Summary :
- How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive Windows 10
- Reformat A Thumb Drive Windows
- How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive Adapter
- How To Format A Usb Thumb Drive Windows 10
- How Do I Reformat Usb
- How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive Sd Card
This article will provide various methods to restore USB drive to original state. If your USB flash drive becomes abnormal after making it as a bootable disk or has less capacity for unknown reasons, you can try these methods to solve your problems.
Launch Disk Utility (from Applications Utilities Disk Utility). Select the drive in the left-hand sidebar. Formatting options are available directly in the Chrome OS File Manager, meaning no extra apps, add-ons or actions are needed. First things first, plug your SD Card or USB drive into an available USB port on your Chromebook. Next, open up the Files app (the blue circle with a white folder icon). In the sidebar you’ll see a list of folders. Some flash drives have to be formatted first before you can store files on them. In this article, we are taking a closer look at the Disk Utility, which comes with all recent versions of the Mac OS X operating system and how you can use it to format USB drive on Mac. Format Flash Drive Mac with Disk Utility. Connect the drive to your computer and open File Explore (previously called Windows Explorer). Navigate to your USB drive and right click on it. Choose Properties from the menu. Shift to Tools tab from General tab. Click Scan and repair drive and wait. Once the process is done, please try to format your drive by using Disk Management or a USB.
Quick Navigation :
When to Restore USB Drive to Original State
USB flash drive is a data storage device that uses flash memory to store data and connects to computer through USB interface. Generally, a flash drive has various usages. You can check Comprehensive Usage Tutorial of USB Flash Drive to know more details.
However, the various usages will simultaneously lead to multiple problems. For example, the USB flash drive may contain less capacity than its original state for unknown reason; the flash drive might have less capacity after it was made as a bootable USB drive. In another word, the USB drive can't work as usual.
If the above problems happen, you may wish to restore USB drive to original state to find back the lost capacity and make it back to normal. Some people may suggest that you could use a USB disk mass production tool to restore USB flash drive to factory settings through low-level formatting.
However, this method will shorten service life of the USB flash drive to some extent. You can check What Is Disk Formatting to know their differences. If you want to restore USB drive back to full capacity, you just need to delete files in USB flash drive. Similarly, if you want to restore bootable USB to normal, you can just format the USB flash drive.
There may be other reasons that urge you to restore USB drive to the original state. However, some of you may encounter difficulties which will prevent you from restoring the USB flash drive.
We recommend three tools for restoring USB flash drive to original state. The specific steps will also be described as well.
How to Restore USB Drive to Original State
There are various methods to restore USB flash drive to original state; but please note that these methods may cause data loss, so you should back up important files in advance.
Method 1: Restore USB Drive to Original State with MiniTool Partition Wizard
MiniTool Partition Wizard is the first tool we recommend because it is extremely great in managing partitions. If the above problems happen to your USB flash drive, MiniTool Partition can help you solve them.
You can use it to delete files including the hidden files. Click here to see the tutorial. If your USB flash drive has less capacity for unknown reason and you just want to restore USB drive back to full capacity, you can use the Space Analyzer feature.
If you want to restore USB flash drive to original state, you can delete the partition, format the partition, or even wipe the partition to complete this job.
Here is a tutorial on deleting USB flash drive with MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Step 1: Download MiniTool Partition Wizard and launch it to get its main interface. Right-click the USB flash drive and choose Delete All Partitions from the context menu.
Step 2: Click Yes on the pop-up warning window. Then click Apply button to carry out the pending operations.
Then, you need to create a new partition for future use.
How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive Windows 10
Here is the tutorial on creating partition with MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Step 1: Right-click on the unallocated space of the USB flash drive and choose Create from the context menu.
Step 2: Set key parameters and click OK.
Kind Reminder:
Please set the partition file system as FAT32 or exFAT and create it as the primary one because the USB flash drive is usually preformatted with FAT32 file system or exFAT file system before it is shipped to you. How to install macos mojave hackintosh.
