Problem with Flash Drives

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I bought a 512 MB USB flash drive pretty cheaply over a year ago. It's a SanDisk Cruzer Micro. I've loved having it with seminary because I can transfer between my laptop and home PC (and sometimes the computers in the library).

At one point, it stopped working on my PC. When I plug it in, it says something about an unrecognized device. The blue light that usually comes on when it's plugged in on the flash drive does not light up. It works on every other computer I have ever tried it on.

I really need to organize the files back and forth on my laptop and PC, so I borrowed a friend's flash drive. It also wouldn't work on my PC (but it does work on my laptop).

Otehr USB devices work just fine (printer, two different digital cameras).

So I assume that the problem is with my PC...but since other devices do work, I'm confused as to just why flash drives don't work.

Any help?

[Gina Stevenson]

Oh, no! I've one that same size, that's a Lexar ... haven't really tried it yet; one of those "got it really cheap with rebate" things that I figured I'd surely need later if I didn't get it when it was cheap! ;)

Do you think perhaps an oft-used USB port can sometimes get gunked up, if that thing works on other computers? Have you yet tried that simple can-of-air thing ... blowing out whatever might be stuck in the particular drive in which you've tried that flash drive? HOPE it's nothing major.

As for any suggestions, have to wait for the techies for that ... I was just commisserating with ya, Jeremy! ;)


I bought a 512 MB USB flash drive pretty cheaply over a year ago. It's a SanDisk Cruzer Micro. I've loved having it with seminary because I can transfer between my laptop and home PC (and sometimes the computers in the library).

At one point, it stopped working on my PC. When I plug it in, it says something about an unrecognized device. The blue light that usually comes on when it's plugged in on the flash drive does not light up. It works on every other computer I have ever tried it on.

I really need to organize the files back and forth on my laptop and PC, so I borrowed a friend's flash drive. It also wouldn't work on my PC (but it does work on my laptop).

Otehr USB devices work just fine (printer, two different digital cameras).

So I assume that the problem is with my PC...but since other devices do work, I'm confused as to just why flash drives don't work.

Any help?

[Christer Hiort]

Jeremy,
Do you have XP on both machines where you use the flashdrive? Sometimes if you have an older Operating System, you would need to download a driver from the manufacturers web site.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

ODo you think perhaps an oft-used USB port can sometimes get gunked up, if that thing works on other computers? Have you yet tried that simple can-of-air thing ... blowing out whatever might be stuck in the particular drive in which you've tried that flash drive? HOPE it's nothing major.

Thanks, but I've tried it in all of my USB ports (I have six, I think, two on front and four in the back). An the digital cameras work in the same port.

Thanks though!

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Jeremy,
Do you have XP on both machines where you use the flashdrive? Sometimes if you have an older Operating System, you would need to download a driver from the manufacturers web site.

Yes, both machines are operating XP. Also, the PC is actually newer than my laptop.

[Dave McClung]

Jeremy

The problem is probably the contacts. If you look down in the tip of the flash drive you will see contact strips. They are parts that form the electrical connection between the flash drive and the computer. When you have used the usb port a lot, the contacts can become loose, so they don't make a good connection.

If you could get to the contact strips, you could clean them with a pencil eraser. Unfortunately, the way the usb connection is made, it is hard to get to the contact strips.

The way I have worked around the problem is to use an new usb extention cord -- the kind that has a usb plug on one end and a usb socket on the other. Because the cord is new, the contacts make a tighter connection on the flash drive and in the flash socket in the computer. It worked for me.

[Adam Spriggs]

When I've had problems with USB drives not working, it's usually drive-letter or device related -- Especially when several brands and sizes of USB drives have been used on a single computer. XP tends to create use new drive letters for each USB used.

Have you checked your Device Manager for any yellow question marks?

Right-click on My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager

So the USB drive works fine on your notebook?

[Jeremy D. Scott]

So the USB drive works fine on your notebook?

Correct, it works on any other computer on which I use it.

I am currently not at home, but I will check for the question mark when I get home to my PC.

[Brian Hammons]

Jeremy:
I don't know if my particular issues are similar to yours, but I sometimes have problems accessing my jump drive on a network system. I especially had problems when I had sectioned off a private sector and needed to get to that sector from the public one. I finally gave up and eliminated the private sector. Since that time, our school district has eliminated Netware as the network system and is now using Microsoft for networking. Since that change, I've had very few problems. When I do, (most often, not being able to find the drive from an open menu in Word or PP) I find that if I go to "My Computer" it somehow seems to open drive for access. I know this all sounds a little clumsy, but it seems to work for me. Good Luck.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

When I've had problems with USB drives not working, it's usually drive-letter or device related -- Especially when several brands and sizes of USB drives have been used on a single computer. XP tends to create use new drive letters for each USB used.

Have you checked your Device Manager for any yellow question marks?

Right-click on My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager

So the USB drive works fine on your notebook?

Okay, I got a yellow question mark...what do I do?

I tried to reinstall the driver, but it could not find one.

[Orbin Crouch]

I bought a 1 gig flash card from Sam's Club for $60.00. It was a good deal, but it has a medal rim around the outside of it. The other day I went across the carpet sat down and bent over to plug in my flash card. Just as I touched the computer with the metal contacts a spark of static electricty jumped and all I have now is piece of plastic with a piece of metal around it.

Orbin
Moral of the story. Never by a flash card with a metal rim around the outside of it

[Gina Stevenson]

I bought a 1 gig flash card from Sam's Club for $60.00. It was a good deal, but it has a medal rim around the outside of it. The other day I went across the carpet sat down and bent over to plug in my flash card. Just as I touched the computer with the metal contacts a spark of static electricty jumped and all I have now is piece of plastic with a piece of metal around it.

Orbin
Moral of the story. Never by a flash card with a metal rim around the outside of it

Or, perhaps find out what one can do to eliminate static electricity!! Yipes! Sorry your flash drive is now defunct, Orbin. :(