64GB usb pen can’t format

I have a Lexar 64GB usb pen, which until recently worked perfectly. All of a sudden it now refuses to allow me to delete any files from it or format it, although I can write new files to it.

I deleted the USB pen ‘partition’ using Windows and Partition manager & recreated it, However to surprise it still had the original files intact. Wonder if there is anything I can do to resurrect it.

just used Diskpart Clean and it said successful, but still the files are on it ?

thanks

Hello @reddwarf4ever,

reddwarf4ever said:

I have a Lexar 64GB usb pen, which until recently worked perfectly. All of a sudden it now refuses to allow me to delete any files from it or format it, although I can write new files to it.

I deleted the USB pen ‘partition’ using Windows and Partition manager & recreated it, However to surprise it still had the original files intact. Wonder if there is anything I can do to resurrect it.

just used Diskpart Clean and it said successful, but still the files are on it ?

[1] Have you write protected the USB at any stage?
[2] Have you tried performing delete or format with the USB on another computer?

I hope this helps!

reddwarf4ever said:

I have a Lexar 64GB usb pen, which until recently worked perfectly. All of a sudden it now refuses to allow me to delete any files from it or format it, although I can write new files to it.

I deleted the USB pen ‘partition’ using Windows and Partition manager & recreated it, However to surprise it still had the original files intact. Wonder if there is anything I can do to resurrect it.

just used Diskpart Clean and it said successful, but still the files are on it ?

thanks

This usually means drive is brown bread. You are lucky it works at all.

Windows has a limit of 32GB in formatting a drive or partition as FAT32 [all drives need at least 1 partition]. All the 64GB and smaller Thumb drives I've worked with came factory-formatted as FAT32, haven't needed to work with 128GB yet. If I want to do it I use a GPARTED BootableCD or do it with GPARTED in my Linux computer, have formatted External USB HDDs/SSDs as high as 500GB FAT32.

Paul Black said:

Hello @reddwarf4ever,


[1] Have you write protected the USB at any stage?
[2] Have you tried performing delete or format with the USB on another computer?

I hope this helps!

I can write files to the pen, so assume it’s not write protected although it doesn’t have a physical write protection tab and have never done this with software....the video on the pen plays ok....just can’t delete it or format the pen, even with diskpart.....�� there is a solution....don’t want to throw it away

thanks

ps do t have another pc, but will ask my son

as requested, Disk 10 being the problem USB pen

diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the USB drive number)
select disk n (replace n by the USB drive number obtained with list disk)
clean
convert mbr
create part primary - insufficient space
select part 1
format fs=ntfs quick no volume selected
assign
active
exit (to exit diskpart)

any thoughts ?