Sometimes users delete their crucial files and folders from USB Flash Drive accidentally or intentionally. However, with USB drive data recovery tool the permanently deleted data also can be recovered even without any hassle. The USB recovery tool scans entire USB flash Drive and loads all the recovered data in its preview panel. A USB flash drive is a storage device that plugs into the USB port of your computer. These devices often have a keychain attachment or lanyard that you can wear around your neck. They are useful for transferring files from one computer to another. When we connect a USB flash drive to an infected computer and transfer any file from PC to flash drive it automatically infects the thumb drive and all files appear as Shortcut. Vice versa is also true. This virus can affect any external storage like Flash Drives, External Hard disk, Phone Memory, Memory card, or any Memory Stick.
Gone the old days of DVDs, no one uses DVD to install Windows now. The best and suitable option is to make USB flash drive bootable and install Windows.
There are some tools to create a bootable flash drive or Pendrive. But why would you install a third-party app when you can make a bootable flash drive using cmd (command prompt)?
In the early days DVD was the option to install Windows, but you had to buy DVDs then burn Windows into it and that DVD can’t be used for any other purpose.
Flash drives are not only useful to transfer data but you can use them for different purposes. One of them is to install Windows XP, 7, 8/8.1, or Windows 10. Even you can install Linux OS as well.
Probably every computer owner owns a USB flash drive which makes it easier to install any version of Windows on your PC.
Cmd is a powerful tool to perform different tasks if you know the commands. Third-party tools can help to make flash drive bootable including Microsoft Official USB Installer. These tools do nothing but automate the process.
Many such tools have limitations and take a long time to format and write Windows files into the USB flash drive. Some tools also cost money.
Steps To Make USB Flash Drive Bootable Using CMD (Command Prompt)
Here is a simple way to turn USB flash drive into bootable media to install any version of Windows like XP, 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10.
All you need is a flash drive with a storage capacity of 4-8 GB. 4 GB for Windows XP, 7, 8, and 8 GB for Windows 8.1 and 10, and the downloaded iso file of Windows.
Follow these steps to make USB bootable using cmd-
1. Insert your Flash Drive and go to start, search for CMD.
2. Right-click on it and Run as Administrator.
3. Once the command prompt is open, type diskpart and hit enter. It will enter into the disk partition management mode.
How To Delete Usb Flash Drive On Windows 10
4. Type list disk and hit enter, here you can see all the disks on your computer, it doesn’t show disk partitions but a list of the connected disk into your computer.
5. After you get the list of disks, find your flash drive by its size. Here mine is 14 GB which is Disk 2, now let’s select the flash drive by typing select disk <disk no.> eg select disk 2 and hit enter.
6. Once the USB flash drive is selected type clean and hit enter, this command will erase everything from the flash drive. Make sure it does not contain your important files.
7. Now you need to make your flash drive as a primary partition to do so type create partition primary and hit enter.
8. Once the disk is a primary partition you need to make it an active drive. Type active and hit enter on your keyboard. The command will activate the flash drive.
9. Now you have to format the flash drive. Type format fs=fat32 quick and hit enter. This command will format the flash drive in quick mode.
FAT32 files system works with Windows 8.1 and the lower version of Windows. But if you are installing Windows 10 then you need to use an NTFS disk.
Windows 10 contains a file names install.wim that is larger than 4GB. FAT32 does not support copying files larger than 4 GB so you need to format as format fs=ntfs quick and it will work.
The early version of Windows 10 supported FAT32 but Windows 10 version1903, 1909 and May 2020 update version 2004 does not support FAT32. So use NTFS instead.
10. Once the flash drive is formatted you may not see it on My Computer. To get it back you need to assign a literal to it, type assign, and hit enter.
All done you just made your USB flash drive bootable using cmd, close this command prompt by typing exit and hit Enter.
Install Windows 7,8.1 & 10 Using a USB bootable flash drive
The bootable USB is ready, you can copy the Windows files and ready to go.
1. You need to copy windows files from the PC to the flash drive. If you have a .iso file of Windows then extract it using win rar.
