APPENDIX 3.1 SD Card Formatting

This guide will help you properly format your SD card to the FAT32 file system using built-in Windows tools. This is necessary for correctly writing the firmware image.

Before you start:

• Connect the SD card to your computer and ensure it is detected by the system.
• Back up all important data — formatting will erase all contents.
• If you are using a microSD adapter, make sure the write-protection switch is unlocked.
  

Step 1: Opening "Disk Management":

• Right-click on the Start button (Windows logo).
• Select "Disk Management".
  

Step 2: Deleting Existing Partitions/Volumes:

Locate your SD card in the list of disks (typically labeled as "Removable").

If the card has any existing partitions:

• Right-click on each allocated partition/volume.
• Select "Delete Volume...".
  
• Confirm the volume deletion.
  
• If the SD card has multiple volumes, repeat for all volumes until the entire card space shows the status "Unallocated".
  

Step 3: Creating a New Partition/Volume:

• Right-click on the unallocated space of the SD card.
• Select "New Simple Volume...".
  
• In the volume wizard that opens:
  1. Click "Next >" on each step.
     
  2. Specify the maximum volume size.
     
  3. Assign a drive letter (e.g., F).
     
  4. Select the FAT32 file system and enable "Perform a quick format".
     
  5. Click "Finish" to complete.
     

Result:

After formatting is complete, the SD card should appear as a single partition with the FAT32 file system and have the status "Healthy (Basic Data Partition)".

The disk should look like this:

SD card formatting is complete.