Windows 10: 2TB USB Drive appears to copy files but does not

I have a 2TB USB drive ... I can copy files but at some point it appears that files are copied but only the folder exists once I remove the drive from the computer and go to read it later. I had this same issue with 512G micro SD cards although those gave a generic Windows error message.
Does anyone know what I need to do to be able to write to the entire drive?

:)

 

Safely remove hardware and eject

Hi Mark

The problem only happened after the latest Windows 10 upgrade around 3 days ago.
I have a usb keyboard and a usb Samsung 2tb drive connected to my computer.
USB Device Manager is not showing in the Devices and Printers list.
When I insert a card in the card reader slot it is recognised by the safely remove icon which tells me that I can remove it, I have just inserted a usb stick which it recognised but it does not recognise
my Samsung usb drive so it must have something to do with the 2tb drive.
File Explorer has them listed so I can access information on my 2tb drive, its just that I do not want to remove it until the system says I can

kind regards

Ed

 

i cant install anything on my 5320,when i udate my phone

Can you connect the phone in USB mass storage (data transfer) mode to your PC (so that it appears to Windows like a regular USB memory drive)?

If you try, what happens? Does it become visible as a removable USB drive with a drive letter under My Computer in Windows Explorer or not?

If it does, then - as I stated originally - copy the installation files to the drive.

Then disconnect the cable and try installing with the File Manager or Application Manager on the phone.

 

Are you properly ejecting the drive before removing it?

 

Yes, it works fine for a while. I have about 58GB that copied fine before this problem started occurring. Just taking it out versus ejecting it had the same results. It will create the folder but it does not copy the contents. If the folder has sub-folders they are created without the contents.

 

I would copy a few Gigabytes at a time.

What's the company that made the 2TB USB drive? Is it a well known company, or was it one you bought from eBay for cheap for like $20 or $30?

 

If you have a different usb port to test with
or
you have another computer to test the usb drive on, you might find more about what is happening with what device.

 

I have tried on another computer with the same results. I got the USB drive on Amazon but it is generic. I think the issue has to do with the size and format. Wondering if anyone knows a tool for formatting a 2 TB drive, the windows format tool only provides for 0.00032768 TB.

 

Hmmmhhh.. Since you get the same issue on a different computer, it might be the stick itself. Formatting sounds like a good idea, so try to reformat it (Right click on it in File Explorer > Format). Try different settings for the formats, and see how it works. But you are likely to get the same results.

I searched on Amazon for a generic 2 TB USB drive, and found this: Amazon.com: 2TB USB Flash Drive USB 2.0 Flash Memory Stick Fold Storage Thumb Stick Pen Black: Computers Accessories

It's for $19.99 (excluding shipping) Yet look at the amount of 1 Stars it got... =\

It's best to get a brand name (made in the USA) USB stick.

 

Looks like the formatting is trying to do FAT32 and that has a limit of 32GB with Windows, have to use a third-party software. Or format it as NTFS or exFAT, only choices in Windows Disk Management for large drives. It is necessary to use NTFS or exFAT for single file size of 4GB plus 1 Byte, can't be done with FAT32 due to its 4GB limit.

 

Hi petsrgolden,

I would recommend this : 4 Tools to Test and Detect Fake or Counterfeit USB Flash Drives https://www.raymond.cc/blog/test-and...-with-h2testw/ The second one "FakeFlashTest is quite new so includes optimizations and methods better suited for today’s flash media."
( From the time I read your first post I was assuming that your "2TB USB drive " was an external HDD and was wondering what is this and how can it happen and gave up on it.. It never struck to my barren brain that you are referring to a flash drive. OMG, what an idiot I am !!!!!!! )