Good day!
If your flash drive begins to constantly fail: it cannot be formatted, when connected to a computer it often freezes, when copying files to it errors occur, but it has not been subjected to mechanical stress - there is a CHANCE for restoring its functionality!
It would be nice if, when connecting a flash drive, it was at least somehow detected, for example: a connection sound is made, the flash drive is displayed in "my computer", the LED on it blinks, etc. If the computer does not see the flash drive at all, then first I recommend reading this article:
In general, it is impossible to give universal instructions on how and with what program to do what to restore a flash drive! But in this short article I will try to give an algorithm that will help even novice users to understand the problem and solve it.
Restoring a flash drive // step by step
Controller Model Definition
By the will of fate, it turned out that I had one flash drive, which Windows refused to format - an error occurred "Windows can't complete formatting". The flash drive, according to the owner, did not fall, no water got on it, and in general, it was handled quite carefully...
All that was clear after examining it was that it was 16 GB, and its brand was SmartBuy. When connected to a PC, the LED lit up, the flash drive was detected and visible in the explorer, but it did not work properly.
SmartBuy 16 GB - "experimental" non-working flash drive
To restore normal operation of the flash drive, you need to reflash the controller chip. This is done with special utilities, and for each type of controller there is its own utility! If the utility is chosen incorrectly, then with a high degree of probability you will ruin the flash drive completely... I will say even more, the same model range of flash drives may have different controllers!
Each device have their own unique identification numbers - VID and PID , and the flash drive is no exception. To select the correct flashing utility, you need to determine these identification numbers (and the controller model based on them).
One of the easiest ways to find out the VID, PID, and model of a flash drive controller is to use special utilities. One of the best of its kind is .
Flash Drive Information Extractor
A small free utility for getting maximum information about a flash drive. No need to install it!
The program will determine the model of the USB flash drive, model and type of memory (all modern flash drives are supported, at least from normal manufacturers)...
The program will work even in cases where the file system of the flash drive is not detected, or when the computer freezes when connecting the media.
Information received:
- controller model;
- possible options for memory chips installed in the flash drive;
- type of installed memory;
- maximum current consumption declared by the manufacturer;
- USB version;
- the full physical volume of the disk;
- disk space reported by the operating system;
- VID and PID;
- Query Vendor ID;
- Query Product ID;
- Query Product Revision;
- Controller Revision;
- Flash ID (not for all configurations);
- Chip F/W (for some controllers), etc.
Important! The program only works with USB flash drives. MP3 players, phones and other devices - it does not recognize. It is advisable, before starting the program, to leave only one flash drive connected to the USB ports, from which you want to get maximum information.
Working with Flash Drive Information Extractor
- We disconnect everything that is connected from the USB ports (at least all drives: players, external hard drives, etc.).
- Insert the flash drive to be repaired into the USB port;
- We launch the program;
- Press the button "Get information about the flash drive" ;
- After some time, we get maximum information about the drive (see screenshot below).
- If the program freezes- don’t do anything and don’t close it. After a couple of minutes, remove the flash drive from the USB port, the program should “hang” and you will see all the information that it managed to pull out from the flash drive...
Now we know the information about the flash drive and we can start searching for the utility.
Information about the flash drive:
- VID: 13FE; PID: 4200;
- Controller model: Phison 2251-68 (second line in the screenshot above);
- SmartBuy 16 GB.
Addition
You can reliably determine the controller model if you disassemble the flash drive. True, not every flash drive case is collapsible, and not every one can be put back together later.
Usually, to open the casing of a flash drive, you need a knife and a screwdriver. When opening the case, be careful not to damage the inside of the flash drive. An example of a controller is shown in the screenshot below.
Disassembled flash drive. Controller model: VLI VL751-Q8
Addendum 2
You can find out the VID and PID of a flash drive using the device manager (in this case, you don’t need to install anything). True, in this case we will not recognize the controller model, and there is some risk that VID and PID it will not be possible to accurately identify the controller. And yet, suddenly the above utility freezes and does not provide any information at all...
How to find a utility for flashing a flash drive
Important! After flashing the flash drive, all information on it will be deleted!
1) Knowing the controller model, you can simply use search engines (Google, Yandex for example) and find what you need.
The operating algorithm is as follows:
- We go to the site:
- Enter yours VID and PID into the search bar and look for it;
- You'll likely find dozens of lines in the results list. Among them you need to find a line that matches: controller model, your manufacturer, VID and PID, flash drive size .