2. After extracting windows files copy all files and paste them to the bootable Flash drive.
It may take some time to copy the files since Windows files take around 4 GB on the disk. The speed also depends on the flash drive. Use USB 3.0 flash drive on the same port for a faster transfer rate.
After transferring Windows files to a flash drive you are ready to install windows on any computer using this flash drive. Remove and re-insert flash disk and it will get windows setup icon which confirms that it is bootable media now.
Watch this video tutorial to make flash drive bootable
To install Windows by this bootable flash drive insert it into the computer and hit the boot key. From the list of bootable devices select your flash drive and proceed to Windows installation.
2015 google drive. Related– How to Install Windows 10 From USB Flash Drive [With Screenshots]
Conclusion
USB flash drives are handy tools to install Windows on any computer. You just need to make it bootable. Don’t rely on third-party apps for bootable USB, cmd can do this task with few commands within a minute.
Make sure you have a good flash drive. USB 2.0 is no older, use USB 3.0 flash drives for faster transfer rate hence the faster installation.
If you don’t have a USB 3.0 flash drive then get a Faster USB 3.0 Flash Drive from Amazon which has a transfer speed up to 225 MB/s.
After making the flash drive bootable you can also keep your data along with Windows files that won’t affect Windows installation.
Must Read
How can I tell if my USB is bootable?MobaLiveUSB is a small program to check if the USB drive is bootable or not. Copy the files to flash drive and run it from the drive. Use the Qemu engine to check.
Can you reuse a USB after making it bootable?Yes, you can copy files to USB drive along with Windows files. Or delete the Windows files and use it as you want.
Can I just copy ISO to USB?You can copy the iso file to transfer it from one PC to another but you can’t install Windows. Extract the iso files and copy them to bootable USB to install Windows.
If you have found this post, chances are you are trying to delete and keep the “System Volume Information” folder off your flash drive.
UPDATE: Thank you to a reader sending in additional information, we now have a solution that is universal to all PCs. You will never get the “There’s a problem with this drive. Scan the drive now to fix it” message. To get this universal fix, scroll to the bottom of this message and look for “Updated Solution.”
I will venture to say, there are probably five reasons why you are trying to remove this directory (probably more):
How To Delete Usb Drive
- You have a SmartTV or stereo in your car and the device is showing this folder, and often times, is the default start location to resume play, so you want to remove it.
- A binary verification utility is failing and it shows this folder as the source of inconsistency.
- The “Disk needs to be scanned and repaired message” keeps popping up when you remove a drive without using the Eject function from Windows. You are now going crazy and want to stop that message forever.
- A virus software utility is indicating this folder has a potential problem (smart hackers could stick their code in here)
- You are performing some kind of USB duplication process and this folder continues to be a problem, therefore you want to remove it.
Go ahead and skim down this article if you want to get right to the instructions. For now, I’m going to take some time to explain what this folder is. Knowledge is power, and maybe the reason for why it’s there, will deter you from wanting to delete it.
For any disk or storage device connected to Windows will have the “System Volume Information” folder. This is a hidden system file, so if you don’t see it, that is the reason why. You can see this file when you turn on “See Hidden Files” in your view properties settings.
The System Volume Information folder contains two files. The two files are meant for setting restore points and indexing for what is on the drive. Windows is trying to help you if and when you need to search the device for data.
The two files are the IndexerVolumeGuid and WPSettings.dat file. The indexer file assigns a unique identifier (GUID, Global Unique ID) to the drive. The indexing service examines the files so when you connect the drive to the computer in the future, Windows checks the identifier and knows which search database to associate with the drive.
WPSettings.dat file is used for Windows Phone’s Storage settings. If you are dealing with a hard drive, this could be a good thing, if dealing with a flash drive, you don’t need it. I haven’t met a person yet who backed up their phone data to a USB stick.
If you are still on the fence about whether you should remove this folder or not, think about this: If you are dealing with a hard drive with an operating system, don’t delete it. If you are dealing with mass storage drives, like a USB flash drive, you can remove it with little fear something bad will happen.
So how do you remove this folder?
How do you keep from this folder coming back?
