Disk space / memory missing on USB stick / mp3 player

This is probably a problem of system files on the USB key.

First of all, read the manual for the key, and verify that no utility provided with the key to reset or reformat. If such a utility is present, it is recommended that you used same before proceed to next step.

Otherwise, to reformat and therefore repair the USB key, you can use standard tools of Windows. Insert the key into the USB port of a PC, then go to:

Start / Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Computer Management / Storage / Disk Management /

Select the drive to the USB key in but ensure same is not a hard disk system!

Once the back up of your USB key effected, delete the existing partitions on the key (right click / delete the partition.). Format the key to FAT16 using all the available space (right-click / Format). For more than 2GB, it is recommended that you format same as FAT32.


If the available space is under the capacity of the key, this is surely a hardware problem, in which case it may be necessary to reduce the after-sales service.

It should be noted however that a difference of about 10% should not be considered, prior the way the manufacturer has recorded bytes. To be more appropriate, as a manufacturer considers that a Megabyte equals 1 million bytes or 1024 * 1024 bytes, a key of 512 MB can display 512 000 000 bytes or 488 481 250 bytes.