USB Drive failure

[daveh551]

I don't know that whether this is particularly a Windows XP question,
but Windows XP is the OS I'm using.

I have a 2G USB thumb drive I've been using to transport files, mostly
from home to work. It's been working fine, and I copied some files off
it last night.

This morning, when I put it in the machine, nothing. No "ding", not
showing up in My Computer (or Storage Manager), not even the red LED
in the drive coming on. I tried it in another port. Nothing. I tried
rebooting. Nothing. I tried a different USB drive. Worked fine. I
tried this one in 2 other machines (all 3 running XP Pro, SP3), and
nothing in any of them.

I'm concluding something has happened in the drive itself. I've
googled everything I can think of relating to USB drives not being
seen, and I find lots of posts on Windows saying "Unrecognized USB
drive" or something similar, but that's not what is happening here.
Windows isn't saying anything.

The drive is cheap, and fortunately, I only have a few days work on
it, but I would like to get the data off. Does anyone have any
clues?

For what it's worth, it's an EMPREX drive (no markings that I can see
other than "USB 2.0", and the size). 2 of the machines are Dell
laptops, and it has worked fine in both of them before. The 3rd is a
Compaq Presario desktop, and it has also worked in it before.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Unknown]

From what and how you described the failure, the thumb drive died.

 

[Dr. DOS]

I don't know that whether this is particularly a Windows XP question,
but Windows XP is the OS I'm using.

I have a 2G USB thumb drive I've been using to transport files, mostly
from home to work. It's been working fine, and I copied some files off
it last night.

This morning, when I put it in the machine, nothing. No "ding", not
showing up in My Computer (or Storage Manager), not even the red LED
in the drive coming on. I tried it in another port. Nothing. I tried
rebooting. Nothing. I tried a different USB drive. Worked fine. I
tried this one in 2 other machines (all 3 running XP Pro, SP3), and
nothing in any of them.

I'm concluding something has happened in the drive itself. I've
googled everything I can think of relating to USB drives not being
seen, and I find lots of posts on Windows saying "Unrecognized USB
drive" or something similar, but that's not what is happening here.
Windows isn't saying anything.

The drive is cheap, and fortunately, I only have a few days work on
it, but I would like to get the data off. Does anyone have any
clues?

For what it's worth, it's an EMPREX drive (no markings that I can see
other than "USB 2.0", and the size). 2 of the machines are Dell
laptops, and it has worked fine in both of them before. The 3rd is a
Compaq Presario desktop, and it has also worked in it before.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I don't think you can blame this on XP or Dell.
Because other thumb drives work in the Dell XP, it indicates
the ports, the computer and the OS are OK.
Because this troubled thumb drive won't be recognized
anywhere, it STRONGLY suggests it has died.

As a suggestion, always do/store work on the computer and
transfer copies to the flash drive for transport. It is
safer (generally).

In desperation, use some 91 percent isopropyl alcohol and
the world's tiniest cotton swab to clean the contacts inside
the thumb.

 

[Touch Base]

I don't know that whether this is particularly a Windows XP question,
but Windows XP is the OS I'm using.

I have a 2G USB thumb drive I've been using to transport files, mostly
from home to work. It's been working fine, and I copied some files off
it last night.

This morning, when I put it in the machine, nothing. No "ding", not
showing up in My Computer (or Storage Manager), not even the red LED
in the drive coming on. I tried it in another port. Nothing. I tried
rebooting. Nothing. I tried a different USB drive. Worked fine. I
tried this one in 2 other machines (all 3 running XP Pro, SP3), and
nothing in any of them.

I'm concluding something has happened in the drive itself. I've
googled everything I can think of relating to USB drives not being
seen, and I find lots of posts on Windows saying "Unrecognized USB
drive" or something similar, but that's not what is happening here.
Windows isn't saying anything.

The drive is cheap, and fortunately, I only have a few days work on
it, but I would like to get the data off. Does anyone have any
clues?

For what it's worth, it's an EMPREX drive (no markings that I can see
other than "USB 2.0", and the size). 2 of the machines are Dell
laptops, and it has worked fine in both of them before. The 3rd is a
Compaq Presario desktop, and it has also worked in it before.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

===========================================
When taking the thumb out did you use the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon on
the taskbar? If not it's possible windows was still writing to the drive and
this will cause a similar response to the one you are experiencing. This
then can cause a USB thumb drive to be 'dead in the water' so to speak and
it usually can not be revived.

 

[olfart]

<snip>
In desperation, use some 91 percent isopropyl alcohol and the world's
tiniest cotton swab to clean the contacts inside the thumb.

if that fails pry open the case and look for a possible loose or damaged
connection

as a last resort...add an olive to the alcohol and enjoy

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I don't know that whether this is particularly a Windows XP question,
but Windows XP is the OS I'm using.

I have a 2G USB thumb drive I've been using to transport files, mostly
from home to work. It's been working fine, and I copied some files off
it last night.

This morning, when I put it in the machine, nothing. No "ding", not
showing up in My Computer (or Storage Manager), not even the red LED
in the drive coming on. I tried it in another port. Nothing. I tried
rebooting. Nothing.

I tried a different USB drive. Worked fine. I
tried this one in 2 other machines (all 3 running XP Pro, SP3), and
nothing in any of them.

Given those three sentences...

I'm concluding something has happened in the drive itself.

.... it seems very clear that the drive has died.

I've
googled everything I can think of relating to USB drives not being
seen, and I find lots of posts on Windows saying "Unrecognized USB
drive" or something similar, but that's not what is happening here.
Windows isn't saying anything.

It's very obviously not a Windows issue at all.