The restoration of USB flash drives has its own characteristics. Good news: These devices, in contrast to SD cards, maintainable. Therefore, if you cannot exchange a flash drive under warranty - why not take advantage of 60-70% chance to repair it.
The article will examine various cases, typical problems associated with breakdowns of flash drives, and options for solving them.
Restore data or repair a flash drive?
This is not the same thing, although the concepts are interrelated.
The main task that the repair decides is to restore the work of the flash drive so that it is:
- defined as a storage device in Drive control,
- correctly determined in the conductor,
- read and recorded data.
As a result uSB repair USB flash drives easily lose all the data on it, and it will be available for recording and reading.
File recovery is possible only on a working USB flash drive.
The main reasons for the breakdown of the USB flash drive
How to understand that the USB flash drive is required:
- When the flash drive is connected, the LED on its enclosure is off;
- The device is not recognized on another computer / laptop;
- The flash drive is defined as an unidentified USB device.
Hurt a USB carrier is simpler. Like any physical device, flash memory is subject to external influences (blow, thermal impact, water enter, etc.). In addition, there are a number of program errors, because of which the flash drive does not work.
Damaged USB connector contacts
Often, the problem lies in the damaged contact between the controller and the USB connector.
How to check. To check the flash drive for this problem, test it on another computer. Alternatively, insert another flash drive (if available) in the USB port of the same computer.
If other flash drives are read without problems on a PC, probably the problem in the current media information.
If you can't read the data from the flash drive only on this computerThe problem may be in USB sockets motherboard PC or laptop.
How to fix.
- We present a link to the third-party manual, how to repair a USB connector: DIY repair USB connector on a laptop.
- If you do not want to pick up in the wires, it is better to give a PC or a flash drive with a broken USB port to repair. The approximate cost of replacement of USB is $ 20 - 50.
Hardware-mechanical problem: damaged controller
Most often, everything resumes a flash drive controller, which is the main link when the drive is working. The controller contains important chips, and disconnecting the contact or cutting legs will make data recovery on the flash drive very problematic.
How to fix a flash drive.
- Replace the controller on your own (which is mad at home).
- Take a USB drive to the service - however, the repair of Flash memory will cost decent money. You will not find a controller for a USB flash drive. In the laboratory can find a donor flash drive and "transplant" faulty controller.
- If the data stored on the flash drive is vital and you would like to restore them, an expensive software and hardware complex may be used in the laboratory to extract data by passing the hardware controller.
The cost of services can be found directly from specialists in the company engaged in the repair of flash drives in your city. It can start from $ 30 and reach $ 500 - 1000.
Flashing damaged flash drive
USB flash drive contains firmware - microcode with service data. If you damage the USB firmware flash drive inevitably ceases to work.
How to fix. Such a flash drive can not format the usual universal software like SDFormatter., It will take full "trepanation" - flashing. This will require a branded utility from the manufacturer.
However, you can only flash the name of the controller. The difficulty is that manufacturers tend to use various varieties and models of controllers and can implement not only their own, but also other people's developments. Therefore, it is not always possible to immediately determine the type of flash memory controller.
Fortunately, there are special programs that allow you to determine the type of VID & PID * for TRANSCEND drives, Silicon Power et al.; We will list them with reference to the installers.
(* Vid - manufacturer identifier, PID - device identifier.)
After the warranty repair, all photos on the smartphone and on the SD card were disappeared.
Answer. Very blurred question. Produced warranty repair what - mobile device or memory cards? All your claims to performers are governed by your contract.
As for data recovery on the SD card, use specialized applications that, in fact, are dedicated to this site.
Flash card on 2GB from an old Nokia phone, the phone shows a flash drive perfectly, the tablet and other phones do not see. Flash card My equipment sees.
Answer. If other flash cards do not open on yours, as you yourself say, old Nokia, then most likely, because the phone simply does not support new technologies. Learn documentation and specifications for your device. Perhaps it is time to update the "iron"?
