Unable to access USB drive following Linux flashing
Unable to access USB drive following Linux flashing
I used a Linux ISO on my USB drive to test its appearance and functionality. After finishing, I returned to Windows but noticed only 2.8 GB of space listed, despite the drive being 64 GB. When I reconnected it, it disappeared from File Explorer entirely. The chkdsk utility also failed to recognize it. I deleted partitions, created a single 57 GB partition and assigned it a letter, but it remains just a "flash drive" with Windows unable to format or open it. Chkdsk reports an error ("Cannot open volume for direct access"). Notably, the D: icon still appears in File Explorer even when the USB is unplugged. Is there any chance the drive can be repaired?
Open "Command prompt" in administrative mode, execute "Diskpart". Identify the disk number for your 64GB drive using "list disk". Choose the correct disk by entering its number in "select disk N". Verify the output shows a 57GB partition labeled "list part". Proceed with "clean" to restore it as new.
the usb drive is now toast and operating in read-only mode, which isn't unusual for a usb flash drive to stop working
The partition manager seems capable of formatting the drive and giving it a letter, yet upon restarting it reverts everything back to its initial state—no letter assigned, the drive disappears from File Explorer. Interestingly, assigning a letter causes a drive icon to reappear in File Explorer once the flash drive is unplugged.
if it fails afterward and you tried it on a different functioning machine and it still doesn’t work, then it’s over. end of the line. no chance of getting it back. it’s now in the digital afterlife.