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Windows 10

Smudger said:
I have a 64gb usb stick which was only sowing as 32gb. I followed some advice from google to fix this problem & now the usb drive (f) is showing as "the directory name is invalid" I`ve tried changing the directory name but nothing happened. Have i killed this usb?
Click to expand...
You could try this ...
Plug in the usb
Open 'This PC' to see all your drives
Make the 'This PC' window smaller on your desktop screen so you can see other files
Then drag a photo or some small file across to the usb drive
This should copy the file to the usb so then have a look and see if it is there.
If it is you could then try a 'format' on the usb drive and probably have the option to rename the drive.
 
oldMohawk said:
You could try this ...
Plug in the usb
Open 'This PC' to see all your drives
Make the 'This PC' window smaller on your desktop screen so you can see other files
Then drag a photo or some small file across to the usb drive
This should copy the file to the usb so then have a look and see if it is there.
If it is you could then try a 'format' on the usb drive and probably have the option to rename the drive.
Click to expand...
I`ve tried that. It simply says the directory name is invalid.
 
oldMohawk said:
Can you right click on the usb and format it where you have the option to enter a new volume label ?
Click to expand...
No, Windows is unable to format drive. I think i`ve exhausted all the fixes courtesy of Google & i`ve probably killed the damn thing. Message to self, don`t mess with things you don`t understand!!
 
I don't think the drive is wrecked it is probably some sort of partition error. What do you see when you look at it with the Disk Management tool. Does it show 'healthy' drives. Post a screen shot of it.
 
Try doing it from Disk Manager - right click 'start' and select Disk Management. Scroll down to your USB stick, right click on the box with the USB details on it and select Delete Volume (although this may show 'not supported!). Then select Format.
 
jukebox said:
Try doing it from Disk Manager - right click 'start' and select Disk Management. Scroll down to your USB stick, right click on the box with the USB details on it and select Delete Volume (although this may show 'not supported!). Then select Format.
Click to expand...
Thanks jukebox but right click only shows change drive letter or paths, which doesn`t work.
 
Smudger,

What is happening is that the software on the stick, which allows a chunk of memory to act like a disk drive and be recognised as such, is corrupted. Has the drive got a manufacturer's name? If so, contact them. If not, I suspect that it is now a dud.

Maurice :cool:
 
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Do you have Ccleaner?

If not download the free version, open it and go to 'tools' on the left menu, there you will find 'Disc analyser' give that a try.
 
Smudger said:
Thanks jukebox but right click only shows change drive letter or paths, which doesn`t work.
Click to expand...
The Disk Management tool is accessed by a right click on the Start icon bottom left then Disk Management.
Here is mine and I have a 15 year old usb plugged in F:
DM.jpg
 
Smudger said:
View attachment 145944
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The space on your usb must be allocated otherwise it will not work. I think I have posted about this before regarding how to allocate the space. I have had this on a drive which Linux had messed up and had to allocate space but can’t remember how I did it. I’m on an iphone at the moment but will come into the Windows world later on. Perhaps someone else can advise ... there is a remedy ... :)
 
Smudger said:
Tried easeus free, & everything i tried they would open a new window & suggest buying. It would be cheaper buying a new usb.
I`ve enjoyed the challenge even though i lost!
Click to expand...
Looking back I used a built-in utility called 'diskpart' which has to be run admin in a command or PowerShell window. I used PowerShell, see it working in my Dell laptop below. It is very potent so you need to read up as much as you can about 'diskpart' if you try it. Perhaps as a first test just take it as far as the 'list disk' command and then close it'

It will rescue your usb. The usb disk must be selected which was Disk 2 in my example. After 'clean' the usb has to be formatted and partitioned before it is useable.
Image2.jpg

I am surprised about Easeus ... I have often used the free version.
 
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Snudger, you have received a lot of great ideas but it seems to no avail. Have your tried to read a different stick? If you have and its read, I would get rid of you old stick because if it has crashed or wrecked it will do it again.
If you have something on the old stick there are people out there that should be able to recover and put on another stick.
You have a lot more patients than me, good luck!
 
The 4Gb ram memory in my desktop computer wasn't enough when Skype Video chat was on together with Google Earth and Skype screen sharing. It caused a memory leak into W10 system files when it did not page quickly enough to the HDD. Some very strange effects occurred even on the log-in screen and Scannow was needed to repair the files.

So I bought 8Gb of memory, fitted it in and now I have 12Gb and a very smooth running PC.
 
oldMohawk said:
The 4Gb ram memory in my desktop computer wasn't enough when Skype Video chat was on together with Google Earth and Skype screen sharing. It caused a memory leak into W10 system files when it did not page quickly enough to the HDD. Some very strange effects occurred even on the log-in screen and Scannow was needed to repair the files.

So I bought 8Gb of memory, fitted it in and now I have 12Gb and a very smooth running PC.
Click to expand...
Yikes, it is a foreign language......but as long as the widgets were not affected, what was the film that the widget appeared in? or am I dreaming again?

Bob
 
Yes, Bob, it you are someone that never takes the metal covers off of the computer, best to get someone who knows what they are doing when in comes to adding memory or another internal drive. But we are not short of expertise on the Forum, and I know that you will never be afraid to ask. :)

Maurice :cool:
 
sospiri said:
Yes, Bob, it you are someone that never takes the metal covers off of the computer, best to get someone who knows what they are doing when in comes to adding memory or another internal drive. But we are not short of expertise on the Forum, and I know that you will never be afraid to ask. :)

Maurice :cool:
Click to expand...
Take the metal cover off, you are joking!!!!!

Bob
 
Although I've fitted memory before into laptops and PCs I always find a Youtube video to refresh my memory of how to do it for my PC.
This time my method was
1) Look at the video.
2) Chose vendors who sell memory.
3) Let them run their memory scanners to check exactly what type of memory was in my device.
4) Check their answers ... are they the same ... it is important to get exactly matching memory.
5) Choose the vendor ... the one I chose had a better looking website !
6) Order ... I chose DPD delivery which costs but is reliable.
7) I ordered at 10am one day and it was in my PC by 4pm next day.
8) The 'jiffy' bag the memory came in also had two packets of 'Starburst' sweets included !!

The only slight snag I encountered is:
Modern memory slots do not have 'fold-back' clips each end of the slot like they used to have. The one end is fixed which means the memory ram cannot be lifted vertically out of the slot ... it has to be 'wriggled' slightly.
:)
 
I do not claim to be very knowledgeable about computers, and would not attempt anything like that, but would query the bit about " run their memory scanners ". Are we not told not to allow outside agencies access to the compuer workings, as they could add nasties to it?
 
I only use two particular vendors in the UK for memory and ssd products and have used their scanners to check the many computers I've had over the years. Their scanners check the bios and I've never had a problem and I'm a suspicious type. It is however a personal choice and ram types can be checked by other means.

Pretty well anything we use on the internet gains some information about us ... if anyone uses Chrome have a look at 'My Activity' which goes back years. Some other browsers do the same. I've just recently limited their copy of 'My Activity' to 18 months.
 
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