Typically, the suspects in this case are software failures, incorrect operating system settings, outdated drivers, malfunctions of computer USB ports, adapters, or the drives themselves.
Depending on the reasons, the problem manifests itself differently in each case. It happens that the computer does not react at all to a flash drive or hard drive. In other situations, the sound of connecting a new device is heard, but the drive icon does not appear in Explorer. And sometimes the computer simply freezes immediately after contact with the USB device.
What to do if your Windows computer does not see a flash drive or external hard drive
First, figure out what exactly the problem is with: the computer, the adapter (if the connection is via a cable) or the drive. Try connecting the USB device through other ports. If this does not help and you are using a cable, try replacing it with a spare one. If unsuccessful, check whether the drive opens on other computers.
If the device works on another PC or you do not have the opportunity to check it
Connect your hard drive or flash drive to your computer and follow these steps in order. If the first does not help, move on to the next and so on.
If the other PC also does not see the drive or all of the above tips did not help
In this case, most likely the problem is in the drive itself.
If you have a flash drive rather than a hard drive, you can use special utilities to fix software errors. Such software can usually be found on the manufacturer's website. For example, the JetFlash Online Recovery program is for Transcend drives. And USB Flash Drive Online Recovery is for ADATA brand flash drives. But keep in mind that during the recovery process, these utilities erase all data from flash drives.
If none of the above helped, then the problem is probably a physical malfunction of the hard drive or flash drive. Then it is better to show the device to a specialist or return it to the store under warranty.
What to do if Mac does not see a flash drive or external hard drive
On Apple computers, the verification procedure is slightly different, but follows approximately the same algorithm. We will assume that you have already tried restarting the computer, disconnecting and connecting the flash drive, and also made sure that the connection is reliable. If this does not help, you need to do the following:
Open the built-in disk tool (Programs → Utilities → Disk Utility) and check if the problematic flash drive is displayed there. If the drive is still visible, try it by clicking the “Erase” button and reconnect it. Keep in mind that all data from the flash drive will be permanently deleted.
Mac diagnostic software provides detailed information about all software and hardware components on your computer, including USB devices. Open the Apple menu, then hold down the Option key, click "System Information" and go to the USB section in the menu that opens.
If the flash drive is there, then the problem lies in the software and you can try to restore the disk by referring to the manufacturer’s recommendations. If there is no information about the flash drive, then the matter is a physical malfunction, and you should contact a store or service center if repairs make sense.
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I’m sure you have documents, photos or videos that should never be deleted. If this happens, they will help. But what to do if the flash drive literally breaks or stops working? Why did this happen? Today I will answer these questions.
First of all, let's define the terms. When they say “flash drive,” they mean a device with a USB connector:
And what is inserted into phones and cameras is called memory cards:
But this is unnecessary complexity and can be misleading. Both types of memory drives can be called flash drives. The cards have exactly the same parts (okay, a little more compact) as USB flash drives. This identical devices. Yes, they look different, the method of exchanging data between the device and the flash drive is different, but otherwise they are similar. The only difference is where they are connected.
And their problems are similar, and the treatment (data recovery) is the same. And it’s not always easy. Remember:
The success of data recovery depends on the severity of the situation, the model of the flash drive and the amount of money in the owner’s pocket.
You need to know that repairing and restoring data are two mutually exclusive situations. When pulling out information, you will have to gut the flash drive so that it will not be possible to put it back together. But you will have the data.
What can break? And if it breaks, will it be possible to restore the files?
1. Memory chips with cells in which data is stored.
Data cannot be written to memory cells forever. Their read-write cycle life is limited to hundreds of thousands of operations. Once the limit is exceeded, the cell will not be able to hold a charge. Files will become unreadable or their contents will be damaged. And if the loss of a couple of bytes in a text document threatens only the absence of a couple of letters, then for photographs, videos and archives any distortion is unacceptable.
