If you receive an “Insufficient memory” error when trying to format your hard drive, the following tips and information may help you fix the problem.
Hard drive has no room
An insufficient memory error happens when formatting a hard drive with no place to put information on the hard drive if it had to be unformatted. To resolve this issue, run an unconditional format on the hard drive by typing the following at the MS-DOS prompt.
format c: /u
Master boot record is corrupted
If, when running an unconditional format, you experience the same issue, the master boot record may be corrupted. To resolve this issue, type the following at the MS-DOS prompt.
fdisk /mbr
Partitions are corrupted or missing
If you continue to experience the same issues after attempting the above two suggestions, we recommend you use the fdisk tool. With fdisk, you can delete and recreate the partitions. At the MS-DOS prompt, run the following commands:
Hard drive is bad
Unfortunately, if the recommendations above don’t resolve your issue, the hard drive is likely bad and needs to be replaced.
Related information
- Computer hard drive buying tips.
- See our hard drive definition for further information and related links.
- Hard drive help and support.
