Windows 10 Can't open up my Z drive. Please advise.

Yeah, formatting doesn't really delete the data, but you'll need to use a recovery program to retrieve it such as GetDataBack or Recurva
 
Before I would do that; I would immediately turn off your computer by shutting it down from the W10 Start Menu as Neem illustrated.
Then remove your flash drive from that computer by physically unplugging it from the USB port. Then take it to a different computer preferably running W10 also. If not available, you can test the integrity of the flash drive on any other computer running Vista/W7/W8 by plugging it into it's USB port and see if you can read the file directory (see if your files and folders are there).

On your Post #13 you do not want to answer "Y" to that opened handles question, since dismounting the volume can corrupt the MFT (Master File Table) or index on that drive and it will be very near impossible to recover any information from it. :waah:

If you can read the contents of your flash drive on a different computer, there's a chance of saving the information on it. Simpy use Windows Explorer to copy all the files and folders onto that computers hard drive on a folder called FLASH DRIVE BACKUP. Then, purchase a brand new flash drive; 4GB or larger (these cost under $10 US) and you can get them anywhere. Plug the new flash drive into that 2nd computer's USB port and use Windows Explorer to copy back your FLASH DRIVE BACKUP folder (or drag-and-drop) to your new flash drive. Make sure you can still read your directory structure on the new flash drive with Windows Explorer. Shut down that 2nd computer (Power Off) and physically remove the new flash drive. Plug that new flash drive into one of the USB ports on your original computer and you should now have all your files and folders (directory structure) copied onto the new flash drive under the FLASH DRIVE BACKUP folder. :up:

This test will not only recover your files (data) from your existing flash drive which looks like it's failed, but also will tell you for sure if that flash drive is bad or not. You may not have the same drive letter (the Z: drive) on your original computer that you did with the old flash drive, and that's Ok because you can reprogram that flash drive to be the Z: drive again just like the old one but it's not mandatory. As long as no other storage device on your original computer has taken over the Z: drive, you can still use it.

Once you've recovered your files from the malfunctioning flash drive, you can attempt to repair it. It's obviously broken; but sometimes they can be repaired using the chkdsk command as Neem mentions. At this point, if you get the dismount-Open Handles message, you can say yes to that and Windows will probably tell you that you need to format the drive; which is Ok because you now have a copy saved over to the newly purchased flash drive. If the format completes without a problem, you should have 1GB/2GB/4GB/8GB/16GB/32GB capacity available on the drive now and it should be useable. :up: The original problem you had showed your flash drive with only MB (153MB) available, and that's usually the kiss of death on a 1GB or larger flash drive! :waah: So, unless you had a 256MB size flash drive (from like 10 yrs. ago), it was almost certainly mis-reporting it's size.

If you cannot repair that old flash drive, GET RID OF IT! You can also attempt to repair it on the 2nd computer you used to recover the files from it. If you can repair it there, and plug it back into the W10 computer you may yet still use it. But personally, if that drive was a sub-1GB flash drive I would toss it in the trash as it's only worth like $0.50 or less; not worth using again especially if it has an intermittent failure which is typically with flash drives > 5 yrs. of age. Again, GET RID OF IT! :down:

That should take care of your problem. If you cannot read that flash drive on the 2nd computer as I mention in the beginning of this post and also cannot repair it on the 2nd computer-it's toast! :waah: At that point, you'd need to do a data recovery on it and I would urge you to take that into a good repair shop where they employ licensed Computer Techs such as Best Buy Geek Squad or Staples. They can possibly retrieve your data for about $50-$75 or so.

In the future, it would be a good idea to backup your book files to a free Cloud storage account such as Microsoft OneDrive (comes with W10) or Dropbox. This way you'll have it forever, and you don't have to worry about aging flash drives that sit in a drawer for years failing on you.

Best of luck,:encouragement:
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
 
Hi,
Take a look at my Post #22 which will help you both test your flash drive (which sound bad to me!), and recover the data.

<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
 
Upload the attached file to your computer. Rename it Takeover.reg

Run the file and agree to the couple of prompts.

Now right click the USB and you will see an option to "Take Ownership" Run this.

This should give you access to the USB, but, as already discussed, it may be corrupted material.
 

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