The data is stored in such a chip. There may be several of them
To avoid data corruption, memory chips have cells that are not used during normal use. As soon as the memory begins to fail, the controller (more on it later) will prohibit work with the faulty cell and substitute a spare one in its place. Alas, there is not much spare memory; sooner or later the reserve area will be completely used up. Then plan “B” will come into effect: data recording will be prohibited. Reading will not be lost anywhere, so you can safely copy the files to your home computer or other safe place.
But this is ideal. I have only encountered a similar situation on memory cards. USB flash drives usually start to “glitch”: the saved files stop opening because they are damaged. What to do? Alas: no data recovery programs will help here!
So damage to the memory chip can result in permanent loss of data. Fortunately, the read-write resource is quite large (hundreds of thousands of cycles). Even if you completely fill up the flash drive every day and then delete everything, failure will not occur before a year of operation. And MicroSD in phones are more resistant to this, because, as I wrote above, protection is triggered and files can be copied to a safe place.
Much more often problems arise with the controller.
2. Controller(not a controller!) - a chip that takes care of data transfer between memory chips and a computer, phone or other external device.
Most often, problems arise with it. This is a complex component with its own memory and a set of electronic parts, in which anything can break. For example, the contents of the controller’s firmware are often damaged and the flash drive is simply not detected when connected to a computer or becomes visible as a disk with a size of 0 bytes. Many USB flash drives can be repaired at home using flashing programs (the data will be lost!), but this trick will not work with miniature memory cards - they have a monolithic body (to put it simply, everything is inside one chip), which cannot be disassembled.
The controller cannot be repaired, but data can be restored. Contact data recovery companies - they will be able to connect to the memory chip, bypassing the controller, or transfer the memory to exactly the same donor flash drive.
3. Electronic “harness”. These are various electronic components (resistors, diodes, power regulator) scattered across the board.
The parts are “on the front lines”, smoothing out voltage surges due to the unexpected removal of a flash drive from the port and other electronic interference, so very vulnerable. The situation is especially bad with memory cards and monolithic flash drives: due to the dense layout, the working parts are poorly cooled, and the risk of burnout increases. Memory cards, unlike monolithic USB flash drives, are even worse: they are located inside a working device, which also heats up.
Depending on the model of the flash drive, you can either replace the parts with new ones (and the flash drive will last for some time), or connect directly to the memory chip to get the data. Of course, this requires people with the right skills and technology.
Advice: in winter, when fluffy warm clothes become a trend, static electricity kills this very “harness” once or twice. If you are wearing something that causes sparks when you take it off, before working with the computer and/or picking up a flash drive, touch the unpainted part of the heating battery - the accumulated charge will go away and the equipment will be out of danger.
4. Connector and housing.
USB flash drives and memory cards have different connectors, but the problem is common: the contacts are damaged. Oxidation, erasure, simply insufficient pressure - and now the flash drive is no longer detected when connected, and the phone does not see the memory card. The problem can be solved by cleaning the contacts with an eraser or, if it is a full-size USB connector, by slightly squeezing it so that the flash drive sits tightly when connected to the computer.
For large memory cards, the latch may break or the casing may peel off; this can be repaired with ordinary tape (wrap the casing and you’re done). The contacts can also be wiped, but if the housing is cracked, it’s a lost cause. I had no idea how fragile they were until I accidentally knocked the MicroSD off the table and ruined it. Having fallen on its edge, the card simply cracked.
I have also often seen the consequences of finding a flash drive in the back pocket of jeans. The result is always the same:
Sometimes the expression “something bad happened” should be taken literally. Photo from dannydullin.com
Repairing broken connectors is a fairly simple procedure for service center workers. After repair, the flash drive can continue to be used.
About software glitches
In addition to hardware failures, software failures also occur. Files in case software Failures are fairly easy to recover from. Usually free programs are enough. Then format the flash drive and continue using it.
