Folders on USB show up on Smart TV, but not laptop…

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New to this forum and I usually rely on my 17-year old tech savy son, but even this one has stumped him I have flash drive  (SanDisk Cruzer 32GB).  It’s a few years old, but works just fine.  It holds most (if not all) of my files including family photos, etc.  Yesterday for some bizarre reason all (hundreds of subfolder) except 23 random subfolders of images disappeared from a folder.  They aren’t hidden and can’t be found anywhere on the flash drive.  However, when I plug the flash drive into a smart TV (Samsung), I can see not only the 23 subfolders – but all of the subfolders that disappeared.  All of the photos and videos are there!  I can access them, show them, play the videos, etc.  When I plug the flash drive back into the laptop, only the 23 subfolders show up?  I don’t have another computer/laptop to test this with, so it isn’t clear what’s going on.  Does this make sense?  Can anyone help?

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Windows? Which program are you using to look for them on the laptop?

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Windows 10 – 64-bit.  I’m using File Explorer.

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There are a number of utilities (generally paid) that claim to be able to recover files from USB sticks.
My experience is: the only reliable method is restoring a backup.

cheers, Paul

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Paul T wrote:

There are a number of utilities (generally paid) that claim to be able to recover files from USB sticks.

Including the free Windows File Recovery from Microsoft.

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One thing in particular that I notice here is that the Samsung Smart TV can read the USB correctly, but Windows cannot. Maybe something about the file system on the USB is giving Windows some difficulty?

Looked up the OS that Samsung uses, and it is their Linux based “Tizen” OS.

“The hidden secret behind the multifaceted offering of the Samsung Smart TV is Samsung Electronics’ smart operating system (OS) Tizen. Tizen is a Linux-based, open-sourced web OS that is open to everyone, and supports a range of devices including TVs, mobile devices, home appliances and even signage.”

https://news.samsung.com/us/six-advantages-of-tizen-os-on-samsung-smart-tvs/

Possible solution: If you know someone with access to a PC booted with Linux, there is a good chance you could use that to copy the contents of that USB to make a backup.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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I might give that a try; but what is so truly bizarre…all subfolders were working (for years) on both the Samsung Smart TV and File Explorer up until yesterday.  Now only 23 (of over 250) subfolders show up on File Explorer/PC and it is as if the other 225+ don’t exist (unless of course I plug the flash drive in the TV).  Just bizarre….

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Download a portable free files explorer app like Q-Dir
TreeSize.. and check USB files.

Have you tried connecting to other USB ports ?

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cdrdbb wrote:

were working (for years)

USB sticks have a limited life. Maybe yours has gone to silicon heaven. 

cheers, Paul

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Regardless of how it got that way, I would make an effort to get the data copied ASAP using a tool that can read all of it before it goes bye-bye…

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Here is a likely way to get all of the files off of the flash drive;

Download a copy of Linux Mint (https://linuxmint.com/download.php) and make a DVD with it. Then boot the computer with the DVD. This will put you into Linux Live.

Once in Linux Live, open File Explorer (whatever it is called in Linux), and try to read the contents of your flash drive. If you can see all of the contents of your flash drive, copy all of it to a folder on the hard drive.

Finally, remove the DVD and flash drive, then reboot the computer – this will put you back into Windows.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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windbg, cdrdbb, JohnW

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MrJimPhelps wrote:

Download a copy of Linux Mint (https://linuxmint.com/download.php) and make a DVD with it. Then boot the computer with the DVD. This will put you into Linux Live.

And if the computer lacks a DVD drive, as many recent computers rely on downloads or USB sticks exclusively these days, you can convert the downloaded .iso image to a bootable USB stick.

One of the favorite free utilities for this purpose is the small portable utility Rufus. Grab it here: https://rufus.ie/en/

Here is one (of many) tutorials on how to put Linux on a bootable USB using Rufus: https://www.maketecheasier.com/use-rufus-create-bootable-flash-drive/

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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cdrdbb

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You could install Virtual box and run linux in it and try USB. Linux has always been better at reading files than Windows. I have always had better luck recovering with Linux OS than Windows.

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cdrdbb

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You noticed that the TV Linux read all the folders, did you do something prior t?
learning that windows saw only 23? Did you TV write a new folder to your drive?

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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Nope. I didn’t do anything different. In fact, I created a 24th folder (a test folder) with one photo and it opens both on the TV and PC.

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Are you sure the files and/or folders are not hidden on Windows?

You could always take the flash drive to a library, staples, or any internet cafe to test it out on other computers and see if the files show up.

If it has been working for years and only suddenly stopped working, then all the solutions people are providing is useless. Probably a windows setting got updated or something got corrupted on the USB (maybe it was pulled out before being ejected properly through Windows?).

could be varies reasons, but hard to tell based on the limited info you could provide.

 

good luck

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