128GB Flash Drive has 90Gb of unallocated space. How do I fix?! =(

[Sugar Kaine Mostly]

Microsoft did not warn me about not using more than a 32gb flash disk. Anyhow, I used Microsoft's own Create Media Tool for a Windows 10 boot flash install. All was good until now that I want to format my flash drive it's only reading it as a 32gb flash stick. It's a PNY 128gb USB 3.0 drive

Any help please!??

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

First question what format
Fat or ntfs?
Second are you sure it is a genuine pny 128 GB disk?


Do you want a second partition or re partition and re format?


I would backup any data then retry removing existing partition and reformating drive to full capacity
( or as near as difference between 1024 x 1024 x 1024 differs from 1000 x 1000 x 1000. Probably 7%)

Then test drive capacity is real using h2testw or similar program which check for fake capacity claims made by fake firmware

Regards
Mike Barnes

 

[Emerald]

the maximum FAT32 volume is only 32 GB.

delete the partition and create a new one. try formatting the drive using exFAT.

 

[Sugar Kaine Mostly]

I have checked through DiskPart via prompt menu. I purchased the PNY from MicroCenter via Black Friday. It worked fine showing 128gb when I used it earlier this week. However, I just recently used the Win 10 Media Creation Tool and it has split my drive into one 32gb auto. I can only see the unallocated space when I'm in classic Disk Management.

I tried DiskPart trying to do a master format of the USB stick but no luck. I'm trying to find a way to make my flash drive the exact same way it was last week. Stupid Microsoft... it shoul've told us in recommending a 32gb, not a 128gb. I assumed I could just format it. Seems like the Media Creation Tool made it into a 32gb disk!!!

Any help.

 

[Sugar Kaine Mostly]

 

[Sugar Kaine Mostly]

It is not solved!! =(

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

If you are still having problems re partitioning under Windows get Gparted
http://gparted.org/

(a linux bootable iso image, which you burn to CD-r and boot PC from CD
Gparted is a partition editor which should be able to remove any existing partition then replace it with a new one filling the whole drive)

was the original 128 GB formatted as VFat or NTFS ?
PNY web site will probably have the info if you cant remember.

Advantage of Vfat over Fat 32 is support for large file sizes (eg video's over 4GB)
under windows NT onwards Fat 32 formatting limited to 32GB.

let us know how you get on

regards
Mike Barnes