Why Are My USB Folders Turning Into Shortcuts After Formatting?
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CreativeFlame24
I'm having an issue with my USB stick. I'm a graphic design student and recently had to share my USB with a professor during a project. After getting it back, I noticed that all my folders turned into shortcuts, and now I can't add anything to them. I use Windows, while most of my classmates are on Macs. I've reformatted the USB six times, but the problem keeps coming back. Any ideas on how to fix this?
Answers
Formatting should clear all files. Are you able to paste a folder into it, or does it turn into a shortcut immediately? That sounds like a headache!
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It's possible the Mac may have changed the file system on your USB. If you’re okay with losing the data, check out Disk Management in Windows. Right-click the drive, delete any existing volumes, then create a new one and format it. Just be careful to select the correct drive!
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You might have better luck using the command line. Press Windows + R, type 'cmd', and then run 'diskpart' to clean and format the drive there. If you need any help with the commands, just ask!
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After formatting your USB, make sure it starts off completely empty. When you copy your files back, double-check that you're not accidentally copying shortcuts instead of your actual files.
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The System Volume Information folder is a normal hidden folder that appears on any Windows drive, so don't worry about that. If you want to reset the thumb drive to its original state, try using the formatter from sdcard.org—it works for USBs too since they’re similar to micro SD cards.
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