New Usb Flash Drive Won't Work !

Zorba

Hi all i bought a new 4 G flash drive and plugged it into my computer and it tried to install but couldn't find the drivers. I went into add new hardware and tried that and it's still not recognised. When i plug it in it lights up so it does work but windows won't recognise or install it.

Any ideas as to what to do ?

sink

Are you using XP? If so all flash drives should be plug n' play, same goes for Vista. Earlier versions of windows might not work with plug n' play devices or you might have a faulty drive.

Zorba

sink wrote: »

Are you using XP? If so all flash drives should be plug n' play, same goes for Vista. Earlier versions of windows might not work with plug n' play devices or you might have a faulty drive.

Sorry should've said, i have Xp and Vista only tried it on Xp and there's nothing is showing up, tried a few programs to look for it too like device finders and usb viewers and they don't find it either, guess it's a dud ?

AlmightyCushion

Try it in a different usb port. Also try using it in a different computer.

Zorba

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Try it in a different usb port. Also try using it in a different computer.

Hmm tried it on a different computer and it worked ok, so ran a check flash memory program and it found errors on the flash drive. Just plugge it into my main computer and it's still dead, think i'll look at the drivers next.

glomar

try unistalling the USB ROOT HUB devices in device manager and rebooting , this should reload the usb drivers on the system it may help

Have you tried another usb device such as a mouse or keyboard ?

KStaford

Zorba wrote: »

Hmm tried it on a different computer and it worked ok, so ran a check flash memory program and it found errors on the flash drive.

Therefore it did NOT work ok.

Zorba wrote: »

Just plugge it into my main computer and it's still dead, think i'll look at the drivers next.

Again the drive itself looks dodgy.

A few things th try.

1. Click Start - Run
Type "devmgmt.msc" without the quotes to run device manager. Check that all your hardware here is listed correctly and without error. Drill down through Uiversal Serial bus controllers and check that all is well there in particular (Make sure there are no devices listed with warning icons next to them). If there are errors here for any devices, I would look at re-installing your xp / device drivers or if you have a spare afternoon, wipe the pc and start again (trust me, this is the quickest and easiest route 90% of the time).
2. If all looks well in device manager, then borrow another pen drive and try it in the pc. If it works then jsut take the faulty pen drive back to the shop where you bought it.

Col_Loki

If its working in one PC and not another i would imagine the problem is the Drive Letter it is trying to Assign itself.

Some USB Keys look for the drive letter D, E, F . If they are used up by say 2 x HD & DVD Drives then it just sits there without doing anything.
How to fix the problem....

Right Click on my computer -> Manage -> Go to "Disk Management" . You will see the USB Key (Check by Size) and it will most lightly be assigned E/F: . Right click and select "Change Drive Letter or Path". Change the letter and bobs your uncle.


[I would try this before doing anything else like Uninstalling ROOT Usb Hubs etc .... ]

Zorba

Checked all my drivers in device manager and everything is working fine, all usb ports work when i plug in a good usb flash drive, they don't when i plug in my new one, tis going back to where it came from.

Thanks for all the replies and help.

Zorba

So the update is, i've Vista and Xp dual booting on one computer. Just tried the flash drive in Vista and it recognises it no bother, ran a check on it and the program found no errors. Yet Xp on the computer still doesn't recognise it, even though it'll recognise any other flash drive i plug in.

Don't wanna send the thing back for them to tell me it works fine on their computer so it must be my computer, anyone any ideas ?

Zorba

Zorba wrote: »

So the update is, i've Vista and Xp dual booting on one computer. Just tried the flash drive in Vista and it recognises it no bother, ran a check on it and the program found no errors. Yet Xp on the computer still doesn't recognise it, even though it'll recognise any other flash drive i plug in.

Don't wanna send the thing back for them to tell me it works fine on their computer so it must be my computer, anyone any ideas ?

Also when i look in device manager there's a question mark beside the flash drive, when i try to update the driver it searches for a driver but then says it cannot install hardware, even when i put the driver cd in the cd drive.

Overheal

Exactly what device are we discussing here? Is it U3?

Zorba

Overheal wrote: »

Exactly what device are we discussing here? Is it U3?

It's a new 4 gig usb flash drive.

Overheal

well yes I meant, what model, and does it have U3 on it. Youre just full of problems today :rolleyes:

Zorba

Overheal wrote: »

well yes I meant, what model, and does it have U3 on it. Youre just full of problems today :rolleyes:

Oh

It's a Kelltec usb2 that's all the info on it.

Turns out it was my usb drivers that were at fault !!