Posted: 5/11/2015 7:50:07 PM EDT
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16gb Sandisk Cruizer flashdrive, but it won't hold more than 49mb of data.
I deleted any files, emptied the recycle bin, reformatted for FAT and NTFS, error checked it, checked it under Win7 'Disk Management' and it shows '49 mb primary partition - 99mb EFI system partition - 14.76 unallocated'. I've had it for roughly 2 years, never a problem. Any ideas what the problem is and how I can get those 14.76 gb's back? |
| As long as all of your shit is off the drive, install a linux distro on a usb drive, then try to go back and reformat that stick. The linux software isn't as touchy feely as windows formatting apps. Try both FAT and NTFS before you toss it. Very rarely do those USB sticks have problems, unless they get physically damaged. |
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Buy another one for 6 bucks?  Yeah... I could do that, but I'm one of those stubborn types that spends more time and effort on trying to fix something when it would be easier, less time consuming and cheaper to replace it (truth be told, I do have spares on hand )
Plus, I'm curious to see if it can be fixed and/or what the underlying problem is. |
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The best way is by using Diskpart along with the Windows Disk Manager, but it can be dangerous if you're not familiar with it. Google those terms for instructions.
ETA: here are good instructions with screen shots |
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As long as all of your shit is off the drive, install a linux distro on a usb drive, then try to go back and reformat that stick. The linux software isn't as touchy feely as windows formatting apps. Try both FAT and NTFS before you toss it. Very rarely do those USB sticks have problems, unless they get physically damaged. Nothing important on it. I use it mostly to transfer files from one PC to another or to store downloaded music to play in my vehicle. I don't consider it an issue, it's more of a perplexing thing that's bugging me because as you posted "Very rarely do those USB sticks have problems". |
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If you grab a partition software that allows you to do what you please with partitions (much more than windows) you can delete the entire thing and re-do the partitions and it will actually re-do them. Just doing it in windows won't fix it.
easeus partition master Partition Wizard:http://www.partitionwizard.com/ I use this at work a lot, minitool works wonders. Paragon Partition Grab the minitool one, pretty sure its free, easy to use, should wipe that sucker clean and put your drive back to 16gb |
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I had the same problem - was able to do a format and get the space back
let me see if I can find what I did here you go, try this http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/219693/unable-to-format-usb-stick-to-full-capacity/ |
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Right click my computer click "manage". Go to disk management Right click in the unallocated space and see if you can expand E:/ (or whaterver) onto it. For some reason Windows gets shitty about what you can do with removable disks. I had to format/partition/reformat a bunch of USB thumbdrives a couple weeks ago, and it wasn't as simple as it should be. |
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The best way is by using Diskpart along with the Windows Disk Manager, but it can be dangerous if you're not familiar with it. Google those terms for instructions. ETA: here are good instructions with screen shots Quoted:
The best way is by using Diskpart along with the Windows Disk Manager, but it can be dangerous if you're not familiar with it. Google those terms for instructions. ETA: here are good instructions with screen shots Thanks... that just might work. It's been running for an hour now and it's almost 50% complete (I take that as a good sign). Quoted:
Right click my computer click "manage". Go to disk management Right click in the unallocated space and see if you can expand E:/ (or whaterver) onto it. Tried all that, the options are all greyed out. |
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The best way is by using Diskpart along with the Windows Disk Manager, but it can be dangerous if you're not familiar with it. Google those terms for instructions. ETA: here are good instructions with screen shots Well... it worked. Thanks 
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Well... it worked. Thanks Quoted:
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The best way is by using Diskpart along with the Windows Disk Manager, but it can be dangerous if you're not familiar with it. Google those terms for instructions. ETA: here are good instructions with screen shots Well... it worked. Thanks I'm glad it worked, but it shouldn't have taken anywhere near that long.. sounds like the storage chip is on it's last legs. |
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I'm glad it worked, but it shouldn't have taken anywhere near that long.. sounds like the storage chip is on it's last legs. Quoted:
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The best way is by using Diskpart along with the Windows Disk Manager, but it can be dangerous if you're not familiar with it. Google those terms for instructions. ETA: here are good instructions with screen shots Well... it worked. Thanks I'm glad it worked, but it shouldn't have taken anywhere near that long.. sounds like the storage chip is on it's last legs. Time will tell. It's not like the damned thing is that important to me. It's just one of those 1st world problems that was bugging me. The important part was that I learned something new. |