The flash drive has become a necessary attribute in the lives of most people. A universal storage device is useful both in everyday life and in work. However, no one is immune from situations when a flash drive cannot be opened on a computer. Errors in the operation of the system are not rare, so you should not worry much if such a situation has occurred. It is enough to know the order of actions that will help fix the problem. Read what to do if a USB flash drive does not open on a computer or laptop.
Often the normal operation of a flash drive is disrupted by malware or viruses. Infection occurs almost imperceptibly. Flash drives are especially vulnerable to this. When one drive is used on multiple computers, the likelihood of infection will be high.
When connecting a device, the first thing to do if the flash drive does not open is to check the drive for threats.
The probability of detecting viruses depends on how updated the anti-virus databases of the installed application are. An outdated antivirus, however good it is, cannot detect most modern malware. In the program itself, you should mark the infected flash drive and put a full scan.
Anti-virus programs can not always access the USB flash drive. Many malicious applications can change the boot path of the drive, thereby blocking access from system requests. In this case, you will need to manually delete the file created by the virus.
If the type of objects is not configured in the system, then some of the information may be hidden. You can open it in the system menu. Through "Start" go to the "Control Panel". Select the icon with the name "Folder Options". Click on the "View" tab and scroll the slider to the very bottom. In the last line, put a dot in front of the inscription "Show hidden files", and click on "Apply".
After that, all hidden data will be displayed in the system. Next, through the file manager, open the USB flash drive and delete the file called "autorun". It is in it that the boot parameters of the device are contained that interfere with normal functioning. After that, we restart the anti-virus and check for infected objects.
After checking and removing the USB stick must be removed and reinserted into the USB port. The system will emit a characteristic device activation sound and will automatically open an overview of the files stored on the device.
The flash drive stopped working after updating or reinstalling the system
Sometimes the question arises why the USB flash drive does not open on the laptop after updating or reinstalling the system. When a USB flash drive does not open on a computer, what if the system is just installed? Operating systems are not immune to errors. This can be influenced by many different internal and external factors. System installations with an error are not uncommon.
With such failures, when reinstalling or updating the system, failures in the system devices occur. System drivers for storage and recording devices are often damaged. Flash drives also fall into this category.
When connected, the computer simply does not respond to the device in any way and does not display it. How to fix a USB flash drive in this case? No additional utilities are required for the repair. Owners of Windows versions 7, 8, 10 need to go to the control panel and find a USB troubleshooting program.
It is also worth noting that the system software is not always fully present. In this case, the utility should be downloaded from the official Microsoft website.
The program is quite easy to use and after launching all that is required is to click "Next". The application will independently conduct a full scan of both the system and the registry with associated keys that refer to the USB flash drive.
The troubleshooter after the identified malfunctions will correct all the information in the keys and system drivers automatically and ask you to restart Windows. After rebooting, the problem will be resolved.
File system corruption on a flash card
If after connecting the USB flash drive slowly blinks and does not open, there is a possibility that there are errors in the file system that prevent the device from booting and displaying normally.
The problem may arise if there is a power outage while working with the drive, if it is removed incorrectly, when trying to reflash a flash drive or format it in some of the non-standard file systems, for example, RAW.
Without special knowledge and skills in working with the means of accumulating information, it is better not to apply the above methods. This threatens not only with the loss of information, but also with the complete failure of the device.
First try to open the media on other computers to rule out an error in the operating system itself. If the device behaves the same, then you will have to resort to the help of third-party utilities to fix the error.
IMPORTANT. If the file system is damaged, one of the distinctive symptoms of this will be errors when writing files to a USB flash drive.
To confirm that the error lies in the root of the flash drive system, use the "VID & PID" utility or "Flash Drive Information Extractor", the programs have an intuitive interface. After starting the check, the utilities will give out complete information on the device and the presence of errors in it.
Flash Drive Information Extractor utility is a free program for obtaining information about flash drives, which has the ability to determine the USB controller model, model and type of memory
To restore the flash drive, use the programs "ChipEasy" or "CheckUDisk". Both applications have Russian versions and only a few menu items. They automatically search for bad sectors and fix them. When finished, safely remove the device and reinstall it. To make sure that there will be no more interruptions in the detection of the device, scan the USB flash drive through the programs again.
Physical device malfunctions
Another mistake, due to which the computer does not open the USB flash drive, can be physical damage to the media. Careless storage or use of the memory card may cause interruptions over time.
Such interruptions, first of all, can be caused by the loss of information from the carrier. In more advanced cases, the device itself starts to work slower or, in general, stops opening.
