How to Format USB Sticks
USB sticks are an increasingly popular way to transport data between computers. These drives are popular because of their small size and because they can hold a surprising amount of data. One pitfall of the USB stick is that it can become corrupted, like any other data storage device. One way to repair a corrupted USB stick--or to simply clear it of all existing data--is to reformat it. This process is quick and easy.
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Instructions
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Insert the USB stick into an available USB slot on your computer. If your computer launches any pop-ups in response to the drive, just close out the windows and ignore the message. You do not want to run any software using the USB stick while you are formatting it.
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For Windows Vista and Windows 7 users, click on the "Start" menu and then open the "Computer" menu. For Windows XP, open "My Computer."
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Right-click on the icon representing your USB stick in the "Computer"/"My Computer" window. This will display a menu next to your mouse pointer.
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Select the "Format" option from this menu. This will launch a "Format Removable Disk" dialog box. Leave all settings at their default and click on "Start." A warning box will appear. Click "OK." This will begin the formatting procedure.
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Once the computer has finished formatting your USB stick, remove it from your computer--it has now been formatted.
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Tips & Warnings
Formatting will erase all the data in the USB stick. Make sure you want to erase all data before you begin the formatting procedure.