What's more, sometimes improper file system may cause some problems when you use it and FAT file system is more compatible than other file systems. As for other parameters, please keep their defaults.
Step 3: Click Apply button on the toolbar to execute the pending operations.
If the USB flash drive can't restore to normal after the deleting and creating process. You can try the format feature.
Here is a tutorial on formatting USB flash drive with MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Step 1: Open the main interface of MiniTool Partition Wizard. Then right-click a partition on the USB drive and choose Format from the context menu.
Tip: If the USB flash drive is divided into several partitions, please format them one by one.
Step 2: Choose file system and cluster size on the pop-up window and then click OK.
Tip: Just like before, please choose FAT32 or exFAT file system. As for the cluster size, just keep its default.
Step 3: Click Apply button on the toolbar to execute the pending operation commands.
However, if the disk formatting also can't restore USB drive to original state, you can try the wiping method. The wiping method will overwrite all information on the USB flash drive.
Here is a tutorial on wiping USB drive with MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard to get its main interface. Then right-click on the USB drive and choose Wipe Disk from the context menu.
Step 2: Choose a wiping method and click OK.
Attention:
The wiping method is related to data sanitization. You can adopt the default option when restoring USB drive to original state. However, the Wipe Disk feature will not only destroy all information in the USB flash drive, but also clean the partition table. So, you can use it to restore bootable USB to normal.
Step 3: Click Apply button on the toolbar to execute the pending changes.
Step 4: After disk wiping, you also need to create a new partition on the USB flash drive for future use.
After the partition creation, you can use the USB flash drive as usual. However, if the above methods still can't restore USB drive back to full capacity, you should run Surface Test to see whether there are bad sectors.
Just right-click on the USB flash drive and click Surface Test from the context menu. Then, click Start Now on the pop-up window. Wait until the result comes out. The green block stands for good sector and the red on represent bad sector. If there are bad sectors, you can either fix them or switch to a new flash drive.
Method 2: Restore USB Drive to Original State with Disk Management
Another method is to use Disk Management, a Windows built-in tool, to restore USB flash drive to original state.
Here is the tutorial on formatting the USB flash drive with Disk Management.
Step 1: Press 'Windows + R' keys simultaneously.
Step 2: Enter 'diskmgmt.msc' in the Run box. And then click OK to open Disk Management.
Step 3: Right-click on the USB flash drive partition and click Format.. from the context menu.
Step 4: Set formatting parameters and click OK in the pop-up window.
Tip: Please choose FAT 32 or exFAT file system first. Then, please uncheck Perform a quick format to complete a full format. This will scan for bad sectors automatically when formatting.
Step 5: Click OK on the pop-up format warning window.
Step 6: Wait until the formatting process reaches 100%.
Many of you may find that you can format a USB drive in This PC. You may just right-click the USB flash drive in This PC and then choose Format.. to restore USB flash drive to original state. And this method is simpler than what we recommend.
But some of you may find this method not working for unknown reason and that’s why we suggest other alternative methods to you.
Method 3: Restore USB Drive to Original State with Command
Surely, you can also use command to restore USB flash drive to original state.
Here is the tutorial.
Step 1: Press 'Windows + R' keys simultaneously.
Step 2: Type 'cmd' in the Run box and then click OK to open Command Prompt window.
Step 3: Type command 'diskpart' and press Enter key to open diskpart.exe input window.
Step 4: Type commands in the new input window one by one as follows.
- List disk
- Select disk 3
- Clean
Note: In my computer, I know the USB flash drive is disk 3 according to its capacity. You should replace the number according to your actual condition. At the same time, these commands will delete all partitions and partition table at the same time.
Step 5: Type the following commands one by one to create a new partition.
Reformat A Thumb Drive Windows
- Create partition primary
- Format fs=fat32 quick
Tip: These commands will create a partition with FAT32 file system. If you want to create a partition with exFAT file system, you can replace 'fat32' with 'exfat'. Then, please wait until the completion percentage reaches 100%.
Step 6: Enter command 'assign letter = f' and then type 'exit' to close the input window.