A flash drive, with its external simplicity, is a complex electronic device inside. It contains a set of microcircuits and chips held together by special contacts. They can be damaged due to negative physical impact, such as:
- a fall;
- moisture;
- dust;
- power surges.
In many cases, after such influences, the flash card becomes faulty. The only thing that can help in this case is contacting specialized repair shops. Of course, the likelihood of the media being repaired is extremely small, but if it contains important information, specialists can extract it using professional devices for this.
Flash drive name error
The reason why the USB flash drive does not open on the computer may lie in its name. Because of this, the computer system cannot correctly identify the device and an error occurs that interferes with normal operation.
If the assigned USB drive letter coincides with the existing drive letter on the hard drive partitions, the system will give priority to the hard drive, and the inserted USB drive will be ignored.
To fix this error, the first thing to do is go to the command line. Enter the command "diskmgmt.msc" into it. The program for working with drives will open. In the program, select the USB flash drive, right-click and select the item responsible for changing the letter. In it, specify another Latin letter and click "OK". Then remove the device and reconnect it to the computer.
Output
The methods listed above tell you how to fix a USB flash drive if it stopped opening, but there are a lot of cases. There are situations when a flash drive can simply fail due to factory defects. In this case, it is no longer possible to try to fix it or restore data on it. Physical damage, due to which drives fail, is also far from uncommon. Therefore, be careful when choosing a flash drive and caring for it. Such actions will help increase its service life during operation.
Over the past few years, flash storage media have become very popular and are used by us, literally, every day, due to their advantages over disk media. It is hardly possible to overestimate its usefulness of a flash drive, because you can quickly write information or count on it, it does not take up much space in a portfolio or bag, and the price segment is pleasantly pleasing.
Despite all the positive points, sometimes there are situations when the data cannot be read due to the flash drive itself or the computer. Indeed, at the most important moment, you can lose access to the stored files, and in order to quickly return everything to normal, you need to have certain knowledge. In this article, we will analyze all possible problem situations and find ways to solve why the computer does not see the USB flash drive.
The most common problems why the computer does not see the USB flash drive:
The flash drive itself does not work
This is the worst scenario for a person whose documents are stored on a USB flash drive, because it is practically impossible to bring it back to life. It is possible to disable a USB flash drive by mechanical impact on the device chip or its controller, by closing the electrical circuit, or by damaging the contacts on the USB board. This is what a USB flash drive looks like after the electrical circuit is closed or moisture gets inside the drive.
Determining if this happened to your drive is easy enough. The very first thing you need to do is check the USB flash drive for mechanical damage, chips, cracks, etc. If it is completely broken, you can look for a replacement at a computer peripheral store. If you doubt its inoperability, you can check it with a practical method.
Connect the USB flash drive to the USB connector of the computer, if the LED on it lights up and on the computer you hear a sound that is typical for connecting a new device, then everything is in order, it makes sense to look for the problem further. If this does not happen, most likely the flash drive is no longer usable.
You can try to take the flash drive to the service center, where the wizard will try to rewire the contacts or replace the controller, but it will be very expensive, and this action will be justified only if you have important documents on it. If no fatal malfunction was found and the flash drive shows signs of life, try the methods to restore its performance, which will be described below.
The USB port on the front of the computer is de-energized
This problem is very common among desktop users. Most computer owners are accustomed to plugging a USB stick into the front USB ports because it's quick and easy.
But there is a situation when, for some reason, during the assembly of the PC, the front panel is not connected to the power system, usually this happens due to the forgetfulness of the computer master. Accordingly, your flash drive will not be displayed, despite its complete serviceability.
This problem can be solved in two ways. If you urgently need to use the information on removable media, you can connect it to the back of your computer. The front connectors will still remain inoperative, but you will get access to the documents. It is impossible to call such manipulations a full-fledged solution, so we will consider the second option.
Method # 2 involves connecting the power cable on the motherboard to the front of the computer. The connection connectors may differ depending on the model of your computer case. But do not be afraid, they all have markings and you will not be able to connect the wrong connector due to design features. The most common wires are VCC, D-, D + and GND. Moreover, the color coding of the cable and the connector on the motherboard is the same, but it is better to keep the reference by the inscriptions.
The first step is to gain access to the motherboard, to do this, unscrew the mounting bolts on the case and remove the cover. Find the cable that leads to the bezel and locate the same connector on the motherboard. In the image below you can see what the connector should look like.
It is not recommended to connect by yourself, it is better to call the wizard. If you connect the cable and connector incorrectly, you can burn these contacts and even devices. If you decide to connect the front USB connectors, then it is better to tell us the model of your case and motherboard, and we will show you how to do it correctly and explain what the connector and cable look like.