I broke in half a micro flash drive 32GB. How can I restore information on this flash drive, please tell me where and who can help me how to fix the flash drive?
Answer. Alas, this flash drive can not be repaired or at least somehow reanimate. If the firmware was "filmed" on your flash drive, then you could give some chance to restore. As for physical breakdown, it all depends on damage. If flash memory chips are intact, you can read the data through the PC 3000 Flash reader, etc.
The only possible solution (if files are not particularly important) - purchase a new microSD card.
Flash drive does not open, not displayed as removable driveis not displayed in the device manager. Physical impact is excluded, because There are three such flash drives, they worked with them different people.
Answer. You did not specify the type of memory with which you are working. In any case, if the flash drive or sd card does not open, I would advise you to check the operation of the flash card on other devices. Test it on other phones or devices to which you can attach it. If this is an SD card, try connecting it to a PC through a card reader.
Check if the attached device is determined in the device manager. If yes, use any disk markup program or staffing Windows, or branded software available on the flash drive developer website to format the USB flash drive in NTFS or FAT.
During the formatting of the flash drive (transcend), the flash drive from the PC was pulled out. It was clear that it would no longer work, the check was confirmed. The computer does not define a flash drive, the indicator blinks all the time, there is no one in the "My computer", there is it in the device manager, it writes that it works normally, it is defined as a storage device. Help restore the TRANSCEND flash drive!
Answer. Probably, the file table was damaged on your flash drive. You still can restore the work of the flash drive if you create a section on it and format. You can reanimate the flash drive, as already mentioned, using specialized utilities like Acronis Disc Director, etc., but it is best to use the Testdisk application to break and restore the Testdisk flash drive.
The flash drive was enjoyed in TrueCrypt, reinstalled the OS, I mount the USB flash drive, files are displayed, but when you try to open it gives an error - denied access. Can you be able to save the information if the flash drive is not defined after encryption?
Answer. You will need a client program to work with TrueCrypt. Alas, on this moment Site TrueCrypt.org is unavailable, and the project is closed. So try to find the application somewhere on the Internet. After that, when you open files, you will need to enter a password to access your files.
The flash drive reset and the system requires format the USB flash drive, but I need to save the files are very important and expensive. Help!
Answer. In no case do not agree to format your USB flash drive! Instead, use programs to recover data and try to restore the missing partition on your storage device. All saved information you can safely copy to the hard disk and then look for among these slaves exactly what you need.
There is a flash drive JetFlash Transcend. 8GB. Ceased to be determined by the system. Formatted its JetFlash Online Recovery program and it deleted all the data from the flash drive. Is it possible to restore the TRANSCEND flash drive now, that is, the data on it?
Answer. To restore the TRANSCEND flash drive, the UNFormat program will suit. The chances of recovery depend on the depth of formatting. In any case, use the deep scan option. Alternatively, try Recuva with a similar scan option.
How to restore the file system flash drive without losing data step-by-step instruction! Flash cards have long established themselves as a reliable and compact medium of information, but even they sometimes fail. Fortunately, in most cases - all problems with flash drives can be solved on their own on the program level, with the help of special utilities. In this article we will tell you in detail how to restore flash drives from different manufacturers (such as Transcend, Kingston, Silicon Power, etc.) without resorting to the help of expensive service centers - at home.
What could happen to a flash drive, why doesn't the computer sees her?
Problems, due to which a laptop or computer does not detect a flash drive, can be completely different. The recovery of flash drives may be needed for the following reasons:
- USB port on the front face system Block not connected.
The main reason for all problems. Often users insert a flash drive to the port that is located in front of the computer, because it is quite convenient. But there are situations when when assembling this port is not connected to the motherboard. The result will be non-working connectors in front - both USB port and, for example, input for headphones.
- Faulty flash drive.
The second of "popularity" is the reason. Flashki also have a valid, after which they will inevitably break. The main problem is brave.
- Virus.
