44 replies to this topic

[TheFiresInTheSky]

hey i gotta flash drive that my friend screwed up some how and before you could just look and open what is on it. i dont know what i did but i got rid of all of the info on it. now i cant add anything to it. how could i fix this?

[lokoike]

neighberaaron, on Feb 10 2006, 11:38 PM, said:

hey i gotta flash drive that my friend screwed up some how and before you could just look and open what is on it. i dont know what i did but i got rid of all of the info on it. now i cant add anything to it. how could i fix this?

Does Windows recognize it when you plug it into your USB port? Does it list it under My Computer as a drive?

If so, try right-clicking the drive, select Format... and click Start on the window that appears. It is possible that your friend removed the drive while it was being written to, and the file system got corrupted, in which case, formatting will probably fix your problem.

If that doesn't work, and you are using a non-ME/XP version of Windows, your computer may come with the drivers for the USB drive. Windows ME/XP (and Win2000 if you have SP4 installed) should automatically install drivers for USB storage devices, but versions prior to that will require the drivers to be manually installed. Your drive should have come with a driver disk, but if it didn't, you may need to download the drivers from the manufacturer's website.

Try these out first, and tell us what happens.

[Hamish+]

Try talking it back if you still have the receipt.

My friend has their case unit on the floor and front USB ports, and I accidently kicked my Flash drive and the cover came off. It clicked back on but then didn't work so I took it back and pretended it just stopped working :-)

[lokoike]

Hamish+, on Feb 11 2006, 12:26 PM, said:

Try talking it back if you still have the receipt.

My friend has their case unit on the floor and front USB ports, and I accidently kicked my Flash drive and the cover came off. It clicked back on but then didn't work so I took it back and pretended it just stopped working :-)

You naughty person.

There isn't necessarily anything wrong with the drive, so I would recommend trying to fix it before resorting to taking it back. And if the problem resides with improper drivers, taking it back and getting a new one won't fix that anyway.

[TheFiresInTheSky]

i dont have the reciept so i cant really take it back but i tried to format it and it couldnt complete. i have tried all the settings on that too. ive also tried it in three different computers and when i put it in it slows down my computer alot unlike my other flash drives. o and windows does recognize it. i can look at and open the stuff that is on it. i thought maybe using a program to wipe it COMPLETELY out would work?

[krit86lr]

lokoike, on Feb 11 2006, 01:38 AM, said:

Does Windows recognize it when you plug it into your USB port? Does it list it under My Computer as a drive?

If so, try right-clicking the drive, select Format... and click Start on the window that appears. It is possible that your friend removed the drive while it was being written to, and the file system got corrupted, in which case, formatting will probably fix your problem.

If that doesn't work, and you are using a non-ME/XP version of Windows, your computer may come with the drivers for the USB drive. Windows ME/XP (and Win2000 if you have SP4 installed) should automatically install drivers for USB storage devices, but versions prior to that will require the drivers to be manually installed. Your drive should have come with a driver disk, but if it didn't, you may need to download the drivers from the manufacturer's website.

Try these out first, and tell us what happens.

I had to install a USB driver on a ME & XP to make the flash drive opertable. I <think> that the computers even gave a message requesting the install. After installing it is also listed under Add/Remove programs.

Neighberaaron: I'm not sure if this will help, but it can't hurt. I also agree with lokoike, returning should be a last resort.

[TheFiresInTheSky]

krit86lr, on Feb 11 2006, 10:31 PM, said:

I had to install a USB driver on a ME & XP to make the flash drive opertable. I <think> that the computers even gave a message requesting the install. After installing it is also listed under Add/Remove programs.

Neighberaaron: I'm not sure if this will help, but it can't hurt. I also agree with lokoike, returning should be a last resort.

i have another flash drive JUST LIKE IT and it works fine. and i dont think that i would return it because its fun fixing stuff like this.

o and i got aim-abakerfromfrance i think its alot faster........

[lokoike]

krit86lr, on Feb 11 2006, 04:31 PM, said:

I had to install a USB driver on a ME & XP to make the flash drive opertable. I <think> that the computers even gave a message requesting the install. After installing it is also listed under Add/Remove programs.

Was it a driver, or some sort of control panel for adjusting the drive's settings? I've never used a USB Flash ROM drive that WinME/2000 SP4/XP didn't have drivers for (although I generally just use XP). But some hardware devices require you to use their software as well, such as my USB 802.11g wireless adapter. I think that is stupid and annoying, but that is how most hardware (such as printers, scanners, wireless devices, etc.) are being setup now-adays.

But since you have another identical drive that works, drivers are not the issue anyway. Click Start, then click Run... and enter in "devmgmt.msc" without the quotes. Once the Device Manager has loaded, check to see if your drive is listed with either a X or a !. If it is the X, simply right-click it and select Enable. If it is the !, try uninstalling it and restarting Windows.

