SD Card/USB Drive/Pen Drive Shows 0 Bytes

Possible Reasons: The camera's flash is not getting enough power from the USB port, possibly due to overloading the ports or using a damaged cable, which can cause the flash to show 0 bytes and "No Media". Alternatively, the issue could be caused by a virus infection that has damaged the files on the USB drive.

If your USB flash drive shows no media and 0 bytes, you can try to resolve the issue through the quick navigation bar below, which offers a quick fix to your problem.

• Part 1: USB Shows 0 Bytes in Disk Management
• Part 2: USB Shows Other States in Disk Management

Many users experience a common issue where their computer fails to recognize a USB flash drive, SD card, or pen drive when inserted, resulting in a "no media" and 0 bytes display in Windows Disk Management. This problem can be frustrating, but it's easily solvable by following some simple steps.

What Causes USB No Media and Shows 0 Bytes

The "USB no media 0 bytes" problem can occur due to various reasons. This issue can arise when the USB drive is not recognized by the system, or when the drive is faulty or damaged. Additionally, issues with the USB controller or port, corrupted file systems, or outdated drivers can also cause this problem.

• The files are still present but have been inadvertently set as hidden, making them invisible in the normal file view.
• No recognized partition on your USB drive.
• If you remove a USB drive without properly ejecting or safely removing it, you risk damaging the files stored on the drive as well as the Master Boot Record (MBR) or Partition Boot Record (PBR) of the device. This could result in data loss or corruption.
• The flash drive shows 0 bytes and No Media due to insufficient power supply from the USB port, which can be caused by overloading the USB ports or using a damaged USB cable.
• The files on the USB drive may be damaged by computer viruses.
• A failing flash drive, typically due to NAND flash failure, can cause a "No Media" error. This occurs when the flash memory controller can't communicate with the NAND flash memory, prompting Windows to treat the drive as an empty disk drive.

After knowing the reasons for the USB showing no media phenomenon, it is time to learn how to get this problem fixed in a quick way.

How to Fix USB Drive Showing 0 Bytes

USB flash drives may display errors such as showing no media and 0 bytes, or displaying as unallocated and RAW in the disk management. If you're experiencing these issues, you can find a solution in this article. Keep reading for more details.

Part 1: USB Shows 0 Bytes in Disk Management

If you see a prompt to format your drive, don't do it immediately as it will erase all data. Instead, check your USB drive or other portable devices in Disk Management if they show up as 0 bytes.

1 - If your device shows 0 bytes in Disk Management, you'll need to take your device to a local data recovery service center and ask for help.

2 - If Disk Management shows your USB drive as "Online" or "Healthy" but incorrectly displays its capacity, try these fixes.

• Unplug, replug the device and reboot the computer
• I recommend replacing the USB ports and STATA cable, and then restarting the computer to see if that resolves the issue. Would you like me to provide more detailed instructions or walk you through the process?
• To connect a 0-byte storage device to another computer to check data, you can follow these steps: First, ensure the storage device is properly formatted and has a compatible file system. Next, connect the device to the computer using a USB cable.
• Connect the USB cable to the USB port on the computer motherboard, which is usually located on the back of the desktop computer.

Part 2: USB Shows Other States in Disk Management

If the USB does not show as 0 bytes in Disk Management, you can solve this issue by following the guide. Press "Windows + X" and select "Disk Management", then check the USB to see if it's recognized. If it is, you can proceed with the next steps to resolve the problem.

1 - Showing as Unallocated

If the device is showing as unallocated, you can solve this by creating a new partition. You can follow the manual guide below, or create a new partition using the software.

Step 1: To connect an unallocated USB/SD card or other device to the PC, right-click on "This PC/My Computer" and select "Manage" from the menu. Then, click on "Disk Management" from the resulting menu. This will allow you to access and manage the connected device.

Step 2: Right-click on the unallocated space of the pen drive, select "New Simple Volume" from the context menu.

Set the partition size, drive letter, and file system (NTFS) and click "Finish".

2 - Shows RAW in Disk Management 

If a USB drive shows as RAW online with a healthy state, it means you can't access the device, but it's not corrupted. To fix this without losing data, you need to recover your data first, and then troubleshoot the RAW issue.

First: Recover Data

We highly recommend using professional data recovery software to recover your data, and Qiling disk data recovery software is a good option that can support RAW partition recovery and help solve your problem.

• Recover data from a dead hard drive.
• Perform USB recovery, hard disk recovery, or external hard drive recovery.
• Support users to preview all recoverable files.
• 100% secure and works well on both Windows and Mac computers, with a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and understand, making it a reliable choice for individuals and businesses alike.

You can download a tool to quickly and securely recover data from a USB drive, SD card, or other storage devices that have a "0 bytes" issue, allowing you to retrieve your files.

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Step 1. Select file types and click "Next" to start

Launch Deep Data Recovery software, select the desired file types, and click "Next" to initiate the recovery process.

Step 2. Choose the USB drive to scan

Launch Deep Data Recovery and select the USB drive where your important files were lost. Click "Scan" to begin the recovery process.

Step 3. Check and preview USB drive data

When the scan is complete, you can quickly find a specific type of file by using the Filter feature and the Search option.

Step 4. Restore flash drive data

After finding lost files on a USB drive, click "Recover" to restore them. Save the recovered files to a safe location on your PC, not back to the USB drive.

Second: Format 0 Byte RAW USB/SD Card

After restoring the USB data, you can format the 0 bytes RAW hard drive partition.

Step 1: In "This PC/My Computer", select the USB.

Step 2: Right-click the 0 bytes USB, then choose "Format".

Step 3: Select FAT32 or NTFS as the file system for the USB drive and click "OK" to confirm the selection.

The Bottom Line

Whenever you encounter the issue of a USB flash drive showing 0 bytes, you can try the provided solutions. If your USB shows a different status, don't hesitate to ask Qiling for assistance. They offer professional help through live chat or email (support@idiskhome.com).

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