A simple way to determine the type of failure: if the flash drive does not show itself when connected to a PC or phone, the hardware is broken. And if it is recognized, but there is something wrong with the files, the problem is software. Usually the algorithm of actions is as follows:
1. Retrieve information using data recovery programs.
2. Format the flash drive (right-click on the drive in the “This Computer” folder - Format - Start).
The only software problem that cannot be solved by formatting is changing the partition size. Appears after installing a large flash drive in old cameras. The camera, unaware that such capacious flash drives exist, creates a partition that is smaller than necessary. It will help you to work with disk partitions. You can use Windows tools: Control Panel - Computer Management - Disk Management - right-click on the partition on the flash drive - Delete volume, then Create volume, you need to select FAT32 instead of NTFS. This will rebuild the file system from scratch with the correct size.
Hardware failures
So, what to do if the controller burns out or the flash drive breaks in half, and there is important data there? How to restore them?
This is where the difficulties begin. Data mining methods can be divided into three conventional types. It all depends on what is broken and what type of flash drive - regular or monolithic.
1. Transfer memory to a working flash drive.
Specialists install a memory chip from a damaged flash drive onto a donor of exactly the same model.
Ideal option: after repair, the flash drive connected to the computer is recognized as a regular removable disk, documents are easily copied to a safe place. You can’t pull off this trick with memory cards; the components are too tightly packed and cannot be soldered, or the case is completely monolithic. But the following option is suitable.
2. Read memory directly.
To access memory, you can do without a controller. Specialists connect directly to the outputs of the memory chip and read its contents in “raw” form, then use specialized data recovery software to retrieve the files.
But this is not always the case. Sometimes there are several memory chips and/or the controller operates according to its own algorithms, which only the manufacturer knows about.
3. Data recovery from monolithic devices.
It is not possible to quickly connect to the memory of MicroSD cards and some models of SD and USB flash drives; you need to do difficult work at least to access the pins of the memory chip. Retrieving data requires expensive equipment that most laboratories do not have and a lot of time. That's why prices are high. The minimum price for restoring monolithic flash drives, which I found on the Internet, is 12 thousand rubles.
Connecting to a memory chip on a monolithic flash drive. Photo from gillware.com
Working with monolithic flash drives is a complex and painstaking process that does not always end in success.
Why are monolithic flash drives bad? The fact is that instead of the good old board, they use a thin substrate and parts soldered with wires less than a hair thick. All this stuff is covered in varnish. The result is a monolithic structure that cannot be disassembled. Specialists use a microscope to peel off layer by layer, and then, when the tracks become visible, they solder them to the desired contacts. This is a temporary measure; after removing the data, the flash drive goes to waste.
Photo from blog.acelaboratory.com
An important point: when restoring monolithic flash drives, a donor is often needed. To understand which contact is responsible for what, you need to use a logic analyzer and, possibly, an X-ray machine to see how exactly the same intact flash drive works.
Monolithic flash drive under x-ray. Photo from the site habrahabr.ru
Such work requires appropriate payment, so not everyone can afford to pay for data recovery from monolithic flash drives. If I were an employee of a laboratory with a similar service, I would insert an advertisement here, but I do not work in this area, so I will tell the victims one thing: I sincerely sympathize. It’s especially sad when a flash drive from an unnamed Chinese manufacturer breaks. Maybe I don’t know something and the nameless flash drives are as similar to each other as two peas in a pod, but something tells me that this is not so.
When a flash drive from the Chinese brand XEDIAN gave up life as a wife, I began to look at it (the flash drive, not my wife) in the hope that it had service contacts. These contacts simplify access to memory and, accordingly, reduce the cost of the recovery process. There were no contacts, but under the top layer of paint I found the inscription “SanDisk Extreme Plus 32 GB”. It was applied crookedly, which indicates a fake, and there are no memory cards similar in appearance on the SanDisk website. Rhetorical question: how much will it cost to recover data from a flash drive from a Chinese manufacturer that stamps its nameplate on counterfeit memory cards? It’s difficult to find a donor, because different models are hidden under the card with that name, judging by the photos and reviews on Aliexpress. This is a case where a recovery attempt can cost a pretty penny and is unlikely to be successful.
