory and other resources.

The program is perfect for recovering a Kingston dtse9 flash drive, eliminating the possibility of any conflicts with antivirus software and is fully compatible with it.

This utility will detect and remove all the latest spyware and virus programs that can get onto your computer through removable devices. As soon as the USB drive is plugged in, the app automatically scans the device for malware, viruses, and suspicious files.

Low Level Format Tool

Judging by numerous user reviews, this program does an excellent job with damaged Kingston media. It works at a low level, therefore it is quite successful in its functions. This does not only apply to drives from Kingston. Just note that the utility will format the USB flash drive and restore its performance, but the data from it will not.

The advantages of the utility are:

• work with all types of media ( removable disks, SD cards, hard drives, flash drives);
• completely clears the information on the drive.

Flaws:

• the free version has limitations on formatting speed;
• after the formatting operation, it is necessary to initialize the device;
• English only interface.