- Further in the last column you will see the recommended utility. By the way, please note that the version of the utility also matters! All that remains is to download the necessary utility and apply it.
After you find and download the required utility, run it and format the media - in my case, you only had to press one button - Restore .
Formatter SiliconPower v3.13.0.0 // Format and Restore. An end-user utility designed for both low-level and high-level (FAT32) formatting of flash drives on Phison controllers of the PS2251-XX line.
After a couple of minutes of blinking the LED on the flash drive, it began to work normally, messages from Windows about the impossibility of formatting no longer appeared. Result: the flash drive was restored (became 100% working) and given to the owner.
That's all, actually. I would be grateful for any additions on the topic. Good Luck!
In the modern world, people are accustomed to using flash drives to transfer information. A few years ago there were disks, and before that there were floppy disks. Compared to these already outdated devices, a flash drive is much more productive and smaller in volume. Of course, with such popularity, they began to develop quickly, and now you can already find external drives from 1 GB to 516 GB.
Unfortunately, like any other equipment, they can break. This happens for various reasons: they took out the flash drive while recording, or it broke due to heavy loads, etc. Users began to look for options on how to repair the flash drive. If the problem is related to the hardware, then you can simply throw it away. Another case is software glitches. In this case, you can try restoring the external drive. You should not immediately take your USB drive to a service center, since it is not difficult to bring a flash drive back to life, the main thing is to follow the rules. Let's look at how to repair a flash drive yourself.
Flash drive won't open
You may have connected a flash drive, the computer sees it, but errors occur when you try to open the contents. If your computer says “No access,” then most likely you need to clean your external drive of viruses.
What is the problem? Once the malicious files entered the flash drive, they created an autorun.inf file. This is the reason why the external drive does not start.
How to repair a flash drive? In this case, you need to check the external drive with an antivirus. Once you remove the malicious files, we need to manually remove the autorun.inf file. Go to “My Computer” and right-click on the flash drive. Then select “Open”. The flash drive will open in a new window, all we have to do is delete the malicious file.
USB drive is not formatted
The reason why the flash drive does not open may be a memory failure. How to repair a flash drive? In this case, it is enough to format the external drive. Unfortunately, all content will be erased.
Go to “My Computer” and right-click on the external drive. Next you need to select “Format”. Unfortunately, this method does not always help. If you were unable to restore your external drive, then you need to try the second method.
So, we need to go to the Disk Manager directory. To do this, press the key combination Win + R. In the new window you need to enter the command diskmgmt.msc and click “Ok”. The “Disk Manager” will open, where we need to select the flash drive and click “Format”.
on the computer
To make sure that the problem is with the external drive, you need to take it out and try to insert it into other USB connectors that are located on the motherboard. If the problem persists, then you need to check the USB drive on another computer.
How to repair a micro-SD flash drive? First you need to check it in other USB connectors. If the problem persists, then the problem may lie in the card reader. Try changing it.
If the external drive is detected on another computer, then you need to try removing the drivers. How to do it? Go to the “Control Panel”, where we select the “Device Manager” directory. In a new window, look for the line “USB storage device” and remove the drivers.
After these steps, disconnect the flash drive and restart the computer. After this, connect the USB drive and install new drivers.
If the reinstallation does not bring results, then you need to clear the registry branches. They contain all the information about your device. First we need to collect this information, or rather, find out several parameters (PID and VID). To find out this data, you need to return to the “Device Manager” directory and right-click on the flash drive. Go to the “Information” item, where the device code will be displayed.
After that, press the Win + R key combination and enter the regedit command in a new window. So we will open the registry editor, where we need to find two parameters, the first ends with the word USB, and the second USBSTOR. We open these directories and look for identifiers, after which we delete them. Reboot the computer and check the functionality of the external drive.
External drive is detected, but dimensions are not displayed
If you find yourself with such a problem, then there are memory failures. How to repair a flash drive? In this case, you need to download the ChipGenius program. This way we can find out the VID and PID of your external drive. After you have found the model of the flash drive chip, you need to go to the website flashboot.ru, where you need to enter the received data. Let's start the search. So what did we find? These are the appropriate drivers and utilities for your removable drive. After installation, your flash drive should work.
How to repair a USB flash drive if all else fails
Of course, there may be various problems with an external drive that do not allow you to restore a flash drive due to the problems already described. There is another way to bring a removable disk back to life. However, this method is suitable specifically for a flash drive; memory cards cannot be restored this way. If you are wondering how to repair a Transcend flash drive, then try this method.
