Usb drive limited capacity

I bought a USB key 32gb. When I copy anything on it, it only makes about 8 Gb data. And yet, when I open it, the computer tells me well 32gb, it shows even the titles of folders and files that I can not recover, then they have indeed been copied .. It is a Usb Key from Hong Kong. My computer is new, equipped USB 2.0 .. I have never had problems with other Usb Keys, 4gb or 8gb. The problem persists even after formatting.
I work under XP (SP2). Is there a limit to the capacity of USB keys, yet recognized as a storage drive ....

Depending on the brand of your USB drive, the manufacturer may propose a program of low-level format (more efficient than Windows in general). In this regard, with Windows you do a quick format or normal?

PS: To my knowledge, there is no size limit for the usb key under XP but the problem is surely that the keys are formatted as FAT and the old file system does not support large hard drive ...

FAT32 can climb beyond 32GB, the problem is elsewhere I think, just the fact that it is "a key bought in Hong Kong" leaves me skeptical: /
You have an error message?

I think the drivers are not the problem, the problem can be with older dos versions. They don't implement large disk support so they are limited to something like 8 GB IIRC. Newer dos (FreeDos, Enhanced DR-Dos, dos subsystem of Windows 9x ...) can use more than 8 GB.

Max USB capacity is 127 devices on a single bus. Powered/bus powered, device draw, device type, cable quality & length, all these will affect usability and available throughput.