USB Flash Drive Showing Empty but Half of the Capacity Is in Used, Help

My USB drive is a 16GB Kingston DataTraveler. When I went to use it this morning, it showed no contents, but its information stated that half of the capacity was being used. I tested it on Windows 7, OS X, and Ubuntu, and the outcomes were all the same.

Best Answered by

Roxanne· Answered on Apr 18, 2024

Before going through the how-to tutorial, let's discuss why this problem happens as follows. Below are the main reasons that may lead to this issue:

  • Malware or viruses corrupt the files on the USB flash drive.
  • There might be a faulty connection.
  • The hidden files of your USB flash drive haven't shown.
  • Hard drive failure or OS error.

Now, you know the potential causes of this problem. Then, how do we fix the USB flash drive showing empty, but half of the capacity is in use problem? Don't worry. Multiple solutions can apply to this case, and I will introduce two of them to help you resolve this issue.

Fix 1. Clean the USB Flash Drive

There may be hidden files that take up the space on your USB. EaseUS Partition Master can find and delete useless files/programs on your USB. In addition, This tool can also manage the partition size on your USB flash drive. Follow the quick guide to clean up your drive:

Free Download 

Windows 11/10/8/7100% Secure

Step 1. Install EaseUS Partition Master to launch and activate the EaseUS CleanGenius in the "Discovery" section.

Step 2. In EaseUS CleanGenius's main screen, use "Cleanup" and click "Scan" to begin scanning.

Step 3. Tick useless large files and tap the "Clean" button to clean.

Step 4. When the process is completed, choose "Done."

Fix 2. Check the USB Drive Error via CHKDSK Commands

Regarding other solutions, click the following article and explore more information:

Extend Reading: How to Fix Pen Drive Shows Empty Although It Has Data

 

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