16GB flash drive suddenly only reading 248 MB?

[OnionRings]

Im super confused. I got a new SSD so I planned on refreshing my PC so I whipped out my flash drive so I could store items I don't want to lose on it and also download the windows 10 creation tool and my drive is only 248MB when it used to be 16GB. I even reformatted it and restarted my PC. What the heck?

[Moonzy]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

Im super confused. I got a new SSD so I planned on refreshing my PC so I whipped out my flash drive so I could store items I don't want to lose on it and also download the windows 10 creation tool and my drive is only 248MB when it used to be 16GB. I even reformatted it and restarted my PC. What the heck?

what does it say in disk management?

[OnionRings]

1 minute ago, Moonzy said:

what does it say in disk management?

https://prnt.sc/uifukf

[OnionRings]

Wait... it says 14.05GB is unallocated, wth?

 

https://prnt.sc/uifv4x

 

[G0dSpeed]

Follow this guide to clean it in command prompt using diskpart.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-and-format-storage-drive-using-diskpart-windows-10

[Moonzy]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

https://prnt.sc/uifukf

any unallocated space?

[BrinkGG]

3 minutes ago, OnionRings said:

Im super confused. I got a new SSD so I planned on refreshing my PC so I whipped out my flash drive so I could store items I don't want to lose on it and also download the windows 10 creation tool and my drive is only 248MB when it used to be 16GB. I even reformatted it and restarted my PC. What the heck?

Check disk management. It honestly sounds like something created an EFI partition (usually around 250-500MB), and didn't do anything else. 

[OnionRings]

Just now, Moonzy said:

any unallocated space?

Yes sorry, double posted.

[Moonzy]

Just now, OnionRings said:

Wait... it says 14.05GB is unallocated, wth?

 

https://prnt.sc/uifv4x

 

well there's your problem

delete all partition in that drive and re-make it into one big partition

[BrinkGG]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

Wait... it says 14.05GB is unallocated, wth?

 

https://prnt.sc/uifv4x

 

Delete every current partition on the drive, then right click and hit "Create new simple Volume". Something made an EFI partition. 

[OnionRings]

2 minutes ago, Moonzy said:

well there's your problem

delete all partition in that drive and re-make it into one big partition

 

2 minutes ago, BrinkGG said:

Delete every current partition on the drive, then right click and hit "Create new simple Volume". Something made an EFI partition. 

https://prnt.sc/uifxqv it wont let me delete the EFI system partition, is that a default thing?

[Moonzy]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

https://prnt.sc/uifxqv it wont let me delete the EFI system partition, is that a default thing?

did you by any chance have this USB plugged in when you're installing windows?

 

they sometimes create the system reserve on non-OS drives, that's why you should unplug all but OS and USB stick with OS on it while installing windows

[BrinkGG]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

 

https://prnt.sc/uifxqv it wont let me delete the EFI system partition, is that a default thing?

Add a drive letter to it, format it from windows file explorer, then it should let you delete it unless it's windows' own EFI partition (which it shouldn't be.) 

[OnionRings]

Just now, Moonzy said:

did you by any chance have this USB plugged in when you're installing windows?

 

they sometimes create the system reserve on non-OS drives, that's why you should unplug all but OS and USB stick with OS on it while installing windows

I have used this drive itself to install windows many times, yes. Don't recall it ever doing this.

 

For future reference after we fix it, after the windows install starts, is it safe to remove the drive or should I leave it plugged in? I normally do the latter until I see my desktop.

 

Just now, BrinkGG said:

Add a drive letter to it, format it from windows file explorer, then it should let you delete it unless it's windows' own EFI partition (which it shouldn't be.) 

It could be windows, as moonzy just mentioned I have used this drive to install windows.

[Moonzy]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

For future reference after we fix it, after the windows install starts, is it safe to remove the drive or should I leave it plugged in?

keep it plugged in until the system restarts

as for how to remove that partition, you might have to use other PC to remove it

or other OS, potentially

[Kilrah]

If you want to make a win10 install drive with it again then ignore, the tool will do what's needed.

 

If you just want to use it use something like minitool partition manager to remove the partitions, it won't bother you with things like not allowing to delete the EFI parititon.

[OnionRings]

Just now, Moonzy said:

keep it plugged in until the system restarts

as for how to remove that partition, you might have to use other PC to remove it

or other OS, potentially

Ok ill try that brb.

[OnionRings]

3 minutes ago, Moonzy said:

keep it plugged in until the system restarts

as for how to remove that partition, you might have to use other PC to remove it

or other OS, potentially

Did not work

[Moonzy]

2 minutes ago, OnionRings said:

Did not work

might need third party app to do it like Kilrah said

 

but the 14gb space should be enough to put in the windows installer anyways

[OnionRings]

1 minute ago, Moonzy said:

might need third party app to do it like Kilrah said

 

but the 14gb space should be enough to put in the windows installer anyways

Oh so I don't need to remove the EFI? I can just leave it alone?

 

Also, is it safe to have items on the same drive as the windows creation tool?

[BrinkGG]

3 minutes ago, OnionRings said:

Did not work

Does your "C:" drive have an EFI partition showing in Disk management? 

If not, it used that USB drive for some reason. Try restarting your PC without the USB drive plugged in. 

[Moonzy]

1 minute ago, OnionRings said:

Also, is it safe to have items on the same drive as the windows creation tool?

it's not recommended, but i've done it and it works fine

[OnionRings]

Just now, BrinkGG said:

Does your "C:" drive have an EFI partition showing in Disk management? 

If not, it used that USB drive for some reason. Try restarting your PC without the USB drive plugged in. 

Oh I have before. I haven't used this drive in months, last use was to reinstall windows, then it sat in my storage box for months (moved), just now pulled it back out.

[OnionRings]

Just now, Moonzy said:

it's not recommended, but i've done it and it works fine

Well, ill stay on the safe side and just use my brother in laws drive for my items, and mine for the creation tool.

[BrinkGG]

Just now, OnionRings said:

Oh I have before. I haven't used this drive in months, last use was to reinstall windows, then it sat in my storage box for months (moved), just now pulled it back out.

Ok so then grab a third party disk tool like Minitool, and try deleting it from there. 
https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html