Question

Formatting a blue/purple micro vault

Asked by: Submedown

Dear All,

How do I format a sony micro vault that is 250GB in size?

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Asked On
2009-07-28 at 22:37:52ID24608508
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Formatting a blue/purple micro vault

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Microsoft Operating Systems

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Miscellaneous Hardware

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Personal Computers

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Hardware Components

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Answers

 

by: KavostylinPosted on 2009-07-28 at 22:40:18ID: 24967391

Right mouse click on the drive. Select FORMAT!

 

by: ChuckFickensPosted on 2009-07-29 at 04:50:52ID: 24969196

if you want to format it in NTFS then as above says right click on the drive and select format, If you want to format it in FAT32 (which is a more "normal" file system for external drives due to cross platform compatibility) then you will need extra software to do so as windows won't format over 32GB in FAT32

This will let you format it in FAT32 if you wish.

http://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm

 

by: arthurjbPosted on 2009-07-29 at 13:06:41ID: 24974059

If the drive is not appearing when you plug it in, and you think formatting it will help, then you are wrong.

Please let us know.

 

by: SubmedownPosted on 2009-08-06 at 03:41:12ID: 25031790

Guys,

A bit more information.  I can see the drive in windows exporer and in disk management.  As soon as I open the drive in explorer it automaticallly asks me to format the drive.  I select to format the drive, it formats through and finishes.  I try to click open the drive and it still cannot open the drive.  Same thing in disk management.  It detects, it formats through and still nothing.  I have done a bit of research on the Sony Micro Vault and apparently, it is a fake drive though I can see it in both, windows explorer and disk management.  A better question is, how do I format it as FAT 32?

 

by: ChuckFickensPosted on 2009-08-07 at 08:47:19ID: 25044013

it would appear that there is special microvault formatting software on the sony site

http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/files/USMLX_L/S_V3102_V2.exe

 

by: SubmedownPosted on 2009-08-07 at 21:26:14ID: 25048327

ChuckFickens, the formatting software does not detect the drive.

 

by: MeretePosted on 2009-08-12 at 00:34:35ID: 25076397

Hi, reading up about your flash drive
The Micro Vault Fingerprint Access software uninstaller may not completely remove version 2.01 of the Micro Vault Fingerprint Access software from your computer.
http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/

I dont think you need to format it

My computer does not recognize the Micro Vault.
You cannot use the Micro Vault with unsupported operating systems. Please check the OS
compatibility chart. In addition, the USB switch in the BIOS of older PCs may be turned OFF.
Please read the PCs instruction manual and turn the USB functions in the BIOS ON. (We do not
recommend that beginning PC users change BIOS settings.)
If the host device does not recognize the Micro Vault Tiny, please make sure that the device is plugged in correctly as described in the product package
Source
http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/support/index.html

Does it come with>>Sony Micro Vault media with the Virtual Expander
Micro Vault TM Virtual Expander is pre-installed file compression software
http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/files/USMJX/JX_Virtualexpander.swf

 

by: SubmedownPosted on 2009-08-12 at 05:55:31ID: 25078177

Merete,

Thank-you for the information.  I already went through the steps you've mentioned.  However here is an update from my end.

I have tried a format both through the Operating system and through the CMD (fat32format), both did not complete. I tried a normal and quick format, that failed also. As soon as the format got to 99% it gave me the error message "the format did not complete successfully".  In disk management, it shows as healthy and the drive as detected as 234 GB.  In windows explorer, it displays the micro vault but as soon as I click on the vault, I have a window coming up and is asking to format my machine the vault again.  Maybe another important information is that I bought it from China not too long ago.

What do you think of this link?

http://www.everythingusb.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5442

 

by: MeretePosted on 2009-08-12 at 07:29:28ID: 25079059

yes that's possible if buying off ebay but then you could report them to paypal.
So your problem is not being able to open it?
however since your windows sees the flash drive maybe other issues.
which windows are you running? Vista XP?
Are you sure it's 250GB not 250 megs?
flash usually indicates small
Looking at the flash available they all seem to be around 2/4/6/ 8 gig none at 250.
http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/support/index.html
XP only support up to 32GB on FAT32 file system
32GB is the maxiumum partition size for FAT32. If you need a whole partition 250GB, you need NTFS partition but not recommended for flash drives.
Source Elder geeks,
http://www.theeldergeek.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php?t33579.html
 

 

by: SubmedownPosted on 2009-08-18 at 02:46:55ID: 25121379

Merete,

I bought the flashdrive from China.  I run an XP box and it can see the vault as 230 GB in size.  

Yes my problem is I cannot open it.  When trying to open the flash drive, it would automatically ask me to format and I've chosen NTFS.  I click it and it would format through. When trying to open it again, it asks me to format again.  Any ideas?

 

by: MeretePosted on 2009-08-18 at 03:33:46ID: 25121654

Running out of ideas, difficult sometimes when one has to imagine what to do.
One idea try running a chkdsk on this drive.
The fact it's flash drive and so large is different, is it connected via USB 1 or USB2?
Ok maybe if I retrace steps of what you have done.
Was there any OS installed on this drive previously?
Was it ever used as to boot something?
Where I'm heading is if it has a boot loader installed.
have you attempted to delete the partition?
Can you delete this partition?

 

by: SubmedownPosted on 2009-08-18 at 04:14:22ID: 31609080

I believe the thumbdrive is a fake.  Thank-you for your help.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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