How To Recover Lost Space after U3 Flash

[PUNiZZLE]

After flashing your U3 drive it is possible to "lose" some space. Particularly, on the SanDisk 16GB Micro Cruzer. It will usually show about 3GB (2.93GB).

Before you panic trying to find your receipt, try this method. Your space is not lost, Windows is just not telling you it is there.

Step 1) Download the Official SanDisk U3 LaunchPad Removal Tool (Or your manufactures U3 removal tool)

Step 2) After U3 is removed go to My Computer-->Right Click on your flashdrive--> Select Properties-->Click the Hardware Tab

Step 3) Then select your flashdrive from this list below-->click the Properties button-->Click the Volumes Tab--> Click Populate. On this page it will show you the TRUE size under Capacity

Step 4) Close out of the window and go back to My Computer. Right-click on the drive and use the Windows format tool to format.

Step 5) After it is complete, Remove your drive(safely of course :P).

Step 6) Re-insert your drive and you're new capacity will be shown :D

If you wish to use the LaunchPad again, simply download the latest version from the U3 Website

I hope this helps people, if you have any questions/concerns/comments let me know! (If you feel the need, feel free to pin this as it seems a common issue)

[Jen]

Yeah, but after we format it, does pocket-knife still works on it?

[shido]

After flashing your U3 drive it is possible to "lose" some space. Particularly, on the SanDisk 16GB Micro Cruzer. It will usually show about 3GB (2.93GB).

Before you panic trying to find your receipt, try this method. Your space is not lost, Windows is just not telling you it is there.

Step 1) Download the Official SanDisk U3 LaunchPad Removal Tool (Or your manufactures U3 removal tool)

Step 2) After U3 is removed go to My Computer-->Right Click on your flashdrive--> Select Properties-->Click the Hardware Tab

Step 3) Then select your flashdrive from this list below-->click the Properties button-->Click the Volumes Tab--> Click Populate. On this page it will show you the TRUE size under Capacity

Step 4) Close out of the window and go back to My Computer. Right-click on the drive and use the Windows format tool to format.

Step 5) After it is complete, Remove your drive(safely of course :P).

Step 6) Re-insert your drive and you're new capacity will be shown :D

lol this post cracked me up, all you had to do was use gparted by booting into a live cd of linux like ubuntu 8.x and from there go to the partition tool and delete all the usb partitions and create a new one and format it... or you could have done this in windows with partion magic... :lol:

[IOSys]

Uhm, the reason this seems to work is that the Sandisk LP-removal tool reformats the drive properly,

ie enables the controller to see the flash-ram it couldn't see previously because of being "flashed" with

a LP-updater that only supports 4GB ..

[PUNiZZLE]

lol this post cracked me up, all you had to do was use gparted by booting into a live cd of linux like ubuntu 8.x and from there go to the partition tool and delete all the usb partitions and create a new one and format it... or you could have done this in windows with partion magic... :lol:

You crack me up.

gparted even does not fix this issue. If it had, I would not waste the time in my life making this post.