Hard drives and other external storage devices are meant to make data access easier. However, these devices occasionally become problematic and show errors, making it difficult for users to access data within them. One such error is the drive showing 0 bytes, and you cannot access any data. It is important to act quickly and recover all the data present on the drive.
You might be wondering, what are 0 Bytes in the hard drive? And why is my c drive showing 0 bytes or any other USB devices showing 0 bytes
0 byte simply refers to no space and no data left. When a hard drive shows 0 bytes, it means the drive has become RAW and has no more space for data. Right-clicking the hard drive and selecting Properties will show you that there are 0 bytes of free space, used space, and capacity.
A hard drive or any storage device might show 0 bytes for various reasons, such as bad sectors, problematic device drivers, or shutting down the system. At the same time, the data is being written or saved on the disk, and improper insertion and ejecting of the storage devices. Additionally, it can also be due to errors in the file system.
This article is here to help you fix the issues and recover the data from the problematic hard drive.
Before proceeding, I want to know if you have made any prior backups of the data saved on the hard drive. If you have a copy of the data, save it in a safe location. Then, I suggest you jump straight to the solutions section. But if you don’t have any backup, I recommend recovering the data saved in the drive showing 0 bytes first since some of the solutions mentioned here will lead to data loss.
Table Of Contents:
Part 1: Recover Data from the Drive Showing 0 bytes Error using Remo Recover
If you encounter the 0 bytes error, do not worry. Remo Recover software can recover all the contents of your hard drive. Once recovery is done, you can format the hard drive and use it again.
Remo Recover’s user interface is extremely simple to use. It can recover lost or deleted data from hard drives, USB flash drives, memory sticks, FireWire drives, and more.
The tool supports data recovery on FAT32, FAT16, NTFS, NTFS5, and ExFAT file systems. If your storage device has bad sectors, the data recovery software creates a disk image of the drive, bypasses these sectors, and later recovers data from the image. The deep scanning algorithms ensure every nook and corner of your hard drive is checked for lost or deleted data and recovered quickly.
If you are wondering how I recover files from a raw hard drive, Remo Recover explains the process in a few simple steps.
1: Download and install the software on your system and launch the tool.
2: In the main screen, select the drive from where you want to recover data and hit the Scan button.
3: Once the scanning process starts, use the Dynamic Recovery View option to view the recovered files without waiting for the scanning process to complete.
4: After scanning, all recovered files will be displayed on your screen. You can view them through the Preview option.
5: Select the Files that you want to retrieve. Click on the Recover option and select the Folder where you want to save the recovered files. Click on the OK button to start the data-saving process.
The software also allows you to save the files as a ZIP file to a destination folder of your choice to save disk space.
Now that you have safely recovered and saved your critical data in an external location. It’s time to start fixing the hard drive, which shows the 0 bytes error.
Part 2: How to Fix Hard Drive Showing 0 Bytes Error?
Let us look at a few solutions to Hard Drive Showing 0 Bytes Error:
Solution #1: Change the Drive Letter name
- Click on File Explorer>This PC>Manage.
- Click Disk Management. Now right-click on the hard drive that shows 0 bytes.
- Now click Change drive letter and paths. Next, click Change and use a new drive letter name not assigned to any other drive on the system.
- Click Yes and OK to confirm.
Solution #2: Repair the 0 Byte Drive Using Check Disk Health(CHKDSK)
- Press
Windows +Rto open the Run window. Once the run window opens, typecmdand hit Enter. - In Command Prompt, type
chkdsk F: /Rand hit Enter. (where F is the drive letter of the drive showing 0 bytes).
- Just wait for some time before the
chkdskcommand fixes the 0-byte hard drive problem.
Once the process is complete, you can access content on your hard drive.
Solution #3: Using Disk Management
- Go to File Explorer>This PC>Manage. Type in the admin password to proceed.
- Click Disk Management. Right-click on the hard drive showing 0 bytes and select Properties.
- Click the Owner and Security tab to check whether the list is empty.
- Click Edit and Add.
- Under Permissions, click Edit to change permissions.
- Now check every option there to allow complete permission.
- Click OK and Apply.
Vital Information: Do you wonder why your USB drive is not showing full capacity? Then do refer to this comprehensive guide to find out how to restore the USB drive back to full capacity.
Solution #4: Use DiskPart to Repair Partition Issues
If CHKDSK or other methods fail, the partition table may be damaged. In this case, DiskPart can help inspect and repair:
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Type
diskpartand press Enter. - Run:
list disk, then selectdisk X(X is your drive number). - Type
list partition. If no partitions appear, the table is likely corrupted. - To recover, use a recovery tool before recreating partitions (see Part 1).
Solution #5: Format the Hard Drive that is Showing 0 Bytes Error
If the listed solutions have not worked well for you, you will need to format your hard drive and create a new file system to eradicate error byte 0.
By formatting, you will also lose the data residing on the affected hard drive. In such cases, we recommend using a reliable data recovery utility like Remo Recover, mentioned in the above section, to effortlessly recover lost or deleted files from your hard drive.
Once you recover data, proceed with formatting the drive:
- Open Disk Management (
diskmgmt.msc). - Right-click the unallocated drive and select “New Simple Volume.”
- Follow the wizard, choosing NTFS or FAT32 (NTFS for drives >32GB).
- Assign a drive letter and complete the process.
Alternatively, use Command Prompt: format X: /fs:ntfs /q (replace X with the drive letter).
Conclusion
The article helps you tackle the “hard drive showing 0 bytes” error and get your files back. It’s a scary situation. But with quick action and the right tools, you’ve got a chance to fix the issue. If you’ve got feedback or want to make this article even more helpful, let us know! Stay safe, back up your data, and here’s to never seeing “0 bytes” again!
Frequently Asked Questions
This error typically results from various reasons. Like file system corruption, partition table damage, loose connections, or hardware failure. For instance, a drive showing RAW or unallocated in Disk Management often indicates corruption.
Yes, use advanced data recovery tools to scan and retrieve files. Importantly, save recovered data to another drive to avoid overwriting.
Formatting restores functionality but erases data. Therefore, recover files first using recovery software or professional services. After recovery, format via Disk Management or Command Prompt.
Regularly back up data, safely eject drives, keep drivers/firmware updated, and run antivirus scans. Additionally, use tools like CrystalDiskInfo to monitor drive health.