Why do flash drives break?
Have you inserted a flash drive into your computer, it is not detected and cleaning the contacts did not help? This does not mean, that you are unlucky. Any Technology tends to break down when used. Defects, power surges, temperature changes, hands from the wrong place - everything can cause a breakdown. You just have to accept it and move on with your life. Well, or look for service centers with data recovery services.
To avoid sadness, in advance make backups. Many have already forgotten about the existence of DVD, but this is a good way to store archival photographs, videos and other digital data dear to the heart. Or buy an external hard drive.
Phone owners: you can install Yandex.Disk, enable auto-uploading of photos to the cloud and you will never lose memorable entries. Only 10 GB is available for free, but until July 3
Hello friends! in this article you will find out why the computer does not see the flash drive and what to do in such a situation. Today I will tell you how to deal with a common problem when the computer stops seeing the flash drive and does not display the contents.
We will also consider the option when the laptop does not see the flash drive after formatting. Go? I ask everyone in advance to like the article in order to help me develop this blog. Thank you!
The computer does not see the flash drive - what to do?
We have already talked about. But what can you do if the computer does not see the flash drive? We have tried to collect solutions that are really useful and will help resolve this issue for you. If you have any additional questions, be sure to mention them in the comments.
Reasons for flash drive failure
First, let's look at the causes of the described problem, because, as you know, there is no smoke without fire. In our case, there may be many of these reasons, so it is worth paying attention only to the most important ones.
Often, the front panel is turned off on a personal computer, considering it unnecessary. And as a result, we get a number of non-working USB ports.
Not working flash drive. Everything in our world tends to break. For example, flash drives often simply burn out due to improper use or long service life.
This is the 21st century, the century of high technology, and there is simply nowhere without viruses. Transferring infected files from another PC can be fraught with the following things: in the first case, the flash drive itself will not be visible to the computer, and in the second, you will not see the files on the drive. Of course, your machine could also be an infected device, so I advise you to check everything for viruses.
Driver malfunction. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen.
File system conflict. It may be that the drive (flash drive) has a file system installed that is different from the computer, so they may conflict, and the flash drive is not visible on the computer.
Faulty USB port.
The computer does not see the flash drive? Solution!
The reasons why the computer does not see the USB flash drive have become more or less clear, but now let’s figure out how to solve our problem so that the computer finally starts seeing the flash drive.
Let's start with the non-working front panel. In this case, you need to know exactly where the cord is connected to the motherboard, otherwise even bigger problems cannot be avoided.
I would advise you to contact a service center, where competent specialists would quickly and efficiently solve the problem.
Non-working flash drive. A burnt-out flash drive will have to be replaced with a new one.
Malicious programs or utilities. As you may have guessed, the solution to this problem is to scan all disks on your PC with an antivirus program.
Driver malfunction. This problem is not solved as easily as the previous ones, but if you approach its solution headlong, then everything will turn out to be much simpler.
What do we need?
Update the USB port driver through Device Manager. You know how to find the latter from my previous articles.
When you insert a flash drive into one of them, you may notice a slight flicker in one of the list lines. This is what we need to delete by clicking on the appropriate button.
After removing the driver, you will need to install a new one. To do this, insert the flash drive into the same port to which you performed the previous manipulations. That's all, all USB port software is updated.
Point by point, we approached the problem associated with file system conflicts. It can be solved very simply. Format the flash drive, changing the type file system to a similar one installed on your computer. File system name Can find out as follows: My computer - Disk C (right-click on the icon). The properties that appear will show all the necessary information.
The last problem is the easiest to solve. If one of the ports is faulty, then try inserting the flash drive into another; if the others are faulty, there is only one way out - send the PC for repair.
