Hi,
I tried to format my unreadable hitachi USB flash drive (320 GB) using HDD low level format tool. However, I got 'unable to lock device' error (see attached). Please help.
Thank you very much.
Jenny

Unless you have diagnosed the specific cause of your drive being unreadable (and FYI in your case it isn't a flash drive - it's a USB-attached hard drive), then your attempt to use the LLF tool may not be successful. There are various possible causes for a drive being "unreadable", which a software utility couldn't fix... If you haven't done it already, you could look at the full SMART data from the drive, to see if that gives clues about any underlying hardware problem. Also I assume you don't need the data from this drive, as you are trying to completely erase it.


That is a Windows-related issue. Windows is not allowing the LLF tool to exclusively lock that drive. That message means that other software has already got an open file handle on that Hitachi drive. Some anti-virus programs can cause this, so can some backup programs, but finding the specific cause on your PC would need you to find & run an "open files" utility. I've seen one in the past, but don't have the time to search for you now. Alternatively, you might find that shutting-down background programs on your PC, and then retrying the LLF tool may be successful. Or move that Hitachi drive to a different PC and try again.

Hope that gives you ideas about some of your options. There are alternative approaches possible too (e.g. use a different tool or different OS to attempt to erase your drive), but I suggest diagnosing the real problem first, otherwise you could waste lots of time if that drive has a serious underlying hardware problem.

Hi, Expert:

Attached is the SMART data for my flash drive. What is the problem. Please advise.
Thank you very much.
Jenny

FYI as I explained before, this is not a flash drive. It is a hard disk drive


I don't see an obvious problem in that SMART data - not all problems show there, but it was worth checking which is why I recommended it.

So I suggest you start explaining at the beginning - please give full, clear and unambiguous answers to these questions. There might be follow-up questions, depending on your answers to these:

(a) Why exactly did you say in your first post that this drive is "unreadable"? Please explain everything which makes you believe the drive is "unreadable".
(b) Have you tried moving the drive to a different PC to see if it is "readable" there? If you have tried, then what happened? If you have not tried, then is anything stopping you from trying?
(c) Do you need the data which is on this drive, or are you happy to lose all that data permanently and your only objective is to be able to use the blank drive again?
(d) Do you have any experience using Linux?
(e) Did you buy this drive already in an external enclosure, or did you buy the drive separately from the enclosure?
(f) Is this drive still under warranty?