Faulty or disconnected USB port on the computer
Sometimes the problem of unreadable information on removable media is associated not with the problem of the flash drive itself, but with the connector into which it is connected. A certain USB port may be inoperative, and this condition can be caused by trivial damage to the connector pins. Then, not only the flash drive, but also other USB devices will not work in this port.
This problem can be solved by armed with a conventional soldering iron and minimal knowledge of circuitry. If there is no such knowledge, skill and equipment, then this can be fixed at the nearest service center for a low fee.
However, if no reaction to the connection of a USB device is observed on all connectors, then the problem may lie deeper. Ports can be disabled in BIOS settings.
In order to connect ports in the BIOS menu, you need to get there initially. To enter the BIOS in the first seconds of booting the computer, you need to press the corresponding key on the keyboard, which is responsible for calling the menu. Most often, the F2 or Del key is set by default, but depending on the motherboard company and the BIOS version, it may be different. It is indicated in the first image that pops up when loading.
After you have entered the BIOS itself, we need to go along the following route: “”.
Find the line “USB Controller” so that you are allowed to use the ports, opposite should be the value “Enabled”.
After you have enabled the USB ports on your computer, press the F10 key. This will save the settings you made and exit the BIOS.
The USB connector of the flash drive is dirty
A flash drive is a mobile storage device and therefore is often carried in pockets, briefcases or as a key ring. Due to such operating conditions, dust and small debris can accumulate in the connector. This does not happen often, but it can cause the flash drive to malfunction. Dust and debris build up on the contact and prevent connections from the contacts in the port on the computer. Such a flash drive may not only not be displayed at all, but also freeze, slowly transmit or read information and not be detected the first time.
To clean the USB connector of a flash drive, arm yourself with a match and a cotton swab. Using a match, remove all debris from the connector, and then moisten a cotton swab with alcohol and wipe the contacts of the flash drive. This will help remove debris and oxidation.
Infection with viruses
In our time, the issue of the security of the storage device is becoming more and more urgent, because viruses are in full swing. You can visit your familiar social networking site on the Internet and get infected, not to mention downloading files from unverified sources.
Modern computer viruses can also multiply, no matter how strange it sounds. They infect files on your USB flash drive or computer hard drive, and their number grows exponentially.
Very often, the problem of the inoperability of a flash drive is a virus infection. The drive is detected by the system, you can hear the characteristic sound of connecting the device to the system, but when you try to read the information, you will see the message "" or " Application not found».
Before solving this problem, it is worth installing antivirus software on your computer and conducting a complete diagnosis of the files. To access the data on the drive, we need to delete the file with the virus and scan it. To do this, go to the "Start" menu and enter the following phrase "" in the search line.
Click on the found element with the left mouse button. You will see a window with the name "Folder Options" open, here you need to do the following:
- Uncheck the " Hide protected system files»
- Check the box ""
After that, be sure to press the "Apply" button and only after that "OK", otherwise the changes will not take effect. It should look like this.
After that, go to "My Computer" and go to the folder of the drive itself. There you will see the "Autorun" file, you need to delete it, and check the USB flash drive for viruses with one of the free antiviruses, the Dr.WEB Cure It utility can handle this perfectly.
Now you can fully use the USB flash drive and no problems should arise. If nothing has changed, then the problem lies in the absence of drivers, we will analyze it below.
Driver failure or outdated drivers
A very common problem is when the computer does not want to display a USB flash drive due to outdated drivers or their system failure. Failure can occur due to a power surge or an unexpected shutdown of the operating system. Or, older computer models may not work with drives of 32 GB or more. One thing can be said, the problem is solved only by updating the drivers.
The first step is to go to "". This can be done in several ways, for example, through "My Computer" or find this section in the system search, as we will do.
We go into this menu, after which we connect the flash drive to the computer, after which we open the "USB Controllers" sub-tab. Select the line “ Memory device", By clicking the right mouse button opens the system menu and press" Delete ".
Such manipulations allow you to remove the driver installed on the system for your storage device. As soon as you remove it, feel free to remove the USB flash drive from the computer and reconnect it. Then the driver on the flash drive will be reinstalled and the problem will be solved.
If the problem persists, it may be necessary to update the driver of all USB chipsets, this is quite easy to do. You can use a special disk that came with the motherboard, it contains all the necessary drivers. If you do not have it, download the DriverPack program, it will automatically select all drivers for which there is an update and will carry out this procedure after your agreement.
Moreover, most users have doubts about the correctness of their actions when they learn about different USB formats. Don't be scared!
Drivers for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are installed according to the same principle. And the only difference between the ports is the maximum read and write speed.
