USB Key showing 248mb instead of 64Gb

Scania

Scania

Scania

Caporegime
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I'm tearing my hair out with a USB key, bought it last week from OC/UK and have come to create a Win 10 installation this morning but can’t use it as the media creation tool is saying it’s too small.

In disk management it’s got 58 odd Gb unallocated which I’m assuming is the issue but I can’t wipe nor reformat the whole drive.

Can anybody point me to a free tool that’ll sort it out for me?

Thanks. :)
 
make and model of the USB?

When I've seen this in the past with some Sandisk drives it's split into 2, the main storage and an encryption partition. The other time I've seen it is if it's a Linux live usb.

Try formatting it in disk manager if not I've had success with dedicated USB formatters, free opensource one. Can't remember the name and I'm at work so can't check until later
 
freddie64 said:
DiskPart maybe able to restore the drive.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-and-format-storage-drive-using-diskpart-windows-10
Click to expand...
Thanks, I’ll take a look at that later.


AHarvey said:
make and model of the USB?
Click to expand...

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/king...b-3.0-flash-drive-dtse9g2-16gb-fl-162-ks.html

Sorry, it’s this one.


AHarvey said:
When I've seen this in the past with some Sandisk drives it's split into 2, the main storage and an encryption partition. The other time I've seen it is if it's a Linux live usb.

Try formatting it in disk manager if not I've had success with dedicated USB formatters, free opensource one. Can't remember the name and I'm at work so can't check until later
Click to expand...
Cheers. :)
 
@randal

Very similar to my own method which has proven to be foolproof so far:
Code: 
Run CMD and enter the following commands - ensure you choose the correct drive.

DISKPART

LIST DISK

(now it's time to identify the drive # for your USB key)

SELECT DISK 3

(substitute 3 with whatever # your USB key is)

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=FAT32 QUICK

ASSIGN

EXIT

EXIT
 
darael said:
@randal

Very similar to my own method which has proven to be foolproof so far:
Code: 
Run CMD and enter the following commands - ensure you choose the correct drive.

DISKPART

LIST DISK

(now it's time to identify the drive # for your USB key)

SELECT DISK 3

(substitute 3 with whatever # your USB key is)

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=FAT32 QUICK

ASSIGN

EXIT

EXIT
Click to expand...


Used this which fixed it.


Thanks all for the replies. :)
 
an0nym0us said:
I'd use diskpart as well, since it's already included in Windows and therefore doesn't involve installing additional software.
Click to expand...

this. you often see download links to wikkid software or whatever - just use diskpart:p

Scania said:
Used this which fixed it.


Thanks all for the replies. :)
Click to expand...

depending on what you're actually using it for, randal's method may have been better as ntfs.
 
loltim said:
depending on what you're actually using it for, randal's method may have been better as ntfs.
Click to expand...
The OP mentioned that they wanted to use the key to install Windows 10. I'm pretty certain that you can boot USB keys from UEFI when you format them as NTFS, that's why I always format them as FAT32. In fact I am sure that Microsoft's Media Creation Tool formats keys as FAT32 too, for the same reason.

Of course I could be wrong, but I am curious now so I shall do some testing! :D
 
tbh I'd missed the fact that OP needed it for a Windows 10 image and was thinking ntfs would be better for permissions/large files etc if used as a normal storage disk, but I'm sure MS media creation tool or Rufus will format the disk first anyway?
 
I had a similar instance yesterday when I created a memtest bootable USB and it makes the 16GB USB stick look like a 250MB stick.

Using Rufus next to create a Windows 10 bootable installation fixed the issue though.
 
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