Unfortunately, in our time, it is almost impossible to completely avoid infection. When copying data from a computer containing a virus, the situation can develop in two ways:
a) not visible the contents of the flash drive;
b) not visible the flash drive itself.
An option is still possible that the infected computer simply will not detect the USB flash drive.
- Problem with drivers.
An extremely rare problem, but still worth checking this chance.
- conflicting various file systems.
There are cases when on the flash drive installed file system Fat, and on a laptop or computer - NTFS. These file systems can conflict, as a result, the computer will not see the USB flash drive.
- Disabled USB port.
There is a possibility that the port is defective into which it is connected, not a flash drive.
How to restore the File System Flashki?
Once your flash drive can stop working, and when you try to open the contents, you will see a message "No access. The file or folder is damaged. Reading is impossible. " In this case, you will not have the ability to copy data from it or do something else.
If you open my computer and trigger the flash drive menu, you will see that the file system will be an unusual RAW, and not familiar FAT or NTFS.
USB recovery flash drives can be made with the program. IN free version The user has the ability to restore files up to 1 gigabyte.
After you run the program, select the disk and files from which you are going to restore files. You should choose a flash drive. Show all the folders and files on it. Select all the files you want to restore and press the Blue Save Files button. The utility will specify where to save the recovered files and once again ask you to not write the data on the same flash drive from which the restoration occurs.
After that will be copied. The duration of the process will depend on the size and number of files.
After the operation is completed, you will see the corresponding information message.
Check all data on readability. If everything went successfully, format the USB flash drive and copy the data to it.
The American enterprise Sandisk is primarily known to the fact that it produces memory cards for various electronics: cameras, players, phones. It takes a considerable part of this niche and owns large quantity various developments and patents. For example, CompactFlash format memory cards were developed by SanDisk employees. The SD format was developed in conjunction with Matsushita Electric and Toshiba.
In parallel with memory cards, fast and comfortable flash drives are also produced. Their distinctive feature is a bright design with black and red elements. Most likely, you will never need to restore the SanDisk flash drive. The company produces very reliable memory chips, but no electronics is insured against various errors due to frequent use, voltage jumps and improper operation.
Often you can meet errors related to writing, improper definition of the device, determining the incorrect amount of memory, the presence of broken blocks and other faults that are characteristic of all drives of this class. You can solve them using a specially designed program for repair and restoring SanDisk flash drives. It was designed just for such cases. The chance of data recovery, albeit not 100%, but large enough.
You will not need any additional utilities and instructions. You just need to connect the USB flash drive, download the program to restore the flash drive, and run it.
With the right selection of software for repair, you can repair almost any flash drive. SanDisk is one of the most reliable manufacturers, so you will not have to think about faults.
Programs and utilities for the restoration of USB or micro SD flash drives
The most efficient and popular programs to restore Micro SD format flash drives.
- CardRecovery;
- AusLogics File Recovery;
- R.Saver;
- Pandora Recovery;
- DMDE;
- Hetman Uneraser;
- HETMAN FILE REPAIR;
- Smart Image Recovery;
- SoftorBits Flash Drive Recovery;
- Magic Uneraser;
- Stellar Phoenix;
- Winhex;
- RS File Recovery;
- Photoculator;
- Starus File Recovery;
- Back2life.
Basic utilities for recovery flash drive:
- Program from the manufacturer to restore flashki Silicon. Power;
- ADATA;
- D-SOFT FLASH DOCTOR;
- Chip Genius.
The last three are perfectly suitable for the recovery of Kingston flash drives.
In this instruction, I will describe all methods known to me to solve this problem. First, they will go the simplest and, at the same time, the most effective methods In most situations, when the computer does not see a flash drive, reports that the disc is not formatted or gives other errors. There are also separate instructions on.
There are many reasons why you may encounter the fact that the computer does not see the flash drive. The problem may appear in any version of the operating system from Microsoft - Windows 10, 8, Windows 7 or XP. If the computer does not recognize the connected USB flash drive, it can manifest itself in several variations.
