128GB Ultra 3.0 now only has a capacity of 31.9GB. How to fix? What caused problem?

USB Flash Drives All other USB Flash Drives
1

ScanDisk Flashdrive:  128GB Ultra 3.0 now only has a capacity of 31.9GB. 

Two Questions:

1.  How to fix? --Restore to correct 128GB capacity

2.  What caused problem?  How did this go wrong, what caused it to lose capacity?

Thanks

2

Hello, 

in that case you can format it with hp tools that will restore the full capacity of the drive

here you can download it 

http://filehippo.com/download_hp_usb_disk_storage_format_tool/

3

If your 128GB SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 drive only displays 31.9GB, it’s probably because of hidden partitions, inadvertent formatting, or a corrupted partition table. Malware, incorrect ejection, and using the drive on non-Windows systems can all cause this. Look for unallocated space in Disk Management first. To restore full capacity, clean and reformat the drive using DiskPart if necessary. Important: If your data is important, use data recovery programs like BLR Tools Data Recovery Software before formatting. Rarely, the drive might be a fake with a real capacity of only 32 GB. To steer clear of phony USB drives, only purchase from reliable vendors. I used this tool to recover my Windows data. I think this solution is also helpful for your situation. Please try the demo edition of this application first.

I hope my answer will be helpful in your situation.

4
  1. You can easily restore the full capacity of your SanDisk Ultra 128GB USB 3.0 flash drive by cleaning and repartitioning it using built-in tools like DiskPart (Windows) or Disk Utility/Terminal (macOS).
  2. The common reasons for such issue could be: a corrupt Partition Table, hidden or multiple partitions or by creating a bootable drive.
    Read more: 7 Ways to fix SD Card Saying Full When Empty
5

No matter how big your USB is, or how much available space it’s showing, formatting the device to its original size is the quickest way out. Back up your data first, of course.

6

You can restore the full 128GB capacity by reformatting your USB drive using the Disk Management tool.

  1. Press Win + X, then select Disk Management from the menu.
  2. Find your USB drive (it will be labeled with 31.9GB) and right-click on the partition. Select Delete Volume. This will convert the drive to unallocated space. (Note: This will erase all data on the USB flash drive, so make sure to back up important files first.)
  3. Right-click on the unallocated space and choose New Simple Volume. Follow the wizard to create a new partition that uses the full 128GB capacity. Choose exFAT or NTFS as the new file system during this step.

If you prefer not to reformat the flash drive, you can try other solutions, such as:

  • Updating the hard drive driver
  • Running CHKDSK to repair hard drive errors in Command Prompt
  • Upgrading the firmware

Follow the instructions step-by-step if needed: (External) Hard Drive Not Showing Full Capacity? Try These Solutions!

Several factors could cause your USB drive to show the wrong capacity, including:

  • Bad sectors
  • Outdated hard drive drivers
  • Partition corruption, often caused by improper removal during a file transfer or power interruptions