Filesystem errors
The computer may also not detect your flash device due to file system errors. Let's check if this is so, go to "", as described above. Now you need to open the sub-tab “ Disk devices", If you see your USB flash drive there, it means that it is working properly, and the file system does not perceive it as it should, and, accordingly, does not display it in the explorer. In my case, the flash drive was displayed, which means it is working.
To fix this problem, you must format your USB flash drive, but this action has several nuances, so we will consider this process in the next paragraph of the article.
If you do not see your drive there, then the problem lies in the malfunction of the flash drive itself, which means that either the controller has burned out, or the contact is unsoldered. Experts in service centers can try to bring it back to life. However, this is an expensive task, it is easier to buy a new one, of course, if important information was not recorded on the faulty one and you need to restore the data on the USB flash drive.
File system conflict
Quite often, the contents of a flash drive are not displayed due to a conflict between file systems on the computer and the removable media itself. For example, if the computer operates on the NTFS file system and FAT32 is used on the flash drive, a conflict situation is possible. Moreover, this problem is common not only in Windows, but also in Mac OS. For example, if you format a USB flash drive on your Mac device to ExFAT or the standard MacBook file system, then the flash drive is unlikely to be read on Windows devices.
The very first thing to do is to find a computer that uses a different file system, open the USB flash drive and save the information that is important to you, because after formatting it will be lost.
To solve this problem, we need to carry out the process of formatting the flash drive. First you need to find out what file system is used on your computer. Go to "My Computer", right-click on the hard drive, open the submenu and select "Properties" in it.
In the window that opens, you will see information about the free and used amount of disk space, as well as find out which file system is used. In my case, the NTFS system is used.
After you know the file system of the computer, we need to format the flash drive to the same system. To do this, right-click on the flash drive and open the "Format" tab.
In the tab that opens, select the file system into which we will format, put a tick in front of the "Fast" attribute and click "Start".
A few words about why we are using the Fast attribute. First, the formatting of the flash drive will be much faster. But there is also another side of the coin. If there were any documents on the flash drive, then only with a quick format can you recover this data using special utilities. If you have not checked the box, then the information that was on the flash drive will be lost for you forever.
The flash drive is not formatted
A fairly common problem is when you insert a USB flash drive into your computer (basically, this is a new USB flash drive and its first use), and the operating system gives you a warning, which says that the removable disk needs to be formatted before use. And if the flash drive was used earlier and data is recorded on it, then you will not be able to access them. Moreover, the volume of the flash drive becomes 0, i.e. as if there is nothing at all, not even a drive.
If you have already used a USB flash drive and this is not its first connection, then try connecting it to another computer, perhaps the problem will go away and you can save the data. But in any case, the flash drive must be formatted. How to do this was discussed in detail in the section "Conflict of file systems".
But I want to draw your attention to two points. So that after formatting there are no problems with the file system (FS), find out which FS is used on the computer and install the same for the drive. And second, if the flash drive had the information you need, then be sure to use the "Fast" attribute, since the formatting of the flash drive will only go through the table of contents, and the lost information can be returned using special utilities.
A problem with a partition or a USB flash drive is automatically assigned a busy letter
There are situations when the operating system incorrectly detects your removable media. It seems that everything is fine, the device connection is highlighted and the flash drive icon appears in the tray, but you cannot use it for its intended purpose.
The problem may be that the system has not assigned the partition a letter under which the removable drive will appear, or it has assigned it, but this letter is already taken, and this results in an address conflict.
The solution to this problem will be the forced assignment of the partition letter that we choose, everything happens in manual mode. So let's get started.
First of all, you need to hold down the "Win + R" key combination, a window with the name "Run" will open in front of you.
In the line we need to enter a simple command diskmgmt.msc , which will transfer us to the section for managing disks and drives.
In the opened storage media manager, we need to define our USB device. This can be done simply, disconnect the USB flash drive and reconnect it, the partition that first disappears and then appears is what we need.
In my case, the flash drive is a drive named "20151114_17", you can also identify it by a special icon. Now you need to click on it with the right mouse button, and in the menu that opens, select the "Change letter" item.
Now another additional window, smaller, will open in front of us. In it you need to click on the "Change" and "OK" button.
Now another auxiliary window will open, where you must select any letter of the English alphabet, and after clicking on the "Ok" button, the letter will be assigned to the section.
It is worth paying attention to one important point! When choosing the letter assigned to the partition of your flash drive, look at which letters are already used by the system. This is very important, because we can not fix the problem, but leave it. This will happen if, for example, you designate a flash drive partition through the letter “D”, which is already assigned to the local disk.