Where should I start? Take your USB drive and remove the plastic cover. We need to put our device into test mode. Turn the flash drive over as shown in the picture. There is a small button in the corner that will need to be closed. As a rule, you need to close contacts 29 and 30. How to do this? Take a needle and press in the right place.
We insert the removable disk so that the computer detects the flash drive and it becomes accessible. Only after this do we open the contacts. However, you should not disconnect it from your computer, as it will not work yet. Next, you need to install drivers and utilities; we have already covered how to do this.
Conclusion
After these steps, your USB device should work. If this does not happen, then there may be problems with the hardware. In this case, it is easier to throw it away than to restore it. As you have already noticed, it is not difficult to repair a flash drive if the problem lies in the software part. However, in order to quickly and efficiently restore your device, you need to immediately identify the problem.
Read, what to do if Windows does not display the connected device. How to restore functionality to such a device if this is the reason. A flash drive or any other USB drive should be automatically detected by the computer and displayed in Explorer and the “This PC” folder after connecting to the USB port.
Content:
Diagnosis of the problem
The first thing you need to do if the connected USB drive is not displayed in the Windows file manager, you need to check the tool Disk management.
To open Disk management in Windows 8/10, right-click on the menu Start and select "Disk Management". In Windows 7, press the Windows key + R key combination to open the dialog box "Run" and enter the command in it diskmgmt.msc.
Check the list of drives in the window Disk management and find the USB drive that is not detected. It should appear here even if it is not in the folder "This computer", and match in size. Sometimes it is defined as "Removable device", but not always.
If you do not see your disk or flash drive even in Disk Management, then try the following:
- Turn on the disk, if there is such a function. Some external hard drives have a separate power cable or are turned on using a separate key dedicated to this.
- Connect the device to another USB port. Disconnect the flash drive from this USB port and connect it to another. Perhaps one of the USB ports on your computer has failed.
- Connect the device to your computer without a USB hub. If the flash drive is connected to the computer via an extension cord or USB hub, try disconnecting it from it and connecting it directly to the computer. Perhaps the reason is in the hub.
- Try another computer. Connect the flash drive to the USB port of another computer and see if it is recognized by it. If the device is also not detected by another computer, then most likely the problem lies with it.
Solution
If the problem options described above do not apply to your case, then your problem can most likely be solved using one of the methods described below. Depending on what you find in Disk Management, there are options for solutions to the problem that has arisen with identifying an external storage medium.
If Windows sees the disk, but cannot read it, then this means that it has a file system that it does not support. In this case, the operating system will prompt you to format the disk before using it. But don't rush to do it! This will destroy all your data.
If other computers see the flash drive, but yours doesn’t
If other computers detect your USB drive, but yours does not, then most likely there is a problem with the device drivers.
To check this, open Device Manager and look for Disk devices And USB controllers. Look to see if these sections contain devices marked with a yellow exclamation mark. If there is such a device, right-click on it and select Properties. The properties will contain information about the error and driver status.
To fix the driver problem, right-click on the device, select Properties / Driver / Update.
If the disk is visible in Disk Management
If the disc is visible in Disk Management, but it does not have a letter, then it is for this reason that it may not be displayed in Windows Explorer. In order for the system to start displaying it in Explorer, such a drive must be assigned a letter.
To do this, right-click on it and select "Change drive letter or drive path". If there is no such item in the pop-up menu, this may be due to the absence or unsupported file system type of the storage medium.
In the menu that opens, you will see that the drive does not have a letter assigned - assign it. To do this, select Add / / Ok.
If the disk is visible in Disk Management, but it is not allocated
If the disc is visible in Disk Management, but it is not distributed, which means that it is not formatted. In order for such a disk to become operational, right-click on it and select "Create Simple Volume".
Select the maximum suggested partition size and assign a drive letter suggested by the system. After this, the disk will be normally detected by the system and ready for use.
If the disk is visible in Disk Management but cannot be formatted
If for some reason the disk cannot be formatted, then to restore its functionality, you can completely erase it and then re-create the partition.
Note. As a result of such manipulation, all data from the disk (as well as flash drives or memory cards) will be permanently deleted. Therefore, worry about their safety in advance - scan the disk or flash drive using Hetman Partition Recovery, and save your data in a convenient place.
To clean the disk, open Command line as administrator and clean it up using the command diskpart – "clean".
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.