Media card cannot be read. Verify that the memory card is formatted

When the BlackBerry® smartphone user attempts to use the media card that is inserted in the BlackBerry smartphone, the following error message appears:

Media card cannot be read. Verify that the memory card is formatted

The media card has not yet been formatted on the BlackBerry smartphone.

Format the media card. To format the media card, complete the following steps:

Warning: This process deletes all data on the media card.

BlackBerry device software 4.2 to 5.0:

From the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, click Options > Media Card or Options > Advanced Options > Media Card. (Choose the option that appears on the BlackBerry smartphone).

Display the menu and click Format Card.

Note: If the Format Card option does not appear on the menu, skip step 3 and perform the procedure that follows.

A warning message appears, asking if you are certain you would like to format the card. Click Yes to continue.

If the Format Card option does not appear on the menu, complete the following steps:

On the Media Card screen, set the Mass Storage Mode Support field to Off. Display the menu and click Save. The Media Card screen closes automatically. Click Media Card to reopen the Media Card screen. To format the media card, display the menu and click Format Card. A warning message appears, asking if you are certain you would like to format the card. Click Yes to continue.

BlackBerry device software 6.0:

From the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, select Options > Device > Storage. Or using Universal Search, type media card and select Options > Storage. Press the Menu Key and select Format. In the pop up window select Media Card. A warning message appears, asking if you are certain you would like to format the card. Click Yes to continue.

"Memory card contains error, please use disk checking utility on computer" appears on the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone

One of the following error messages appears on the Home screen of the BlackBerry® smartphone:

Memory card contains errors, please use a disk checking utility on a computer.
A Media Card has been inserted that contains errors. To correct the errors please use a disk error-checking utility on a computer.

There is file system corruption on either the media card, or the on-board device memory. This corruption is preventing correct access to the files contained within.

Complete the appropriate resolution:

Resolution 1

Complete the following steps to scan the media card or on-board device memory for errors:

Connect the BlackBerry smartphone to a computer, and enable Mass Storage Mode. For instructions, see KB13564. Double-click My Computer. A drive showing as BlackBerry> will be listed as a Device with Removable Storage. Right-click BlackBerry> and select Properties from the drop-down list. Click the Tools tab. Under Error-checking, click Check Now. Select both Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. Click Start.

Note: This error might appear for both the on-board device memory and the external media card. Double-click both BlackBerry> items to determine which is the external media card and which is the on-board device memory and then follow the preceding steps for the appropriate drive.

Tip: The Repair menu option under Options > Memory in BlackBerry® Device Software 5.0 can be used to repair the on-board device memory or external media card directly from the BlackBerry smartphone.

Resolution 2

Complete the following steps to format the media card:

Warning: The following procedures will delete either all data, or all data and applications on the BlackBerry smartphone. Back up the data prior to performing the procedure. For instructions, see KB12487.

On the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, click Options Complete the appropriate following step: For BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry Device Software 4.2.1 or earlier, click Advanced Options > Media Card. For BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry Device Software 4.2.2 to 4.7.1, click Media Card. For BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry Device Software 5.0, click Memory. Display the menu and select Format or Format Card. If the BlackBerry smartphone contains both an external media card as well as on-board device memory, a prompt will appear with a choice for which memory to format, followed by the option to format either the Media Card or the Device Memory.

Select the memory that contains errors.

Resolution 3

Complete the following steps for this issue on a Mac computer:

Select Go > Utilities. Select Disk Utility. From the left side bar, highlight the microSD card. Click Repair Disk.

This article contains information previously documented in KB15907.