Power supply malfunction or excessive overcurrent of the USB port
This problem is very common nowadays. The fact is that the computer may simply not see the USB flash drive due to a faulty power supply. Let's figure it out in order, the power supply consumes electrical energy from the network, and then converts and distributes it to all nodes of the computer. He has a power limit, for example, a 400W power supply will not be able to give you 600W. This means that the consumption of the entire system must be balanced.
Such a problem may appear if you have recently replaced some important node in the system, let it be a processor. Now it consumes much more energy, in comparison with the past, which means that it simply does not reach somewhere, and in this case this “somewhere” is the USB network of the computer. Accordingly, the power consumption parameter must be calculated in advance, and if such a situation has already occurred, you will have to replace the power supply unit with a more powerful one.
Moreover, the problem may lie in a malfunction of the power supply, it can produce much lower power potential than it was stated and than it did before. You will not be able to solve such a problem, since you risk the performance of the entire computer. The only solution would be to replace the power supply.
There is one more feature of this issue. Recently, USB devices for computers have become very common, for example, now such devices are powered: a mat for heating a cup, a table lamp, a wireless mouse, a removable hard drive, and in addition, a smartphone is also charging. And you still want to connect a USB flash drive, but bad luck, the computer sees it. The fact is that there was an overcurrent on the USB ports. Those. all your devices already consume the maximum amount of current and you will not be able to connect another one. Therefore, in order to use a USB flash drive, you need to disconnect several devices from the USB ports of the computer and then the problem will disappear.
If the computer does not see the USB flash drive in Windows XP
There are many reasons why a flash drive may not be detected in Windows XP. Moreover, the problem may lie both in the operating system itself, and in the malfunction of the flash, and even in the computer hardware.
If the problem is related to the operating system, then it can be eliminated only by making additional changes to the settings, it is best to do this in manual mode, despite the abundance of special utilities that can help in this matter.
However, if the drive itself is faulty, then the only thing that is left for you is to try to save the data written on it. And then purchase a new and more reliable device.
If your computer cannot identify the USB flash drive, then it notifies the user with the following signals:
- Your flash drive is inserted, and you are trying to access the data on it, the message "Insert disc" pops up.
- The system notifies about the mandatory formatting of the drive for further use.
- Errors about the impossibility of accessing the data pop up.
- The system may freeze as soon as you plug the USB flash drive into the USB port of your computer.
In this section, we will consider all the most common reasons for the non-functionality of a flash drive in Windows XP and give practical recommendations for solving them. Carefully read the description of the problem, if it is not similar to yours or its solution did not help you, proceed to the next step until the problem goes away. The first thing to do is to try to determine if the flash drive is working properly. This is indicated by a light indicator located on it. If you connected a drive and it blinks or is on, then the flash drive is working and the problem lies either in the system or in the hardware of the computer.
Try to change the port to which you connect the flash drive or even the computer, perhaps only the port or the entire system is faulty, and the flash drive will work properly on another PC. For example, if, when you connect a flash drive to a port, you observe a complete system freeze, this means that this port is faulty and it is better not to use it.
If you are using USB hubs or extension cords and the flash drive is not displayed, perhaps the problem lies in the device itself, and not the flash drive. If this turns out to be the case, you can take the hub to a service center or try to repair it yourself. To do this, you need a soldering iron, solder and a little experience, because most often you just need to solder one or two contacts and everything will work as expected.
Perhaps the problem lies in the lack of electrical current in the USB port system. To check this, you need to disconnect all USB devices on the computer (camera, printer, lamp, etc.), leave only the keyboard and mouse. If, after such manipulations, the flash drive appears in the system and you can access it, then the problem lies in a weak power supply. This problem can be solved only by replacing the power supply with a more powerful one, but using a USB hub with its own power source will help to delay the purchase of a power supply.
However, if the problem has not been resolved after disconnecting all other devices, the problem with a lack of power supply and an outdated USB port may still be relevant. In other words, on older laptops, you won't be able to open a 36GB or larger flash drive. It won't solve the problem, you can only buy a more modern laptop or computer.
A very common situation is when a user plugs a USB flash drive into the front port of a PC, but the system does not see it. This means that either the ports are not connected to the power supply on the motherboard, or too little power is allocated to them. You can connect the front panel yourself, using the instructions located above in the section of the same name.
Doesn't see the USB flash drive due to Windows XP errors. Troubleshooting
The flash drive may also not be detected due to operating system errors. For example, Windows XP SP2 lacks updates and software packages to keep USB devices working properly. Moreover, a situation is possible when only a few USB devices can work in one port.
The solution to this issue will be to upgrade the system to SP3 and install the necessary updates. Even a new user can do this, since we only need a couple of clicks, and the system will automatically download, install and launch the update. So, let's get started, we can move in two ways - this is the official download from Windows Update or installing SP3 from a disk or flash drive. The first step is to check which package you already have installed.
