I hope someone out there can help me - I recently purchased 2 USB flash drives (8GB and 16GB) so that I can transfer my music files (20GB) from the hard drive of my laptop (using copy and paste function).

The first time I copied them all seemed OK until I tried to access them, when I opened the folders on the flash drives they were empty!!

I tried deleting the data from the drives but it told me it couldn't as the directories weren't empty (some folders had 'spurious' files in them - chinese text??!!)! Eventually I had to format the drives and start from scratch.

Once again I copied the files over - this time it took over 5 hours to complete the task (as opposed to 2 hours previously) - so I assumed all was OK - WRONG!! Once again when I started to check I found that I have some folders that contain the correct files/tracks, but, some folders are completely empty, some partially empty and some with incorrect files/tracks in!!

I have also tried copying and pasting using my wifes' PC - with the same results!

I also have a 1GB flash drive that I use for backing up 'My Documents', using a simple batch file, and that appears to be working fine.

Can anyone suggest where the problem lies?

Windows XP (SP3) - Intel Pentium M Processor 1300mhz - 1GB Ram.

Hi kaybee.

I have rarely have problems with USB flash drives with Win98SE but on the two occasions I have where the filenames were a load of Chinese which couldn't be deleted individually.

So what I did was Run: Format F: or what ever drive letter your flash drive is and follow the instructions.

You can use Windows format if you want to but it takes longer.

Insert your flash drive, open My Computer and right-click on your flash drive and select Format and follow the instructions.

After a good format they always work perfectly for me.

Try Keith's suggestion and see if that helps you.

Things also to consider, are you removing the flash drive using the 'safely remove hardware' function? Some of the info will be in cache while it is being written to the flash drive and even though it looks done, it may not be.

Drag and drop sometimes works better than copy and paste.

If they are iTunes you are are copying that may explain your problem.

Right - tried all that and..............

Copied tracks (all WMA or MP3 format) which took 4 hours to the 16gb drive and noticed that some folders seemed ok but some had strange characters for the file names and wouldn't open.

Tried to delete the files on the drive and it wouldn't let me (again) so tried formatting it - wouldn't let me format and said to close all windows using this drive etc etc - tried to stop the device and it said it couldn't stop it at the moment.

No alternative but to disconnect it (ouch! I NEVER do that!) and then plugged it back in. The folders that had tracks in were now empty!!!!!!!

Formatted drive again

I have just tried copying the files in 'My Documents' folder to the 8gb drive and everything seems fine - there are no music files, other than MP3 Ringtones, but there are several 'sub-folders' with scans/photos etc and they all seem to be present and in the correct folders!

Any further suggestions before I chuck 'em out the window (thanks for all your help so far)?!

PS they were bought off eBay and were from China (didn't notice that fact until I'd committed to buy them!)

If you have another flash drive that works as expected, and the two you bought off eBay don't work despite your best efforts...looks like it might be a window job (remember to open the window first)

You never know, just give it a couple more hours in case there are any more suggestions from other users.

Which Format did you use DOS or Windows?

Only the Windows Format gives errors like that, thats why I never use it. DOS only says "Are you sure you want to format this F: drive. All the data will be lost".

Restart your computer then plug the drive in and close all the prompts what to do with it and try
Run: Format F: with correct drive letter. Because your using WinXP there isn't much point in checking the drive with Scandisk. It will Scandisk the drive the next time you start up, which is a load of s***. You want the drive checking now. I'm not sure you get the same message with a flash drive it will say that on your normal hard drive you would have to try it. My Computer, right-click on flash drive and select Properties and Tools tab check drive at the top.



What make and number are you flash drives kaybee?

I've bought all my 11 drives of eBay not from China though.

I wouldn't buy stuff from eBay even if it was guaranteed to be Made in USA

I buy things I can see and hold in my hand from my local PC shop where I get a receipt and a return guarantee.

I did buy a Sony Walkman NWZ-B103F - Digital Player / Radio from a Sony store near me and it works great.
http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/Details....?itemid=6005749

P.S. Meds and Nike running shoes are a great deal when purchased from China

Not to mention that there is lots of money to be made by people phishing your credit card info when you purchase things from China.

Everything comes from China.

OK, this is my final post on this topic before I consign them to the bin!

I spent most of yesterday doing the following options:

Cut & paste
Copy & paste
Xcopy & paste
Drag & drop

All the above steps resulted in the same problem.

(BTW, The flash drives have no makers name or type on them)

One thing I did notice was that, the last time I copied the files, approx the first 50% of the folders were empty and the last 50% were ok. I then deleted the empty folders and dragged and dropped them across again.

When I checked again, the first 50% (approx) were ok - BUT - now the last 50% were empty!!???

Also, I have just run my back-up batch file - which backs up everything in the 'My Documents' folder and the results differ on each of these flash drives.

Ah well - chuck 'em out and move on to something else then

Well if you can't Scandisk or Format them then they are due for the bin. The cost of these drives has come down tremendously. I wouldn't be put of with eBay its just a matter of where to look.

How long have you had these drives? I use Kingston and they have a 5 year guarantee. Any other type should have 12 months. Can you remember the eBay seller you bought the from?

http://www.kingston.com/flash/dt_chart.asp

What does your pc think the capacity of the flash drives is?

They come up correctly on my pc - as 16gb and 8gb

I've only had them for a couple of weeks - it's just that:

1. I wanted to make sure it was the drives that were faulty and it wasn't down to 'operator error'!

2. The cost of shipping them back to China makes it an unattractive option - they only cost me £11.51 and £7.00

I have formatted them and done a checkdisk, with no problems/bad sectors on either drive.

Someone told me that, although they are advertised as xxGB, they really aren't designed to store large individual files and that I would be better off buying an external hard drive?

I would email the supplier telling him your problems and ask if he will cover the cost of the postage or send another free drive.


I can't see that. If you put the drive in and right-click on the drive letter and select properties it will show the full capacity of the drive. My 2Gb drives show as 2,063,269,888 Bytes, 1.92Gb. It shouldn't matter if its one large file or 1000's of small ones. I've had one 894Mb file on one of my drives easily.