Run the disk management utility in one of the following ways:
- Start - Run (Win + R), enter the command diskmgmt.msc. , Press ENTER
- Control Panel - Administration - Computer Management - Disc Control
In the disk management window, pay attention, whether the flash drive appears and disappears when it is connected and disabled from the computer.
The perfect option - if the computer sees the connected USB flash drive and all sections on it (usually one) are "FIX". In this case, it is enough to click on it with the right mouse button, select in the context menu "Make the section Active", and, perhaps, assign the letter to the flash drive - this will be enough to "see" USB disk. If the section is faulty or deleted, then in the status you will see "not distributed". Try clicking on it with the right mouse button and, if such an item is found in the menu, select "Create a simple Tom" to create a partition and formatting a flash drive (data will be deleted).
Further simple action
Try to enter the device manager and see if your device is displayed as an unknown, or in the "Other Devices" section (as in the screenshot) - the drive may be called there its real name or as a USB storage device.
Click on the device with the right mouse button, select Delete, and after you delete it in the Device Manager, select Action - update the equipment configuration.
Perhaps already this action will be enough for your flash drive to appear in windows Explorer and was available.
Among other things, the following options are possible. If you connect a flash drive to a computer via a broadcaster or USB-hub, try to connect directly. Try connecting to all available USB ports. Try to turn off the computer, disconnect from USB all foreign devices (webcams, external hard drives, card readers, printer), leave only keyboard, mouse and flash drive, then turn on the computer. If after this flash drive earned, then the problem is in nutrition on USB portah computers - perhaps lack power supply power supply PC. Possible Solution - Replace the power supply or purchase a USB hub with its own power source.
Windows 10 does not see a flash drive after upgrading or installation (suitable for Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10)
Many users have encountered a problem not displaying USB drives after upgrading to Windows 10 from previous OS, or after a simple installation of updates to already installed Windows 10. It often happens that flash drives only on USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 are not visible - i.e. It can be assumed that you are required for USB drivers. However, in fact, often, such behavior is caused by non-drivers, but incorrect entries in the register of previously connected USB drives.In this case, can help free utility USBOBLIVION removing from the Windows registry all information about previously connected flash drives and external hard disks. Before using the program, I recommend.
Disable all flash drives and other USB storage devices from a computer, run the program, overeat the items to make real cleaning and save the cancel file, then click the "Clean" button.
After cleaning is completed, restart the computer and connect the USB flash drive, it is likely to be determined and will become available. If not, then try to go to the device manager (through the right click on the start button) and do the steps to uSB removal Drive from the Other Devices section and the subsequent update of the equipment configuration (described above). Download USBOBLIVION program from the official developer page: www.cherubicsoft.com/projects/usboblivion
But, as applied to Windows 10, another option is possible - actual incompatibility uSB drivers 2.0 or 3.0 (as a rule, then they are displayed with an exclamation mark in the device manager). In this case, the recommendation is to check for availability. required drivers USB and chipset on the official website of the manufacturer of a laptop or PC motherboard. At the same time, I recommend using the official sites of the manufacturers of the devices themselves, and not the Intel or AMD sites to search for such drivers, especially if we are talking about laptops. Also, sometimes the problem helps to solve and update the BIOS motherboard.
If the flash drive sees Windows XP
The most common situation for me when calling for configuring and repairing computers, when a computer with operating room installed on it windows system XP has not seen a flash drive (even if it sees other flash drives), it was caused by the fact that it was not set to the necessary updates to work with USB drives. The fact is that in many organizations a Windows XP is used, while often in the SP2 version. Updates, due to restrictions on access to the Internet or bad work system administratorhave not been installed.
So, if you have Windows XP and the computer does not see the USB flash drive:
- In case SP2 is installed, perform an update to the SP3 version (when updating, in case you have installed Internet Explorer. 8, remove it).
- Install all Windows XP updates, regardless of which Service Pack is used.
