No memory on flash drive

Windows (Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit with newest updates installed) keeps showing only 5MB free of my Kingston 8GB flash-drive, but actually there is only ~4.05GB used (some kind of paradox). Here are some screenshots:

My Computer

All items in the flash drive (no hidden files as you see):
Kingston flash drive

All 3 selected items (hidden and regular):
File properties Kingston flash drive properties

Btw I never unplug the drive because I don't need it, I use it only for ReadyBoost and I don't care how much space there is left while ReadyBoost does it's job, I am just interested in the problem or should I say "paradox"...

Edit1
After I set different cache size for ReadyBoost and it starts to do it's work, Windows reports 3.80GB free while ReadyBoost works in background applying the cache, and after ReadBoost finishes the applying process, Windows shows the wrong free space size again...

BEFORE AFTER

Edit2
After formatting flash drive and re-enabling the ReadyBoost everything is back to normal. So the question is closed and solved (but don't know what was the problem anyways)...

Little Helper

Posted 2012-10-02T15:48:36.370

Reputation: 1 906

What amount of size show on other PC's or OS's? Any kind of hidden files are there/ – avirk – 2012-10-02T15:50:39.223

1Check for hidden files, save the needed data on your desktop-format the usb-copy data back to the usb – KDEx – 2012-10-02T15:54:10.680

@KDEx actually hidden files actually set to be non-hidden :D – Little Helper – 2012-10-02T16:57:17.567

@David Properties window (3-rd) is showing all three files selected – Little Helper – 2012-10-02T16:57:55.460

@avirk I can't unplug it because Windows will crash if I unplug the drive (since ReadyBoost cache is located on it:D). Btw I am sick and I can't go outside my house... – Little Helper – 2012-10-02T17:27:37.427

2If you only selected the radio button to Show hidden files, folders, and drives but left the Hide protected operating system files option checked, try unchecking the latter as well and see if any huge file (or set of files) show up that are taking up the remaining space. – Karan – 2012-10-02T17:59:48.420

@Karan Still nothing new... – Little Helper – 2012-10-02T18:53:55.587

Can you download MS SysInternals' Streams utility, open a command prompt and change to your USB drive, then run streams -s .? See if any files have data stored in their ADS.

– Karan – 2012-10-02T18:59:55.800

@Roberts I've deleted my comment. I've tried this with an empty 8GB FAT32 drive just setting it as Readyboost and it looks normal. How much space is taken if you stop using the device for Readyboost? (select first option and apply) – David Marshall – 2012-10-03T16:36:58.670

@karan It can't be ADS as it's not a NTFS device. Was the device ever used with a different system from Windows 7? – David Marshall – 2012-10-03T16:40:55.687

Ah yes, I failed to see that it was formatted as FAT32. :/ – Karan – 2012-10-03T16:44:52.527

@David LOL, when I disable the ReadyBoost, the half of total space is taken (but I moved the files to local disk). I better format the drive.. – Little Helper – 2012-10-03T19:46:07.417

@David See the Edit2 – Little Helper – 2012-10-03T19:48:52.280

Answers

I had the same problem with my 16 GB flash drive. It turn out my flash drive was storing some files in .trashes. You should go the command line and navigate to your drive. Then use the command "dir" to view everything on that drive. You can then remove files manually using "del".

If you prefer to not use the command line, then try UtahJarHead's program.

Josiah

Posted 2012-10-02T15:48:36.370

Reputation: 1 674

Download WinDirStat and find your files. It's open source and free. http://windirstat.info/ It will list all of your files in a nice graphical display with sizes so you can see exactly what's taking up your space.

After reading your below comments, your drive is screwed. There's an issue with flash that crops up rarely. Files will be deleted, as in NOT SHOWING, but the space will still be allocated by the drive. If this is the case, the only thing I've ever seen is that it is permanent damage.

Copy your data off, format it, and hope you get the full size returned to you.

UtahJarhead

Posted 2012-10-02T15:48:36.370

Reputation: 1 755

Oh yes. And empty your recycle bin. – UtahJarhead – 2012-10-02T16:52:18.853

Well, the app shows that there is only 4 GB occupied but shows that flash drive is full too (paradox). Btw recycle bin is empty... – Little Helper – 2012-10-02T17:00:29.890

Read the above edited Answer – UtahJarhead – 2012-10-02T20:16:43.520

Is this a genuine flash drive from a trustworthy vendor? I'm asking because I once had strange effects like that with a Chinese flash stick that was supposed to have 16 Gig but wasn't fully equipped (essentially what the stick reported wasn't what it had actually on board in terms of memory).

QSQ

Posted 2012-10-02T15:48:36.370

Reputation: 450

I was using this flash drive for backups and it really has 8gigs of memory. – Little Helper – 2012-10-03T06:46:21.127

Do you have a ton of small files on it? There is an effect with the usage of clusters/allocation unit on the file system. E.g. if the flash drive has a cluster size of 32KB and if you store an 8KB file there, it will still take 32KB because the system can't assign less than one cluster to a file, so in that case 24KB will be marked as used but wasted. Maybe a similar effect accounts for the missing space.

QSQ

Posted 2012-10-02T15:48:36.370

Reputation: 450

OMG, there is a screenshot of the flash drive facepalm – Little Helper – 2012-10-03T19:39:53.807