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USB key downgraded from 16GB to 1GB!

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pika3d Posted messages 398 Status Member -  
 boss -
Hello everyone!

After attempting an installation - which ended in failure - of Vanilla (an operating system based on Chrome OS), my USB stick has shrunk to 1/16th of its size!

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

I downloaded a .img file from the Vanilla website and put it on my USB stick using Win32 Disk Imager to make it a bootable USB. Then I plugged this USB into the computer meant to receive Vanilla (I entered the BIOS, etc.) but encountered errors. I thought to myself, never mind, Vanilla didn’t seem that great anyway. But when I plugged the bootable USB into another computer, disaster struck: You need to format the USB drive before you can use it, Windows tells me. I format it, and I behold the horror: The control panel shows that the size of the USB is 0.99 GB.

What the heck is going on?! My USB was 16 GB! What is it? A hidden partition, a corrupted format...?

How can I get my 16 GB back :'(

Thanks to anyone who can explain how to do it!

10 answers

  1.
    REMYMARTIN60 Posted messages 2016 Status Member 403
     
    it's annoying :/ not impossible, don't worry, but it might get technical here. Try again but format the USB drive just before.
    if still not .... we'll have to use diskpart.

    --
    When in doubt, reboot! When it fails, format!
    LePetitJimmy
    32
    1. pika3d Posted messages 398 Status Member 41
       
      Should I format it to exFAT, FAT, FAT32, or NTFS?

      And I also need to choose a size for the allocation unit... I don't know what to put in that field?

      I think we're almost there ^^
      0
    2. REMYMARTIN60 Posted messages 2016 Status Member 403
       
      Open the command prompt: "run" -> CMD

      then type the following commands:

      DISKPART

      (this command will open the "diskpart" tool)

      list disk

      (locate the number assigned to your USB drive in the displayed list)

      select disk 3

      (change 3 to the number corresponding to your USB drive)

      clean

      (this will remove the existing partition)

      create partition primary

      (creating a new partition)

      active (only if you want to install an OS with your USB drive)

      (this will make your partition active to allow it to be "bootable")

      format fs=fat32 quick

      (quick format to "fat32")

      assign

      (to assign a letter to your USB drive)

      exit

      (to exit diskpart)

      exit

      (to close the command prompt)
      1