Here are some of the fixes with USB flash drives, published in windows updates XP:
- KB925196 - Fixed bugs manifested in the fact that the computer does not define the connected USB flash drive or iPod.
- KB968132 - Fixed bugs when when connecting multiple USB devices in Windows XP, they stopped functioning normally
- KB817900 - USB port stopped working after pulling out and re-insert a flash drive
- KB895962 - USB flash drive stops working when the printer is turned off
- KB314634 - The computer sees only old flash drives that connected earlier and does not see new
- KB88740 - Rundll32.exe error when you insert or pull out a flash drive
- Kb871233 - the computer does not see a flash drive, if you just had in sleep or hibernation mode
- KB312370 (2007) - uSB support 2.0 in Windows XP
By the way, despite the fact that Windows Vista is almost anywhere in use, it should be noted that the installation of all updates should also be the first step in the event of a similar problem.
Fully remove old USB drivers
This option is suitable, if the computer writes "Insert the disk" when you insert a USB USB flash drive. Old USB drivers available in Windows can cause such a problem, as well as errors associated with the letter assignment to the letter. In addition, it can be the reason that the computer restarts or hangs when you insert a USB flash drive in the USB port.
The fact is that by the default of Windows Installs drivers for USB drives at the moment when you first connect them to the appropriate port of the computer. At the same time, when the flash drive turns off from the port, the driver does not go anywhere and remains in the system. When connecting a new flash drive, conflicts caused by the fact that Windows will try to use earlier installed drivercorresponding to this USB port, but another USB drive. I will not go into details, but just describe the steps you need to delete these drivers (in the dispatcher windows devices You will not see them).
How to delete drivers for all USB devices
- Turn off the computer and disconnect all storage devices (not only) USB devices (flash drives, external hard drives, card readers, webcams and others. Mouse and keyboard can be left, provided that they do not have a built-in card reader.
- Turn on the computer again.
- Download the DRIVERCLEANUP utility http://uwe-sieber.de/files/drivecluanup.zip (compatible with Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8)
- Copy the 32-bit or 64-bit version of DriveCleanup.exe (depending on your windows version) In the C: \\ Windows \\ System32 folder.
- Launch command line on behalf of the administrator and enter driveCleanup.eXE
- You will see the removal process of all drivers and records about them in the Windows registry.
At the end of the program, restart the computer. Now that you insert a flash drive, Windows will install new drivers for it.
Update 2016: It is easier to perform an operation to remove USB drive mounting points with drives free program USBOBLIVION, as described above in the section About Disabled Flashki in Windows 10 (the program will also work for other versions of Windows).
Reinstalling USB devices in Windows Device Manager
If nothing of the described above has not yet helped, while the computer does not see any flash drives at all, and not just one specific, you can try the following way:
- Go to the Device Manager by pressing the Win + R keys and entering Devmgmt.msc
- In the Device Manager, open USB Controllers
- Delete (through the right click) All devices with the root USB navigation concentrator, USB Host Controller or Generic USB Hub.
- In the Device Manager, select In the Actions menu - update the hardware configuration.
After re-installing USB devices, check whether they earned USB drives On your computer or laptop.
Additional actions
- Check your computer to viruses - they can cause the inadequate behavior of USB devices
- Check the Windows registry, namely the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER \\ SOFTWARE \\ Microsoft \\ Windows \\ Currentversion \\ Policies \\ Explorer. If in this section you will see a parameter named nodrives, delete it and restart the computer.
- Go to the Windows Registry section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \\ SYSTEM \\ CURRENTCONTROLSET \\ CONTROL. If there is a StorageDevicePolicies parameter, delete it.
- In some cases, it helps full de-energization of the computer. You can do it like this: Turn off the flash drives, turn off the computer or laptop, turn off the outlet (or remove the battery, if it is a laptop), and then, on the computer off, press and hold the power button for a few seconds. After that, you postpone it, connect the power again and turn on. Oddly enough, it can sometimes help.
