5 Easy Solutions to Fix “Folder is Empty but Contains Files” Issue

Summary: This article will provide you with various ways to fix “Folder is empty but contains files” issue and recover all your essential data using a power-packed data recovery tool – Bitwar Data Recovery Software.

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There are several strange situations that a computer user comes across by dealing with the computer day to day dealing. “Folder is empty but contains files” issue is undoubtedly an error message that would make anyone panic as the folder might be containing some relevant file.

What is the Issue?

In this situation, the folder that you created to store your specific data or files appears empty, but in reality, the data is still there. This implies that it has a hidden attribute, i.e., the data is hidden and cannot be seen in the folder created by the user. Therefore, the folder is showing empty, but the file occupies the space.

Reasons for the Issue

1. Virus and Malware infection.
2. Unsafe removal of the external storage device.
3. Damaged device drivers.
4. Corrupted storage devices.
5. A faulty port.

When you come across this kind of situation on the system, don’t worry as there are many practical solutions below to fix the “Folder is empty but contains files” issue easily! But it is always best to backup or recovers all the essential data in the external device to prevent permanent data loss using the Data Recovery Tool below.

Best Solutions to Fix “Folder is Empty but Contains Files” Issue

Solution 1: Connect Different Port

Sometimes, an old port on the computer can cause a connection error between the external device and the computer. So it is best to try connecting the device with another USB port. If this doesn’t solve the issue, please follow with the next solution.

Solution 2: Command Prompt

Suppose that malware and virus are the reasons for the issue, the attrib command with few more parameters can help unveil the data in the Windows operating system.

Step 1. Connect the External Storage Device that is showing empty to the computer.

Step 2. Now, Launch the command prompt by pressing Win + Q and type in Command Prompt.

Step 3. In the command prompt window, type the command below, followed by pressing Enter to execute.

attrib –h –r –s /s /d E:\*.* (here, E is replaced by your drive letter).

Step 4. At last, open the File Explorer and check if the file can be viewed in the external storage device.

Solution 3: Antivirus Tool

A powerful virus can pose a threat to your drive. Scan the external device with antivirus software or tool. After scanning or cleaning using the antivirus, please use the Command Prompt solution above again to show the hidden files in the external device.

Suppose that the steps above are not working to fix “Folder is empty but contains files” issue, it is best to create a backup or restore all the data by using data recovery tool and save the file to other external devices as a data backup!

Recover Data

Bitwar Data Recovery Software is efficient in getting back any missing or hidden data from any storage device in just a couple of minutes. The recovery steps are convenient and straightforward.

Besides, the software is highly reliable, quick, user-friendly, and result-oriented. It also supports Windows 7, 8, 10, and Mac systems!

Follow the Guided Steps Below to Restore Hidden Data by using Data Recovery Tool:

Step 1. Download Bitwar Data Recovery Software and install it on the system.

Step 2. Connect the faulty External Device to the computer.

Step 3. Launch the recovery software and select USB/Memory Card Recovery. After this, select the Partition or Device that you wish to restore and then click on the Next button.

Step 4. Select the File type of the hidden file and then click on the Next button.

Step 5. Lastly, click on the Recover button to start the recovery process.

Gentle Reminder: Once the data recovery is successful, SAVE it somewhere DIFFERENT from the original file location!

Other Solutions Worth to Try!

After retrieving or creating a data backup with recovery steps above, users can refer to some other efficient solutions below to fix the “Folder is empty but contains files” issue on the Windows system!

Solution 4: Device Troubleshooter

Step 1: Press Window + R together to start the Run window.

Step 2: Key in cmd and press, OK.

Step 3: Now, type in the given command below and press Enter.

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 4: The Hardware and Devices window will show up and click Next to continue the troubleshooting.

Step 5. Wait till the troubleshooting has completed, which will find issues on the computer’s hardware.

Step 6. Once this scanning is completed, the troubleshooter will provide a solution to fix the problem, follow the solution provided, and then Restart your computer.

Step 7. Once the computer restarts, connect your storage device and check whether the problem is resolved or not.

Solution 5: Reinstall USB drivers

Device drivers may cause the “Folder is empty but contains files” issue to happen on Windows. It acts as a bridge between the software and hardware, and when this bridge is damaged, it can severely deteriorate the performance of the storage device.

To fix this up, follow the given steps below:

Step 1. Disconnect the storage device from the system.

Step 2. Download the drivers(USB drivers) for the system from the manufacturer’s official website.

Step 3. Then, type Device Manager in the windows search box opened by pressing Win + S and launch it.

Step 4. Expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section.

Step 5. Select the USB adapters to which your drive is connected and Right-click on it and then Uninstall it. If you are not sure about the drive’s USB adapter, then Uninstall all.

Step 6. Install the downloaded USB drivers and Restart the system.

Step 7. After the restart, connect the device again and check if data is accessible or not.

Solve It Now!

The “Folder is empty but contains files” issue mainly occurs due to software problems. However, there are many other reasons as well contributing to this problem, as mentioned, such as viruses, malware, corrupted/damaged device drivers and unsafe removal of storage devices, etc.

The best is to stop accessing the file or folder and solve the issue by referring to all the efficient solutions above and backup all data by using the best external device recovery software-Bitwar Data Recovery Software!

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