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Need help with formating a flash drive.

  • 06-10-2006 3:01pm
    #1
    D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,174 ✭✭✭


    I have a USB drive that I have been using for a few years now. Easydisk 128MB. Last week I started having problems with it.

    I'd plug it in and the PC would recognise it, and it would appear on the "My Computer" window. However, when I went to access it it showed up as blank, no files/folders. Checking the properties of it showed that it had lots of used space, and some free space about 4/5ths used.

    Firstly, I try to defrag the drive, then i ran scandisk. Neither of these worked. The disk showed that it had data on it, but none of this data would show up as files.

    Then I went and found a recovery program that would try to recover lost/accidently deleted files. It didn't work either. At this stage I took the data for lost, none of the data was very important mainly firefox portable and a few config/save files that can be easily replaced.

    I tried to format the drive, the existing file type was Fat32, so i decided to try and format to that file type just to be safe. It appeared to work. However, when i went to put new data on the disk I keep getting a message that the drive is inaccessable because it is not ready.

    Any tips about what to do now would be appriectiated.


Comments

  • #2
    D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,174 ✭✭✭D


    <daily bump>


  • #3
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    I'm guessing you are using windows - have you tried safe mode ?
    HP have a nifty utility to format bootable USB keys


  • #4
    SeanW
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,166 ✭✭✭SeanW


    there's a good chance the drive is kaput.


  • #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Windows-based Format Utility for HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB Device
    version 2.00.006 A (6 Feb 04)
    This softpaq contains a Windows-based format utility for the HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB 2.0 device.

    http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/serveroptions/us/download/20306.html
    ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp27001-27500/SP27213.exe

    New Windows-based interface. (For the DOS-based interface, download Softpaq SP26059.)


  • #6
    D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,174 ✭✭✭D


    Thanks for the input Captain Midnight, I tried that HP tool, seemed pretty good. Unfortunately, when using it, it reports that the drive is write-protected. There is a physical switch on the side of the key for write-protection put it is switched off. Looks like I'll just have to get another one.

    So unless someone has another idea would anyone like to reccommend a quality usb key?


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  • #7
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    try the switch a few times, then try switch cleaner or if a cheapo usb wd40

    depends on size and how much you want to pay
    www.adverts.ie
    www.7dayshop.co.uk (UK)
    www.shop4memory.com (dublin)
    peats sometimes have ones that are total rip off
    www.ebay.com - but only after checking above prices and for a fraction of the price and incude postage.


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