Click on the "My Computer" icon with the right mouse button and select "Properties". The following window will open in front of you, where information about your system will be indicated.
To install SP3, we need to allow the operating system to search and update the computer system. To do this, just go from Control Panel to Windows Update.
As soon as you do this, the system will start searching for updates, after which it will offer you to update everything at once or select only the ones you need. If you do not understand what update, what changes, then it is better to let the system update completely.
After downloading all the updates, the operating system will require you to restart your computer in order to apply the new settings. Click "OK" and wait patiently. That's all, now you can connect a USB flash drive and use it.
If you decide to choose which updates should be installed, rather than downloading them all automatically, then here is a guideline for you that will help improve the perception of USB drives by the system.
Driver conflicts in Windows XP
There is also a driver conflict problem. The fact is that some already outdated drivers can cause errors at the system level, moreover, they can interfere with the normal operation of new drivers. A striking example of such a problem is a situation when a user inserts a USB flash drive into a computer, tries to access data on it, and the system immediately knocks out an error message asking to insert a disc. Or, the system simply freezes, and even assigning an already existing letter to a flash drive partition is real.
The reason for these errors is as follows. Let's say you have two flash drives, you connected one of them to the system. In automatic mode, all the necessary drivers for this device are immediately installed. You have done the necessary manipulations for writing or reading files and pulled out the drive. After that, you insert a second USB flash drive, which is completely functional, and one of the above errors pops up. This means that the system is trying to use the already installed driver from the first flash drive to run the second, but they are not compatible.
Reinstalling Windows XP USB Drivers
This problem can be easily fixed in several ways. Reinstalling drivers in automatic mode or manual. Let's analyze a little theory, a driver from one USB device can be mistakenly used by the system to start another USB device. To eliminate these problems, we need to first uninstall all existing drivers for USB drives, and then reinstall them.
Such a problem may display the message "USB device not recognized", or unexplained processes occur at the system level that block access to data or cause the system to freeze.
Delete via DriveCleanup
You can effectively remove all existing USB device drivers using the DriveCleanup utility. Its advantage is that it searches the entire system for installed drivers and only then removes them.
First of all, turn off the computer, disconnect all USB devices from it in order to avoid conflict situations while the program is running. We turn on the PC, go to the official website of the program and download the executable file. The utility is compatible with any version of Windows, including different bitness. When downloading, pay attention to the file version.
Automatic installation
You have removed all drivers from your computer. For the device to function normally, the operating system must have drivers for it. The automatic driver installation process is incredibly simple, you just need to plug the USB flash drive into the USB port, and then the installation will start immediately. A window will pop up that will display the progress of the installation; on some systems this may occur in a mode invisible to the user. Installation is complete within one to two minutes and you can use your device.
Manual installation
Manual installation means installing drivers not directly from the media itself. We can also install drivers for the flash drive from third-party Internet resources, but to avoid conflicts, we will install the drivers for the flash drive using another computer.
So, we take our problematic flash drive, insert it into another computer, where it is recognized. A prerequisite for this process is the coincidence of Windows versions on both computers. We use the search system and find two files.
By any means we transfer them to the problem computer, whether it is sending by mail or using another removable media. You need to place these files in a folder with the same path that was on the first computer and confirm the replacement when the corresponding window pops up. We reboot the computer and enjoy its performance with FLASH disks.
We have considered only the most common reasons why the flash drive is not displayed on the computer. In fact, there are many more of them. Moreover, there are problems that are expressed by other system messages, and their solution is already described in the paragraphs of the article.
The message "Insert disc" appears, even if the flash drive is already connected to the USB port
This system error occurs when drivers overlap and interfere with the normal functioning of USB devices. In order to fix this error, you need to remove all drivers for USB devices and reinstall them. This process is described step by step in this article.
Disk formatting message
This message appears if you are using a USB flash drive for the first time or a system failure has occurred in it. In addition to the message, you can make sure that it is not usable, because it does not display either free space or occupied space. The solution to this issue is described in detail in paragraphs 8 and 9.
Data error message
This problem pops up in 3 cases. This is a driver conflict, a file system conflict and a failure of the flash drive itself. It is solved by reinstalling the drivers, if it did not help, then quick formatting in order to preserve the possibility of data recovery on the USB flash drive. See above for step-by-step instructions.
Complete system freeze immediately after connecting the flash drive to the computer
This issue has already been discussed in the article, but I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this error can occur for two reasons:
- Driver conflict.
- Bad port.
