question about fake USB memory stick

[jimdagys]

I have a USB memory stick that I bought in China. It is marked 1GB and Windows says it is 1GB. If I put, for example a 400MB file on it, Windows says that there is still 600MB of free space. However, I absolutely cannot put (and use) more than a 503MB file on it, or strange things will happen, like error message (see screenshot), corrupt files, video files that don't play, etc. I have looked on Google about this and there are a lot of these kinds of fake memory sticks and fake mp4 players. I found a number of methods and softwares that are supposed to allow my computer to disclose the correct memory size of this memory stick (clearly 512MB by the above file test), but all of these methods show the memory stick to be 1GB. I opened the stick and the memory chip didn't have any markings on it. I would like to find some software that will cause Windows to show the correct value (512MB) of the memory stick.

[Video Head]

Have you tried formating it?

[jimdagys]

Yes, I have tried reformatting it, as Fat32 and then Fat, and there is no change in the problem.

[jagabo]

Have you tried repartitioning it?

[Video Head]

I gather this is a USB flashdrive?

I noticed that the price of the Kingston 1GB Datatraveler is now $6.95 at my local supplier...I wouldn't spend more than the time required to format the drive before tossing it and buying a reliable brand. I spend more than that on lunch...

[scrotux]

I had a similar USB drive here. It was a "Sony", supposed to be 16GB but was really something like 16 or 32 MB.
I found a utility with a Google search that re-wrote it's ID info or partition table or something.
It made the full 16MB or 32MB usable.
This drive came in a classy looking box & looked genuine.
I no longer have the utility - try a search on the net (may have been USBVIEW & iFormat ), or better still just throw the thing away...

[jimdagys]

It is something the size of a small BIC lighter that plugs into the USB. When you say "repartitioning", no I don't seem to have any software to do that. (see Screenshot) I have Partition Magic, but that only allow me to manage the c,d,e hard drive. The USB memory stick doesn't show up at all in Partition Magic. Can you give me some detailed instructions on how to "partition" it? Actually, I think this memory stick is carefully engineered to appear in Windows as 1GB. There might be some proprietary software that allows one to "program" the memory stick to arbitrarily display any amount of free space, 1GB, 8GB, 128GB, etc. There is one tool discussed at
http://www.everythingusb.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12686
but the download links are all broken and furthermore, I think this tool only works with one brand of memory stick.

[Video Head]

Sounds like a flash drive...just get a Kingston or reputable brand for under $10. Simply not worth the effort required.

Caveat emptor...hopefully an inexpensive lesson.

[Epicurus8a]

I wouldn't be surprised if the the thing is hacked. Furthermore it probably won't last very long....

[Bjs]

Try using lock.exe tool, which is used by imation, patriot, and a few others, for partitioning of flash drives.

Grab Imation LOCK.exe from > http://www.imation.com/products/flash_devices/downloads.html
Go to the last item, and grab the first download listed of the 3 available.

You may want to nuke the flash drives mbr prior to running the above tool.

[jman98]

jimdagys - Does ANYTHING you buy in China actually work as expected? Just wondering... You've had a lot of issues with things you've bought in China based on your posts here.

[scrotux]

Try this:-
Flatten with large hammer until it measures 3.5"x3.5"
Format in floppy drive..

[jimdagys]

Actually I attached the memory stick to a roll of firecrackers and lit it off. Didn't hurt the memory stick though. Just threw it away. But the scam still goes on. See Google for fake mp4 players and fake USB flash.