The solution is a two-step process. The first step will be disabling the indexing and thus, ask Windows not to put the folder on the drive.
The second step is telling Windows not to start this indexing again once the computer has been restarted.
Keep in mind, if Windows doesn’t see the System Volume Information folder, it will try to write it every time the device is connected, to any Windows computer. This last sentence is an important point.
Let’s begin.
If you have the System Volume Information folder on your device, let us remove it right now. Connect the USB to your computer. Double click the drive letter of the USB and in the Explorer window type CMD. Click Enter.
This will get you to the command prompt to address that specific device.
Now that we are in the command prompt for that drive (note the drive letter in the command window is the same drive letter as your USB in the computer). Let us use syntax to remove the folder. Since the folder cannot be deleted using your keyboard, the command line is the only way.
Type: rmdir “system volume information” /s /q
Now click Enter. That’s it, you are done, files removed!
Moving along, let us set up your computer so the System Volume Information never appears again on your devices
Press the Windows key + R at the same time (this is to Run a Windows service)
In the field type “gpedit.msc” this is for Group Policy Edit for Microsoft. We are going to edit a Group Policy which affects your entire computer, regardless of the user logged in. Click OK.
Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
On the right side of your screen, under Search, look for:
Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries. Once you see this sentence, double click the sentence, so you may edit that Group Policy.
Select the radial button “Enabled” and click Apply and then click OK.
Step-one is now complete, you have turned off indexing to removable drives. The next step is to insure this indexing doesn’t start back up again the next time you boot up the PC.
Press the Windows key + R at the same time (this is to Run a Windows service)
In the field type “services.msc” this is for Windows Start Up services when the PC is turned on. We are going to edit a service policy. Click OK.
Scroll down until you see Windows Search. Double click that selection.
On the first tab, General, you will see “Startup Type:“
Here you want to select “Disable“
Once that is selected, click Apply and click OK.
You are all set. The System Volume Information folder will no longer appear on any devices for THIS computer.
I would reboot your PC just for safe measure.
Tip: If you want to eliminate the System Volume Information folder to be added to your USB drives, you need to write protect the USB at the hardware level. Nexcopy has Lock License USB sticks that can write protect the drive after your data load.
Bonus: If you have Windows Home edition, the gpedit.msc service is not available. You need to install a small utility to allow edits of group policy. Here is a good reference article for that.
TIP: If the USB drive is formatted as NTFS you will get an “Access Denied” message in the command prompt when pushing command:
rmdir “system volume information” /s /q.
We have not figure out a way to bypass this. If you know, please shoot us an email. gmo (at) getusb (dot) info and we can update this post // #teamwork
rmdir “system volume information” /s /q.
We have not figure out a way to bypass this. If you know, please shoot us an email. gmo (at) getusb (dot) info and we can update this post // #teamwork
Updated Solution
Connect your USB drive to the PC and note what drive letter the OS gives the device. In the example immediately below we are using drive letter F in our example. So be sure to swap out that portion for any part of the instructions if your OS gave a different drive letter.
Now perform the following steps:
- In the Search console area type “cmd” and click enter to get to the command prompt.
- Type cd/ and click Enter, so you can get to the root of the C drive.
- Type rmdir “System Volume Information” /s /q and click Enter
- Type fsutil file createnew “F:System Volume Information” 0 and click Enter
- Type chkdisk F: /f and click Enter (remember my capital F is the drive letter, yours might be different.
So what did we do?
We made the Directory System Volume Information to be zero bytes. By doing this, it makes the directory (folder) read-only so that Windows will not try to overwrite or update that directory on the flash drive.
Tags: delete, flash drive, system volume information, usb
Rich Gates
Can't Delete Flash Drive
Administator for GetUSB.info GetUSB.info started in 2004 with the concept of providing USB information for everything USB related. At the time, USB was gaining momentum and every day new products, articles and news became published. Today, the site is focused on bringing technical information, tricks and hacks to USB related products. The site does publish off topic information as well, to keep the variety up. Please visit the footer area of any page if you or your company is interested in article or product placement via purchased advertising.