Restoring data from a flash drive that does not see the computer
In case management windows discs The computer displays a USB flash drive, but in the "not identified" state, "not initialized", and the partition on the flash drive is "not distributed", then most likely the data on the flash drive is damaged and you will need to use the data recovery.
It is worth remembering about several things that increase the likelihood of successful data recovery:
- Do not write anything to the flash drive you want to restore
- Do not attempt to save the recovered files to the same media, from where they are restored
If nothing helped, and your computer does not see the flash drive, and the files and data saved on it are very important, then the latest recommendation will contact the company professionally dealing with files and data.
Many users neglect the safe removal of flash drives, as a result of which the drives stop working correctly: do not recognize the system, require formatting, does not read / writes data, it shows an incorrect amount (for example, 14 GB instead of 16 GB). If you encountered a similar problem, then the question is how to restore the flash drive, for sure will become relevant for you.
Is it possible to restore the working capacity of the flash drive?
Someone may seem that the recovery of the flash drive is a meaningless occupation. DrissCend, Kingston, A-Data and other manufacturers filled the market, making a flash memory cheap. Memory cards and flash drives from 8 GB to 32 GB are not as expensive so that it is impossible to calmly throw them away and buy new media. However, old flash drives and micro SD memory cards are usually not thrown away at all: they lie in the table and wait for their recovery.
Recovery is possible if the flash drive or memory card does not "died" finally (usually death occurs when the controller is combustion).
But if the drive is simply not defined or displays incorrect volume, then the reason for such behavior is most often the failed controller firmware. How to restore a flash drive after such a failure, we will analyze in detail below.
Saving information and search for the desired software
If on the flash drive or the SD card is stored important information, Before firmware and restore the controller (and with it and the performance of the drive), it is necessary to extract data. You can do this with the PHOTOREC utility that can work with media that do not define the file system.
After removing the necessary information from the SD card or flash drive, you can start searching the utility for the firmware of the controller. But to flash the controller, you first need to determine its model. For this we use the Checkudisk utility (distributed free of charge) and site FlashBoot.ru:
After completing the inspection and receipt necessary information (VID PID Drive) It is necessary to download the utility to refund flash drive or SD drive. Go to FlashBoot.ru and open the IFLASH tab. Here you need to enter the VID PID values \u200b\u200band find the desired manufacturer of the memory card or flash drive (HP, Generic Flash Disk, Protex, Oltramax, SmartBuy, etc.). 
If your model is a flash drive or SD memory card in the database online servicebut no, nothing terrible: the main thing is to match the VID PID and the manufacturer. If the required data coincided, then you need to get information about the exact controller model for its firmware and recovery, as well as the name of the appropriate utility. 
The table has a "controller" and "utility" columns. You need to pay attention to the volume - the controllers of flash drives and SD cards on 16 GB and 32 GB may differ. You need to copy the full name of the utility and download it through the "Files" section on the FlashBoot.ru website or from another source. Often, along with the recovery program, the instructions for its use is loaded, with which it is desirable to carefully read.
Firmware controller
Suppose you have a 16 GB flash drive of the Protec volume. You find it vid PID through the online IFLASH service and download the free controller firmware utility. What to do next? Conduct action to restore the flash drive (SD memory card).
Universal instruction for restoring all flash drives:
If the firmware passes successfully, then you should see the positive status of the flash drive - "OK" or "Good". If the error code appears during the operation, the error code will appear: its decoding can be found in the help of the utility found on the VID PID, or on other online services.
Restoring any flash drives (SD cards) is made approximately by one diagram, but the instruction may differ slightly for different utilities: you need a VID PID to find a program for the controller firmware and run the USB drive recovery. 
To restore the flash drive, you must additionally carry out its formatting. You can perform it standard means Windows or with special programs. It is recommended to run full, not fast formatting. It will take a little more time (especially if the drive exceeds 16 GB), but you will be sure that the flash drive is now completely clean and efficient.