Some people may ignore the last step. But if you don't assign a drive letter to the partition, this partition may not be shown on your computer.
Suggestions
Scan for Bad Sectors
If you have tried all the above methods and you still can't solve your problem, you should check whether there are bad sectors. If there are bad sectors on the USB flash drive, you can try the following method to fix the logical bad sectors.
Here is the tutorial.
Step 1: Right-click the USB flash drive under This PC and choose Properties.
Step 2: Skip to Tools tab and click Check.
Step 3: Click Scan and repair drive.
Step 4: Wait until the scanning and repairing process completes.
However, if there are physical bad sectors, you could buy a new flash drive.
Scan for Virus
If your problem does not solve through the above methods and causes to this problem cannot be detected then you can try antivirus. This USB flash drive might become abnormal because of virus. You can use built-in Windows Defender Antivirus or another reliable third-party antivirus software to do this.
Bottom Line
We need your feedback on whether this article can help you restore USB drive to original state. If you have problems in restoring USB drive to original state, you can leave a comment below or email to [email protected] for help. We will try our best to help you.
Restore USB Dive to Original State FAQ
How do I restore a flash drive to its original state?
You can use 3 methods to complete that:
- Use Disk Management.
- Use DiskPart commands.
- Use third-party software.
If you mean you want to recover lost files from USB, you can refer to this post: How to Recover Data from Formatted USB Drive (Step-by-step Guide).
To restore space on the flash drive, you can:
- Delete partition and create a new one.
- Format or wipe the partition.
- Scan for bad blocks.
![How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive](https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2007/features/hardware/ps3harddrive/813465-ps3drive_002.jpg)
Dec 21, 2020 • Filed to: USB Recovery • Proven solutions
Isn't it annoying when you have a bunch of free space on your USB Drive, but you can't use it because your USB Drive is not showing its full capacity on Windows? This issue can occur in your Drive due to various reasons, but it can restrict you to access your Drive properly. Thus, to use your Drive properly, you are required to understand the issue and how to restore usb drive to full capacity on Windows.
Part 1: Why My USB Drive is Not Showing Full Capacity in Windows?
Let's have a look at the various reasons causing your USB Drive to not show full capacity in Windows:
- Formatting Issues:
Most of the time such issues occur due to faulty formatting of your USB Drive. Formatting your Drive with incorrect methods or configuring it in the wrong way can lead to your Drive becoming inaccessible for the most part.
- Multiple Partitions:
Your USB Drives and other such external drives are meant to have a single partition. Thus, when you divide your USB drive into multiple partitions, Windows fail to recognize more than one partition, resulting in your USB Drive not showing full capacity.
- Damaged Drive:
Physical damage to your USB Drive might result in a change in its capacity. The capacity shown might shrink or extend, but it will become inaccessible in your System. Although it's hardly possible to repair a physically damaged drive, you can try to recover your data from it.
Part 2: How to Restore USB Drive to Full Capacity in Windows 10/8/7?
It's easy to restore your USB Drive to its full capacity and on Windows, the only condition is it shouldn't be physically damaged. You can easily achieve the objective by using one of the methods listed below, but these methods will erase all of your data from USB Drive, thus, it's recommended to take a backup.
Method 1. Restore USB drive to Full Capacity Using CMD
You can try the Command Prompt on your Windows to restore USB Drive to its full capacity. All you need to do is to follow the commands carefully.
Step 1. You can search 'CMD' from the search panel on your Taskbar, or you can go to 'Start' and navigate to the 'Command Prompt (Admin)' option depending on the version of windows you are using i.e. 7/8/10.
Step 2. Once the Command Prompt window is open, you need to process a few commands. Type 'diskpart' and press Enter. After the given command is processed, type 'list disk' and process it by pressing Enter. The latest command should list all the drives and disks connected to your System, including the USB Drive you want to restore to full capacity.
Step 3. After all the drives are listed, you need to Enter the command 'select disk #' to select the disk you want to restore to full capacity. ('#' in the command 'select disk #' should be replaced with the Number or Letter of the Disk you want to restore.)