So, I described the solution to our problem for a desktop PC, but users with laptops were unhappy. Don’t worry, because in your situation everything is a little simpler, since there are correspondingly fewer reasons and problems. And they are exactly like this:
- The flash drive is broken
- Malicious code
- Drivers are not working properly
- File system conflict
- Non-working USB port
conclusions
You already know well how to deal with them, so go ahead! That's all I have for today! I hope now you know why the computer does not see the flash drive and what to do about this problem. If you found the article useful, like it. Also, don’t forget to ask your questions and suggestions in the comments. Peace and goodness to everyone!
Almost everyone uses USB flash drives now. This is a simple and reliable way to transfer and store information. But the malfunction of these devices has become a common problem for many users. Below are all possible causes of problems and options for resolving them.
First, simpler and more effective ways to solve the problem will be described, so you should follow the recommendations in order. But do not forget that some problems, such as severe physical damage, cannot be eliminated.
Reasons why the system does not recognize the device
To operate a USB device, it has a built-in special controller. If there is a certain failure, it may become blocked, which will prevent the computer from recognizing the flash drive.
The reason for the failure may be a power surge, sudden removal of the flash drive, incorrect formatting, etc. Violations of this type can still be corrected, but in case of mechanical or thermal damage, it is impossible to restore the operation of the flash drive.
You can understand that the flash drive is not detected by the computer by the following factors:
- The USB device is connected, but the computer says “insert disk”;
- The message “Device connected, not detected” pops up;
- issues a request to format the flash drive;
- a data reading error message appears;
- The indicator on the drive is on, but it is not displayed on the computer, etc.
The cause of the failure may also be:
- non-working computer USB ports;
- outdated drivers;
- viruses on the device;
- settings failures in BIOS;
- different file systems of the USB device and computer;
- assigning the letter of the connected hard drive to the flash drive, etc.
Driver check
First of all, you need to check whether the driver is installed correctly on your computer.
To do this, go to “Disk Management”:
Now try removing and inserting the USB device and see if it appears in this window. If the flash drive is visible and the status is indicated as “Good”, right-click on it and select “Make partition active”.
If there is a problem, the status will show "Not allocated", "Not initialized" or "Unknown", which means that the device is damaged.
The system may assign the wrong letter to the flash drive, which will also prevent it from being recognized. Right-click on the device and select "Change Drive Letter" and assign a different value:
The flash drive driver itself needs to be checked in Device Manager:
- start;
- control Panel;
- device Manager.
If the driver for the flash drive is not installed, yellow question marks will appear next to one or more USB devices.
Computer hardware errors
When the PC does not detect a new flash drive, insert it into different USB ports. If all ports are operating normally except one, the cause of the problem is a problem in that port.
The same problem can arise when connecting a flash drive not directly, but through a USB hub or extension cable. Try connecting the device directly to the USB port. If everything works, then the adapter is the cause.
It happens that many devices are connected to the computer via USB, then the ports may not have enough power to operate the flash drive. Disconnect other devices from the ports one at a time, leaving only the mouse and keyboard. If the USB drive now works, then the problem is due to lack of power.
Photo: USB hub transformer Apacer PH150
In this case, it is better to install a more powerful power supply or USB hub with a separate power source. But if the size of the flash device is very large, older laptop models simply will not handle its power. With this option, it is almost impossible to solve the problem.
Another problem is the heating of the connected USB device. The malfunction may be a short on the device board.
You can check this on another computer - if it continues to heat up, then the USB drive is faulty. And if everything is fine in other places, then the computer port itself may short out.
If the flash drive and USB port are working properly, the indicator on the device will light up. Then the cause of the problem is systemic, not hardware.
Video: Recovering a flash drive that is not recognized by the computer
Virus check
Then why is the flash card seen by the computer, but not read? One reason could be a virus that infects the boot file of the USB drive. Because of this, the device either does not boot at all or is immediately blocked by the antivirus. And if it is displayed, it displays a warning “Access denied” when you try to open it.
First of all, you should destroy the infected boot file “autorun.inf”. To do this, enter the address of the flash drive in Explorer (for example, G:/):
- "Service";
- "Folder properties";
- "View";
- “Hidden files and folders”;
- "Show hidden files and folders."