It is easy to check what problem you have, insert the USB flash drive into another port, if the hang continues, then there is a problem with the drivers. Instructions and tips for reinstalling them have been given within this article.
Why the computer does not see the USB flash drive when the indicator on it is on
The contact on the flash drive, which is responsible for the transfer of information, may be damaged. It is possible that there is a conflict of drivers and the assignment of a busy letter for a partition If the problem persists, after connecting the flash drive to another computer, try to check the availability of the partition. If everything is in order here, then reinstall the drivers and the flash drive will work.
Error 43 / Error 43
This error immediately stops reading information from a removable device, which means that we will not be able to access the data immediately. There are several problems that Error 43 can cause.
- The failure of the device itself is the first of them. Check on another computer to see if this situation occurs again.
- Driver Conflict - Solution described above.
- Updating the hardware configuration - you just need to roll back the driver version in the Task Manager.
conclusions
We got acquainted in detail with the reasons that can prevent the computer from reading the flash drive and information on it. The described solutions with step-by-step instructions will definitely help you get rid of this problem. The unreadable flash drive can be a verdict only if the flash drive is faulty. In other situations, this is an easily reversible process. If you have any questions or you could not find a solution to your problem in the article - leave comments, we will try to clarify the situation together.
USB flash drives are considered durable digital devices. In fact, they are able to withstand about 10,000 rewriting cycles, and then failures begin. Such problems can occur much earlier. The computer does not see the flash drive, or sees it but does not read it. There can be different reasons why the device stops functioning normally: hardware and software.
Try to read the USB flash drive through a different connector, the USB port may be faulty. Another reason - there is not enough power for the drive, disconnect USB devices that are not currently being used. Failed to read, then connect the USB flash drive to another computer, there may be a software error in your system. If the other computer does not see the drive either, then the reason is that the flash drive is faulty. Check the physical condition of the flash drive to see if there is any crushing that could occur as a result of dropping it. If you find hardware problems, then take the USB flash drive to the service center. If the information is important, then they can recover it at least partially. In addition to external damage, there are electronic problems - controllers, memory chips, etc. do not work. In this case, information recovery is impossible.
If you have used all the proposed methods, but it did not work to open the USB flash drive, then most likely it is seriously damaged, so much so that recovery is impossible, you need to purchase a new one. In order not to risk information that is valuable to you, make it a rule: be sure to make a duplicate on another medium. For example, burn to a durable DVD.
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Today, almost every user has at least once used a portable flash drive to transfer information from a computer to a computer, and simply a flash drive. And many of you have probably come across a situation when, when it was connected to the USB connector of a computer, it simply refused to be recognized by the system, and important information had to be thrown off very urgently.
How best to act in such situations, we will tell you in today's article.
What if the flash drive is not detected by the computer?
First you need to understand that any problem with a portable drive can occur due to several main reasons, which we will try to consider in more detail.
Usually, if the computer cannot recognize the USB flash drive, the user can determine this in several ways, namely:
Using the message "Insert disc" even when the flash drive is connected to the USB port of the computer;
When the computer asks to format the newly connected portable storage device;
A data read / write error message appears;
When the operating system completely freezes immediately after connecting the flash drive.
Localization of the malfunction.There are different ways to diagnose a malfunction or determine that it is not there, but the first thing to do is to check the operability of the USB connector itself in your PC.
It is very easy to do this - just take another 100% working USB flash drive and connect it to the same connector. If everything opened without problems - it is likely that the cause of the malfunction in the flash drive itself and there may be several reasons for it - or the internal control board has failed, and there is practically no way to restore or read the information.
Reason # 1 - poor USB power
Oddly enough, PC-to-order services still manage to install USB 1.2 ports on the front panel. As regular computer users already know, these ports fail during the first two years of operation. At the same time, they do not provide sufficient power to start the drive, as a result of which, when the media is connected, the system says: "Insert the disk into the device."
The ports on the back of the system unit will help to correct the situation. If this manipulation helped you launch the flash drive, it means that the front ports are not suitable for full-fledged work in the future and they can only be used to charge the player and other small gadgets.
Reason # 2 - viruses
There is another option - the problem is that there are viruses or some infected applications on the flash drive that block the normal operation and detection of the media in the system when it is connected to USB. To solve this problem, you can install the useful USB Disk Secirity application, which allows you to scan USB devices and quickly remove all viruses from the USB flash drive.
