The disk 1 no media 0 B 0 B error typically points to corrupted firmware, driver conflicts, or physical damage. If disk 1 says no media, do not format immediately. We cover troubleshooting steps, CHKDSK alternatives, and how to retrieve data before applying any destructive fix.
Disk Management Reports USB "No Media" with 0 Bytes Size
I have a USB flash drive that is no longer recognized by my computer. Windows Disk Management and DiskPart report No Media with no storage space (0 bytes) on the drive, and I cannot partition or format the drive:
If the drive appears in Windows Explorer, trying to access it returns an error message indicating that there is no disk inserted, such as the following:
Please insert a disk into drive X:.
Various disk partitioning and data recovery utilities don't recognize the drive or only give a generic name for the drive, and cannot access the contents of the drive.
What can I do? How do I recover data from the drive?
- Question from superuser.com
Have you ever plugged in your USB drive or external hard disk, and double-clicked it only to find an error: Please insert a disc into USB Drive. It shows No Media in Disk Management and no space at all.
If you use DiskPart to list disks, you might find that it shows Disk 1 No Media 0 B 0 B. What does it mean?
Your computer can see that a storage device is plugged in, but it cannot read any information from it at all. It sees a "disk" but has no idea what's on it because it can't access the actual storage media. The "0 B 0 B" part confirms this, indicating that Windows thinks the drive has zero bytes of total space and zero bytes of free space. It is essentially being treated like a blank, empty device with no storage chip inside.
Don't worry, the good news is that this error doesn't necessarily mean your data is gone forever. In most cases, the drive's NAND flash memory or controller is struggling to communicate with your system, but the actual ones and zeros of your files remain intact.
There are a few primary suspects when you encounter disk 1 no media size 0 or any variation of this issue:
Before you consider the drive a lost cause, try these solutions, starting with the simplest ones that don't require any technical expertise.
This is the simplest solution to the USB no media 0 bytes problem. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Start by ruling out simple physical issues.
1. Change the USB port: Move the drive to a different port, preferably one on the back of your desktop PC (which is typically more stable).
2. Use a different cable: If your external drive uses a separate cable, try a known-good one.
3. Try a different computer: Plug the drive into another PC to see if the problem follows the drive. This will tell you if the issue is with your computer or the drive itself.
4. Check the power source: If you're using a USB hub, connect the drive directly to your computer. Also, if it's a large external drive, ensure it's plugged into a power outlet.
This is often the key to fixing the disk 1 removable no media error. If a driver is corrupted, Windows can't talk to the drive.
1. Right-click the Start button and select "Device Manager".
2. Expand the "Disk drives" category. You should see your drive listed, though it may be grayed out.
3. Right-click the drive and select "Uninstall device".
4. A pop-up will appear asking if you want to delete the driver software for this device. Do not check this box. Just click "Uninstall".
5. Restart your computer. Windows will automatically try to reinstall the driver when you plug the drive back in.
Or you can choose Update driver to fix the error in step 3.
If the driver reinstall didn't work, you might need to clear the drive's configuration using the DiskPart command line.
Important: This will permanently erase all data on the drive, so it's a last resort if you don't need to recover files. If you do have important data, you must recover it first.
1. Search for "cmd" in the Start menu, right-click, and select "Run as administrator".
2. Type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Type list disk to see all connected drives. You'll see your problem drive listed with no size.
4. Type select disk X (where X is the number of your RAW drive in the list). Be careful to pick the correct one; you can input detail disk to show information about the disk.
5. Type clean. This will wipe the partition table.
6. Type create partition primary and press Enter.
7. Type format fs=ntfs quick to reformat the drive.
8. Type assign letter=k to give the drive a letter so it shows up in File Explorer.
Some users reported that putting the hard drive in a freezer for a few hours makes it recognizable by Windows immediately, so you can copy files from the hard drive to a safe location during that time. Because sometimes cold or heat can change how NAND behaves. Although the chances are slim, it's worth a try.
Some users have a proven solution. Formatting Disk 1 shows no media on a Mac and can be restored to normal. Here is how to format it on Mac:
Here are the concise steps to format a drive showing "no media" on a Mac:
Step1. Run First Aid on the Physical Drive
1. Open Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/).
2. Go to View > Show All Devices.
3. Select the top-level physical drive (not the indented volume below it).
4. Click First Aid > Run. If this succeeds, the drive should become usable.
Step 2. Erase and Reformat (If First Aid Fails)
1. In Disk Utility, ensure View > Show All Devices is enabled.
2. Select the top-level physical drive.
3. Click Erase.
4. Choose a format:
5. Click Erase to confirm.
This process erases all data on the drive.
It is also possible that the drive is fake and the cheap memory chip in the drive has failed. Drives failing in this manner will often show up as a storage device with 8MB capacity. In this situation, you have to replace it with another brand of hard drive for data security.
It's very important to recover files regardless of whether before troubleshooting or after formatting the disk 1, which says no media.
If you need to recover files easily, this is where professional software like MyRecover comes in. It is designed to bypass the damaged file system and scan the raw storage media for your files. If your hard drive is physically damaged, it might not be working. Whatever, it's worth trying.
Here is how you can use it to bring your data back from the disk that shows no media:
1. Download and install MyRecover on a different hard drive to avoid overwriting data on the problematic disk.
2. Open MyRecover, tap Disk Data Recovery, choose the drive that shows no media 0B 0B, and tap Scan.
3. Once scanned, double-click to preview the files you need, choose them all at once, and hit Recover.
4. Select a safe location to keep them, and hit Select Folder to start.
If you can recover files from this situation, congratulations, keep the files safe. Or you have to replace the hard drive to protect your files in the future.
Why does Disk Management show disk 1 no media 0 B 0 B?
This means the computer detects the disk hardware but cannot read the media inside. It happens when the file system is corrupt, the drivers are faulty, or the drive itself is failing.
Can I fix a USB drive that says no media without losing data?
Yes, but you shouldn't try complex fixes like formatting or Diskpart. Your first step should be to use recovery software like MyRecover to pull your files off the drive. Once your data is safe, you can try to repair the drive.
Is the disk 1 no media size 0 error a sign my drive is dead?
Not always. While it can indicate hardware failure, in many cases, it's a logical error caused by driver issues, power loss, or a corrupt partition table. Try the simple fixes first.
How do I fix disk 1 says no media using Command Prompt?
You can use the Diskpart tool. The process is: diskpart > list disk > select disk X > clean > create partition primary. Warning: This will erase all data.
Why does my USB flash drive show no media and 0MB in Disk Management?
This error often appears when the drive's controller cannot communicate with the NAND flash memory. This can be due to a logical glitch, physical damage, or the drive failing.
What happens if the disk 1 no media 0 B 0 B error is caused by physical damage?
If the drive is physically damaged (e.g., the USB connector is broken or the internal chip is fried), software solutions won't work. You may need to take the drive to a professional data recovery service, which can be expensive.
Can CHKDSK fix disk 1 no media 0 B 0 B?
Probably not. CHKDSK requires a recognizable file system to run. Since the drive shows no media, CHKDSK will likely just return an error. It's better to focus on driver updates and data recovery first.