Storage Format (Windows)

Required Reading

This is an add-on section for formatting a storage device for use with the StorageMgr kernel plugin.

Additionally, there is an optional section for checking your storage device for errors using h2testw. Depending on the size of your storage device and the speed of your computer, the checking process can take up to several hours!

This page is for Windows users only. If you are not on Windows, check out the Storage Format (Linux) or Storage Format (Mac) pages.

What You Need

• zzBlank.img
• The latest version of Win32DiskImager
• The latest version of h2testw
  • This is not required if you do not want to check your storage device for errors

Instructions

Section I - Formatting Storage Device

1. Install Win32DiskImager if you have not already
2. Insert your storage device into your computer
3. Launch Win32DiskImager
4. Select zzBlank.img as the "Image File"
5. Set "Device" to the drive letter of your storage device
6. Select "Write"
7. Select "Yes" to continue when prompted
8. Select "OK" to dismiss the dialogue box when the write completes
9. Close Win32DiskImager
10. Right-click the drive in Windows Explorer, then select "Format"
11. Set "File system" to "exFAT"
    • If your storage device has a capacity of 256 GB or greater, you must format with a cluster size of 64 KB
    • Use MBR, not GPT, or it wont work
12. Select "Start"
13. Select "OK" to continue when prompted
14. Select "OK" to dismiss the dialogue box when the format completes
15. Close the format window

Section II - Verifying Storage Device

If you do not want to check your storage device for errors, skip this section.

1. Copy h2testw.exe from the h2testw .zip to your desktop
2. Insert your storage device card into your computer
3. Run h2testw.exe
4. Select "English"
5. Select "Select target"
6. Select your storage device card's drive letter
7. Ensure "all available space" is selected
8. Select "Write + Verify"
9. Wait until the process is completed

If the test shows the result Test finished without errors, your storage device card is good and you can delete all .h2w files on your storage device card.

If the test shows any other results, your storage device card may be corrupted or damaged and you may have to replace it!

TIP

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