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Thread ID: 126149 2012-08-10 17:55:00 Can't Read A USB Stick SurferJoe46 (51) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1293892 2012-08-10 17:55:00 Got a 4G - HP stick that won't show in Manager nor can I see it in My Computer .

It makes the DT see it as a potential HD and installs the driver and says it's ready to use - but No-o-o-o-o, it ain't there .

Youse guyses gotz any idears? :dogeye:
SurferJoe46 (51)
1293893 2012-08-10 22:18:00 Has it been formatted? Zippity (58)
1293894 2012-08-11 00:59:00 It has two years worth of files on it that aren't backed-up anywhere. Thankfully, it's not mine.

So -- yeah, I guess it has been formatted at first.

But to see it to try to format it now isn't a happening thing. Thanks for the response.
SurferJoe46 (51)
1293895 2012-08-11 01:07:00 Probably the filesystem has been corrupted significantly or the device has failed.

Last time I had to deal with a USB flash drive like that I used Linux and gnu ddrescue to make an image of it which I then scanned in Windows with a recovery program.
Agent_24 (57)
1293896 2012-08-11 05:10:00 Oh NO!!! Mr. Bill! Linux!


I'll pass that on to the party that has the drive. Thanks - but if I use anything that says Linux on it - I destroy things.

I do.



Really I do.
SurferJoe46 (51)
1293897 2012-08-11 10:56:00 You can try a recovery program on the drive directly in Windows but I find it's safer if you make an image first and try to do recovery from that, especially if the device may be faulty.

If a drive is faulty, you may only get one chance to read the whole drive (or some of the drive) before it fails completely, and it's best to use that chance to make an image you can scan afterwards many times, than try to scan a faulty drive many times and maybe kill it off before even recovering anything.
Agent_24 (57)
1293898 2012-08-11 13:53:00 Won't it be necessary to 'see the drive first to image it? Windows doesn't do anything but initially sense it's in the slot and repeatedly installs a driver and says it's ready to use.

But then it's not showing up in My Computer, Add New Hardware or Disc Management.
SurferJoe46 (51)
1293899 2012-08-11 14:05:00 Won't it be necessary to 'see the drive first to image it? Windows doesn't do anything but initially sense it's in the slot and repeatedly installs a driver and says it's ready to use.

But then it's not showing up in My Computer, Add New Hardware or Disc Management.

Another reason why Linux might be the better choice in this scenario.
Agent_24 (57)
1293900 2012-08-11 14:07:00 I know a guy in SoCal who actually runs a Linus system - imagine that! - and I'll send it to him. I'm staying far away from L-based systems. SurferJoe46 (51)
1293901 2012-08-11 22:41:00 If only more people would recognise there area of in-expertise and pass things over there would be less problems gary67 (56)
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