The download file will now be displayed. It must be removed and data from the entire device scanned with an antivirus.
If the flash drive does not open through Explorer, use the command line:
Setting up USB in BIOS
The flash drive may not be recognized due to USB ports being disabled in the BIOS. This happens very rarely, but it's best to check your settings just in case. Please note that no device will be recognized in a disabled USB port, so if others work fine, then skip this step.
To enter the BIOS, restart the computer and press the Del or F2 button while turning it on. Different PCs may have different keys, so look at what is written on the screen (approximately “Press F2 to enter Setup”). If a blue table with settings opens, then everything is correct - you have entered the BIOS.
Now you should find the menu item in which the inclusion of USB is regulated. Its name may vary, but most often it is the Advanced (Peripherals, Integrated Peripherals) tab:
In it, look for the item USB Configuration/Controller, etc. There are a lot of BIOS menu options, so it’s quite difficult to specify the exact item. But the word USB must be present. Now make sure that USB support is “Enabled”, if not, then switch them:
Some BIOS versions not only regulate how the controller turns on, but also indicate its operating mode - V1.1 or V1.1+V2.0 (there is already 3.0). Choose the option that supports all directions (V1.1+V2.0). Save the settings and exit the BIOS (most often the F10 key).
USB drive is not detected by the system due to errors
After formatting, which may not have been entirely successful, the operating system may not see the flash drive due to errors. This can be checked in the “Disk Management” item, the entrance to which was described above. If the flash drive says “Good”, but it is still not visible in Explorer, the cause may be a formatting error.
This can be eliminated by new formatting. Right-click on the device and select “Format”. The flash drive should now display and work without errors.
Different file systems of flash cards and computers
To restore the operation of a usb flash that is not detected on the PC, you need to change the file system, which may cause a conflict on the computer. The file system of the latter is most often NTFS, while the flash device is FAT32. In the Disk Management window, you can see the file system types of different PC media.
Correct formatting solves the problem. For this:
In the window that opens, check the compliance of the specified capacity and the parameters of the flash drive. Specify the file system NTFS and check the box next to “Fast (cleaning table of contents)”. Now click “Start”:
Confirm your actions:
After the process is completed, the system will notify you:
Photo: formatting completion message
Required OS updates for operation
When Windows XP is installed, the flash drive may not be recognized due to outdated updates required for its operation. However, some flash drives can work in PC USB ports, while others cannot.
The main updates required for normal operation of USB devices:
- KB925196 – incorrect recognition;
- KB817900 – port operation stops after the device is removed and reloaded;
- KB968132 – errors when connecting several flash drives;
- KB88740 – Rundll32.exe error;
- KB895962 – stops the USB device after turning off the printer;
- KB871233 – the flash card does not work after the PC wakes from sleep or hibernation;
- KB314634 – support only older USB devices;
- KB312370 (2007) – USB 2.0 support.
Recovery methods
When no problems are found with the system, you can use special recovery programs:
- ChipGenius – determines the manufacturer and other information about the device;
- AlcorMP – reflashes usb flash controllers from most manufacturers;
- JetFlash Recovery Tool – flashes flash drives from Transcend.
If your computer says "Insert disk" when booting, the problem may be outdated drivers that should be removed.
For this:
- When the computer is turned off, disconnect all USB devices (except the mouse and keyboard);
- turn on the PC;
- download the DriveCleanup program;
- Depending on the OS version, copy the 32-bit or 64-bit “drivecleunup.exe” to the C:\Windows\System32 folder;
- go to the command line and write “drivecleunup.exe”;
- drivers will begin to be uninstalled:
After this, restart your computer. Insert the flash drive and the system will find new drivers for it.
A flash drive may not be detected for many reasons, the main of which are a malfunction of the device or USB port, as well as system errors, most of which can be eliminated by correct formatting and installing drivers. Some programs can also help restore USB flash, so you should follow the instructions in order.