Solve the problem of missing files from the USB flash drive without programs
You may have come across a lot of strange problems with your flash. But perhaps the most unusual problem is the disappearance of files and contents (photos, movies, documents, music clips... etc) for no apparent reason.
There are actually times when you find out that all your folders and files stored on the flash drive are not there after connecting them to the computer. In most cases, they are programmatically hidden as a result of a random update or program installed on your computer, and of course due to the infiltration of harmful viruses.
This can be very annoying, especially if the files are important and related to your work and you don't know how to make these hidden files visible again. Fortunately, there is more than one easy way to achieve this either through Windows settings or using a command prompt – no need to install external software. So, let's start directly illustrating these methods in the next lines.
The first method: Activate the show hidden files feature to solve the problem of files disappearing from the flash drive
As you know, the Windows system, or its file management tool (File Explorer), has a feature to hide folders and files of all kinds, in order to keep them away from prying eyes or protect them from malicious infiltration attempts.
Your files stored on the flash drive could have been hidden by this feature after activating them automatically for an unknown reason. Thus, after connecting the flash drive to your computer and not finding your files inside it - even though the storage indicator indicates that there is space occupied - the first step you should take is to activate the option to show hidden files with the hide files feature in Windows.
To do this, open File Explorer and click on the "View" section at the top, then in the "Show/Hide" section put a check mark (✔) next to "Hidden items".
Now all the files should be visible, open the flash drive if you find your files but transparently, select them all and press the "Hide selected items" button in the View section.
Do not worry... This will permanently make the selected files visible, meaning you can now remove a check mark from the "Hidden items" option and your files will still appear as they would normally be. If you applied these steps and your files don't appear, try the second method.
Read also: Solve the problem of the flash drive does not appear permanently on the computer after installing it
Method Two: Make Files Visible with Command Prompt
If the first method does not work in showing hidden files on the flash, there is a high probability that this method will make them visible again because we are about to use a Windows command that shows the files compulsorily.
But to implement this command, you will need to open a Windows command prompt, whether Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell, provided that it is executed inside the flash. There are no complications here, it's very simple.
All you have to do is open the flash drive inside the File Explorer tool, press and hold the Shift key on the keyboard, and at the same time right-click anywhere. From the menu that appears, click on the "Open PowerShell window here" or "Open Command Prompt window here" option to display the Command Prompt window inside the flash.
In the Command Prompt window that will appear, copy the command attached below and add it in the window by pressing Ctrl + V keys and finally press Enter until the command is executed:
attrib -h -r -s /s /d \*.*
After clicking the Enter key and executing the command, all files that were hidden in the flash memory should be immediately visible (as shown in the image), bearing in mind that these files will remain permanently visible. You can now close the Command Prompt window and handle the files normally.
Conclusion: The disappearance of files from the flash drive is a really strange problem and has no specific reason. But the methods described in this guide are very effective - according to users' experience - in solving the problem and making the files visible again, so you should try them as soon as you encounter this problem, especially since it is simple and easy and does not require downloading and installing external programs.
See also: - Delete the Shortcut virus from the flash drive without programs