tldr – When minitool renders a drive inaccessible by Windows, use EaseUS Partition Master to delete the partition and reformat.

We’ve all been there: trying to format a drive, perhaps to repurpose it or fix a nagging issue, and suddenly, everything grinds to a halt. You’re met with cryptic errors, Windows refuses to cooperate, and your drive seems to have transformed into an unreadable enigma. If you’ve encountered this after using MiniTool Partition Wizard and experienced a crash, you’re not alone.

The MiniTool Mishap

MiniTool Partition Wizard, available here, is a popular tool for managing disk partitions. It offers a wide range of features, from resizing and formatting to recovering lost partitions. However, like any software, it can encounter issues. In some cases, a crash during a critical operation, such as formatting, can leave your drive in a corrupted state.

The Symptoms of a Corrupted Drive

After a MiniTool crash, you might notice these frustrating symptoms:

• Windows’ inability to format the drive: Attempts to format the drive through Disk Management or the command prompt will likely fail.
• Partition deletion failures: Windows won’t allow you to delete the existing partitions.
• Incorrect drive size display: The drive might appear to have an inflated or inaccurate size in Disk Management.
• Inaccessibility: The drive becomes completely inaccessible from Windows Explorer.

Essentially, Windows gets confused about the drive’s structure, rendering it unusable.

EaseUS Partition Master to the Rescue

When Windows throws its hands up in defeat, third-party partition management software can often save the day. In this scenario, EaseUS Partition Master, specifically the Pro version, available here, proves to be a lifesaver.

EaseUS Partition Master excels at repairing corrupted partitions and rebuilding the Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT), which are crucial for drive functionality.

How EaseUS Partition Master Helps:

• Partition Recovery: EaseUS Partition Master can scan the drive for lost or corrupted partitions and attempt to recover them.
• MBR/GPT Rebuild: It can rebuild the MBR or GPT, restoring the drive’s correct partition information.
• Error Checking and Repair: The software includes tools to check for and repair disk errors.
• Force deletion of partitions: In some cases, it can delete partitions that windows refuses to.

By repairing the underlying partition structure, EaseUS Partition Master can restore the drive to a usable state, allowing Windows to recognize and format it correctly.

Prevention is Key

While EaseUS Partition Master can rescue your drive, it’s always best to prevent these issues in the first place. Here are a few tips:

• Ensure a stable power supply: Power outages during disk operations can lead to corruption.
• Close unnecessary programs: Minimize resource usage during disk operations.
• Use reliable software: While MiniTool is generally reliable, always ensure you’re using the latest version.
• Back up your data: Regularly back up your important data to prevent data loss.

If you encounter a drive formatting nightmare after a MiniTool crash, don’t despair. EaseUS Partition Master can often bring your drive back to life.