Reason # 3 - incompatibility between USB 2 and USB 3
The problem may also be due to incompatibility of USB connector versions. It is very simple to explain this - today high-speed USB 3.0 interfaces are becoming popular, and most of the users' flash drives still work on the previous version 2.0. As a result, when such a medium is connected to a USB 3.0 connector, a hardware conflict may occur and the drive is simply not detected by the system, which can be easily viewed in the device manager (Start-My Computer-Right-click properties-Device Manager), where the unrecognized device will be defined by an exclamation mark. The solution to this problem is to update the USB 3.0 interface drivers or use a more suitable 2.0. Also, the function of supporting earlier USB versions can be programmatically set in the computer's BIOS, so we also recommend looking at the settings there.
Reason # 4 - file system
Another common cause of the error is a malfunction of the flash drive file system. In this case, the system can see the storage medium, but it cannot open or start it. Such a malfunction can be found in the device manager, the method is described above.
The method for solving this problem is simple - to perform low-level formatting of the flash drive using the standard Windows service (Control Panel-Administrative Tools-Computer Management-Disk Management) or use a third-party HDD Low Level Format Tool. If everything is done correctly, then after the end of the overwrite process, the media should be opened by the system without problems.
note, after formatting, all information stored on the media will be deleted.
Reason # 5 - Windows driver failure
The error is relevant if, when the drive is connected, you see a window in the tray that the driver is being searched for, but no result occurs. This conflict is caused by the operating system itself, when it assigned the driver not to a connected device, but to a USB port to which another drive was previously connected. The error was common on Windows versions from XP to modern Windows 10.
The solution to the problem is to remove unnecessary flash drive drivers. To do this, use the DriveCleanup program. It is in the public domain. Copy the exe file to the system32 directory and run it through the command line.
We tried to consider the most popular and frequently encountered problems when working with flash drives. We hope you find this article helpful!
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In the article: I described how to open a flash drive. Here I will describe in more detail how to properly connect a USB flash drive and open files that are recorded on the storage medium. So, if yours didn't open right away, don't panic. Take a deep breath in and out. Get together and work on the connection errors. Your mistakes and your actions:
You have connected via USB hubs, there may be problems with recognition. The “Disk is not formatted” window may appear with the message: “The disk in the device is not formatted. Format it? Well no". Don't click Yes. Formatting will delete all of your information. Connect the USB stick to the USB root hub located on the back of the processor. If the message “The disk in the device is not formatted. Format it? Yes / No ”appears even after connecting the flash drive to the USB root hub, you need to restart the PC or check the disk.
If, when accessing the USB flash drive, we do not see our files, but the properties of the removable disk indicate that the system type is unknown and the flash drive is empty, disconnect and reconnect the USB flash drive via the Safely Remove Hardware icon and restart the system.
You connected more than one flash drive to the PC at the same time, the second may not appear. We get access to it through My computer. If the OS "sees" the USB flash drive, it can be disabled via the Safely Remove Hardware icon. In order not to restart the OS, start Windows Explorer not through My Computer, but through the button Start -\u003e Programs -\u003e Accessories -\u003e Explorer -\u003e My Documents -\u003e press the Up button -\u003e Desktop -\u003e My Computer -\u003e Removable Disk... You can also try to "open" the USB flash drive through an alternative file manager, for example, Total Commander.
If, after correctly removing one flash drive, you cannot connect another. Windows Explorer retains a "phantom" of the previous flash drive: its icon has a red circle with a white question mark inside, and when you click on the icon, an error message appears that the removable disk icon refers to an inaccessible location. Reboot your computer.
Yours is infected with a special virus. These viruses on the infected PC are constantly loaded into RAM and monitor USB ports for removable devices. If you copy information from your flash drive to an external PC, turn on the write lock. If your flash drive does not have a write lock, then disable questionable processes in Task managerWindow s... To launch Windows Task Manager, click Ctrl + Alt + Delete or Start -\u003e Run ... -\u003e Start the program -\u003e taskmgr -\u003e OK. Open Processes, click the left mouse button to select the process to end, click the End process button, in the Task Manager Warning window that appears, click the Yes button.
Due to a virus, when you try to open a USB flash drive by clicking the left mouse button, an error message appears that it is impossible to open the USB flash drive. any file is missing, usually autorun.inf. Open the USB flash drive by right-clicking the context menu - Explorer or Open. This virus prescribes autorun to the USB flash drive for its further distribution. We treat the USB flash drive with an antivirus or delete the file manually. The record about the autorun of the flash drive remains in the Windows Registry.
When accessing files, the messages "Cannot find file<Имя_файла>... Create a new file with that name? " or "Unable to create file<Имя_файла>... Please check the correctness of the path and file name. " there was a failure in the file system of the flash drive. In the properties of the flash drive, information appears that the type of the file system is unknown, the capacity is 0 bytes, 0 bytes are occupied, 0 bytes are free. Check and fix errors in the removable disk file system as soon as possible.