[krit86lr]

lokoike, on Feb 11 2006, 06:45 PM, said:

Was it a driver, or some sort of control panel for adjusting the drive's settings?

It was a driver. I installed the USB driver via CD, and everthing worked properly after that. I had to do it on ME and XP. I didn't have to change any settings after installing the driver. After installing the driver it appears in Add/Remove programs.

This may not be the solution for this situation, but it worked for me so I thought it may be worth giving a try.

[TheFiresInTheSky]

krit86lr, on Feb 12 2006, 01:06 AM, said:

It was a driver. I installed the USB driver via CD, and everthing worked properly after that. I had to do it on ME and XP. I didn't have to change any settings after installing the driver. After installing the driver it appears in Add/Remove programs.

This may not be the solution for this situation, but it worked for me so I thought it may be worth giving a try.

as ive said before i have one JUST LIKE IT that works fine. and i also said that i could view and open the files. it was VERY hard to delete the info off of it but i managed to some how. now i just cant add files to it.

[Glenn]

Any chance that the problem device has been formatted to NTFS?

[TheFiresInTheSky]

Glenn, on Feb 12 2006, 02:55 AM, said:

Any chance that the problem device has been formatted to NTFS?

no i tried to format to that but i couldnt its FAT i cant format at all.... i did find out that i cant defrag it or do the properties then tools and chek the disk either. and it says that it is read only

[Sniper]

OK.....this may be a dumb idea...but some flash drives have a "write protection" lock on them, like the lock on a floppy. Have you checked this?

[TheFiresInTheSky]

Sniper, on Feb 12 2006, 05:18 AM, said:

OK.....this may be a dumb idea...but some flash drives have a "write protection" lock on them, like the lock on a floppy. Have you checked this?

never heard of that but i have 1 jus lyk it and i was putting stuff on it earlier.....try again?

[lokoike]

neighberaaron, on Feb 11 2006, 08:07 PM, said:

as ive said before i have one JUST LIKE IT that works fine. and i also said that i could view and open the files. it was VERY hard to delete the info off of it but i managed to some how. now i just cant add files to it.

Did you read my post:

Quote

But since you have another identical drive that works, drivers are not the issue anyway. Click Start, then click Run... and enter in "devmgmt.msc" without the quotes. Once the Device Manager has loaded, check to see if your drive is listed with either a X or a !. If it is the X, simply right-click it and select Enable. If it is the !, try uninstalling it and restarting Windows.

And good idea with that write-protect, Sniper. I didn't even think of that.

[Sniper]

neighberaaron, on Feb 11 2006, 11:34 PM, said:

never heard of that but i have 1 jus lyk it and i was putting stuff on it earlier.....try again?

Some of the write protect lock I've seen are real tiny and use a ink pen or paper clip to move it. If your drive has one and your friend locked it, this could be it. Since the other one works, it's not locked. Worth a look. What brand and model is it?

[TheFiresInTheSky]

lokoike, on Feb 12 2006, 05:34 AM, said:

Did you read my post:
And good idea with that write-protect, Sniper. I didn't even think of that.

ya it has neither of the marks and it is enabled....

Sniper, on Feb 12 2006, 06:03 AM, said:

Some of the write protect lock I've seen are real tiny and use a ink pen or paper clip to move it. If your drive has one and your friend locked it, this could be it. Since the other one works, it's not locked. Worth a look. What brand and model is it?

cruzer mini 512 mb
SanDisk

neighberaaron, on Feb 12 2006, 06:10 AM, said:

ya it has neither of the marks and it is enabled....
cruzer mini 512 mb
SanDisk
dont no if this means ne thing but.... ax0503bwb china sdcz2-512

[Sniper]

Did some looking. The cruzer mini 512 mb flash drive has a lock on one side near the back. Check it against the one that works and see if they are set in the same position.

[TheFiresInTheSky]

Sniper, on Feb 12 2006, 06:26 AM, said:

Did some looking. The cruzer mini 512 mb flash drive has a lock on one side near the back. Check it against the one that works and see if they are set in the same position.

odd i dont see one anywhere.... does this website hav pictures? that would help....wats the site?
o and this is wat it looks like... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0...2&s=electronics

[lokoike]

Well, here is the manufacturer's description. One of the features caught my attention:

Quote

Free! Includes CruzerLock™ 2 data security software*, and trial versions of PocketCache™ (back-up)* and CruzerSync™ (Outlook and My Documents folder synchronization) software*

Did you install this "data security software", by any chance? If so, perhaps your drive is write-protected due to that. Did you make a password for the drive, or does it come with a manufacturer password that your friend somehow might have activated? If you can manage to remove the software from the drive, or find out what the drive's password is (if it has one), that may solve your problem.

That would also explain why the other drive works, but this one does not. If your friend turned on a password for your goofed up USB drive, that wouldn't affect your other drive.