Windows 10: Invalid media or Track 0 bad – disk unusable

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When you try to format your storage drives including HDDs, USBs, SSDs, SD cards, etc using the format command in Command Prompt on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer, Windows may be unable to complete the formatting with the error message Invalid media or Track 0 bad – disk unusable. This post is intended […]

This article Invalid media or Track 0 bad – disk unusable first appeared on TheWindowsClub.com.

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Invalid media or Track 0 bad disk unusable Format failed

I just bought brand new USB SanDisk 3.2 Gen1 USB Device and while preparing it to use it as evidence collection drive. Got below error:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>format e: /fs:exfat /p:1

Insert new disk for drive E: and press ENTER when ready...

The type of the file system is FAT32.

The new file system is EXFAT. Verifying 114.6 GB 240353248 bad sectors were encountered during the format. These sectors cannot be guaranteed to have been cleaned.

Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? TrustedTools

Failed to initialize the volume label. The volume label is too long.

Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? TrustdTools

Invalid media or Track 0 bad - disk unusable.

Format failed

Any help would be much appreciated. I will search other online resources about the fix in the meantime as well.

 

Invalid media or Track 0 bad disk unusable Format failed

Below worked, wondering why /fs:exfat /p:1 switch did not work :-?

C:\WINDOWS\system32>format e:

Insert new disk for drive E:

and press ENTER when ready...

The type of the file system is FAT32.

The new file system is EXFAT.

Verifying 114.6 GB

Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? TrustdTools

Initializing the File Allocation Table (FAT)...

Creating file system structures.

Format complete.

114.6 GB total disk space.

114.6 GB are available.



131,072 bytes in each allocation unit.

938,836 allocation units available on disk.



32 bits in each FAT entry.



Volume Serial Number is AE25-3A2A



C:\WINDOWS\system32>

 

Unable to recover corrupt SD card/RAW file

Good Day Aileen,

Thank you very much for your expert advice.

I did as instructed and all was going very well.....

until the very end of the format process!!!

This is what the result was.....

invalid media or track 0 bad - disk unusable.

Does this mean exactly that, that the SD card is no longer usable?

What are your thoughts please.