USB drive shows 0 bytes and will not format
How do I fix a USB flash drive that shows 0 bytes, RAW format and cannot be formatted?
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
RAW with zero bytes means Windows can see the drive but cannot read the small table that describes how it is organised. That table gets wiped by pulling the stick out mid write, by a power blip, or by the controller inside the stick failing. Software can rebuild the table when the memory is healthy, and nothing will help when the controller is dead. The quickest thing to try first: rescue your files before formatting anything — If the contents matter, stop and run a recovery tool first. Recuva or the free Windows File Recovery tool from Microsoft can often read the raw contents. Save whatever you find to your computer, never back onto the same stick. Most people are done in about 25 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 6 steps for Windows, rated medium.
Sounds like this
- •Properties show 0 bytes used and 0 bytes free
- •The file system is listed as RAW
- •Windows says please insert a disk, or the format never finishes
Why it happens
RAW with zero bytes means Windows can see the drive but cannot read the small table that describes how it is organised. That table gets wiped by pulling the stick out mid write, by a power blip, or by the controller inside the stick failing. Software can rebuild the table when the memory is healthy, and nothing will help when the controller is dead.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Rescue your files before formatting anything
If the contents matter, stop and run a recovery tool first. Recuva or the free Windows File Recovery tool from Microsoft can often read the raw contents. Save whatever you find to your computer, never back onto the same stick.
- 2
Try a different port and computer
Plug it straight into a port on the back of a desktop, not a hub or a front panel. A drive that reports zero bytes on one machine and works on another is often just underpowered.
- 3
Rebuild the partition with Diskpart
Open Terminal as administrator and type diskpart, then list disk. Identify the stick by its size, and be very careful here. Type select disk N using its number, then clean, then create partition primary, then format fs=fat32 quick, then assign. Every file on that disk is erased, so double check the number before running clean.
- 4
Use Disk Management if Diskpart complains
Press Windows and X, open Disk Management. Right click the stick's black unallocated bar, choose New Simple Volume and follow the wizard. If the whole drive shows as Unknown, Not Initialized, right click the disk name on the left and choose Initialize Disk, then create the volume.
- 5
Run a full format rather than a quick one
In File Explorer, right click the drive, choose Format, untick Quick Format and start. A full format writes to every block and can map out the weak areas that stop a quick format finishing. Give it time, since it can take an hour on a large stick.
- 6
Check for write protection
If everything says the media is write protected, look for a small physical switch on the side of the stick. If there is none, run diskpart, select the disk and type attributes disk clear readonly, then try formatting again.
If none of that worked
If the stick still reports zero bytes after all of that, the controller has failed. Cheap sticks are not worth repairing, and any specialist recovery costs far more than the drive. Replace it and keep a second copy of anything important in future.
Did this fix work for you?
A quick thumbs up helps other readers find the guides that actually work.
Share this fix
Related fixes worth reading
Chosen automatically from the 157 guides on CommonFixes, based on how closely they match this problem.
A drive asks to be formatted
My flash drive says you need to format the disk before you can use it. Are my files lost?
'The parameter is incorrect' when opening a drive or copying files
How do I fix 'the parameter is incorrect' error?
The drive is full but you cannot see what is using it
Windows says my disk is full but my files are small. Where did the space go?
USB stick does not show up
I plugged in my USB drive and nothing happens. How do I get my files?
Your disk is almost full
Windows keeps warning me that my disk is full. What can I safely delete?
A file says no app is associated with it
What does 'this file does not have an app associated with it' mean?
Still not it? Browse every fix or see more in files and storage.
Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
- Plain language
CommonFixes review desk
Technical editor
Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
- Fact checking
- Safety warnings
- Source links
Sources we checked these steps against
This guide was last updated on 15 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
A gentle reminder: back up anything you cannot afford to lose before major repairs. If a step ever feels risky, stop and ask a technician. There is no shame in that.