Step 4. After the selection of the disk, give in the command 'clean' to wipe the disk. Once it's cleaned successfully type the command 'create partition primary' and hit Enter. This will form a new partition on your USB Drive.
Step 5. Once the partition is created, you need to Enter the command 'format fs=fat32 quick' to format your newly created partition to the FAT32 file system.
Method 2: Format USB Drive to Original State with Disk Management
Disk Management is another integrated feature of your Windows system that lets you restore your USB drive if you are unable to format USB stick to full capacity to its original state. Restoring your USB Drive to the original state will also restore it to its full capacity.
Step 1. Go to the search panel on the Task Bar of your home screen on Windows, and search for 'Disk Management' or 'diskmgmt.msc'. Click on the topmost result to go to the 'Disk Management' window.
Step 2. On the 'Disk Management' window, locate the USB Drive that you want to restore to full capacity. Right-click on it, and click on the 'Format' option from the context menu.
Step 3. You will see a pop-up window. Configure the parameters for formatting, choose FAT32 or exFAT file system, uncheck the 'Quick Format' option and click 'OK'. This will initiate the formatting process including the treatment of Bad Sectors on your Drive.
Wait for the formatting process to reach 100%. Once completed, your USB Drive will be formatted to the original state. This will restore USB Drive to full capacity on Windows, but you will lose all of your data.
Part 3: How to Recover Lost Files from USB after Restoring it to Full Capacity?
Both the above-mentioned methods to restore your USB Drive to its full capacity will erase all of your data from the Drive. In such a case, where all of your important data is deleted, all you can do is to try to recover it from the USB Drive. The only way to successfully recover your data is to use the Recoverit Data Recovery tool.
With the help of the Recoverit data recovery tool, you can recover all the data from your USB Drive very easily. It's minimalistic and user-friendly UI makes it easy to use for everyone. And, its powerful set of features makes it one of the most reliable data recovery tools out there.
Recoverit Data Recovery - The Best File Recovery Software
- You can recover all kinds of data like Audio, Video, Documents, ZIP, etc.
- You can recover lost files from USB Drive, Pen Drive, SSDs, HDDs, SD card, PC, Mobile, Camera, etc.
- You can configure the scanning process by using filters like File Type, File Path, Date, Size, etc.
User Guide to Recover Data:
How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive Adapter
How much is minecraft pc version. Preparation:
- Once you have restored USB Drive to full capacity, make sure to reconnect it with your System and check if it's detected or not.
- Go to the official website of the Recoverit Data Recovery tool and download the version compatible with Windows. Install the tool on your PC and launch it.
Step 1. Drive Selection
The first window you will see inside the tool is the 'Drive selection window'. Look for your connected USB Drive under the 'External Devices' section. Select your USB Drive and click on the 'Start' button to initiate the scanning process.
Step 2. Scanning Process
You will be transported to a new window, and during the scanning process, you are allowed to configure scanning through various means. From the left-hand panel, you can select a File Type or a File Path for more accurate scanning. From the right-hand panel, you can filter the scanning results by using filter options like Date, Size, Name, etc. You can also Pause and Play the scanning process.
Step 3. Recovery
How To Format A Usb Thumb Drive Windows 10
You will have all the recoverable files listed on the window after the scanning is done. Navigate to the files you want to recover. You can also Preview the files to be sure of the quality of recovery. Select all the files that you want to recover and click on the 'Recover' button. You will be asked to choose a location on your PC to save files, choose a location, and click 'OK'.
After the recovery process is completed, you will be able to access all of your selected and recovered files at the location you choose.
Conclusion:
Once you have restored your USB Drive to its full capacity using any of the above methods, you will be able to use your drive properly. But, if in case, all the methods fail to restore your Drive to full capacity on Windows, then you should use Recoverit Data Recovery to recover your important files and data from the Drive without any delay.
How Do I Reformat Usb
USB Topic
How To Reformat A Usb Thumb Drive Sd Card
- Recover USB Drive
- Format USB Drive
- Fix/Repair USB Drive
- Know USB Drive