USB flash drives are reliable devices, but there is always a risk of breakage. The reason for this may be incorrect operation, firmware failure, unsuccessful formatting, and so on. In any case, if this is not physical damage, you can try to repair it with software tools.

The problem is that not every tool is suitable for repairing a specific flash drive, and using the wrong utility can permanently disable it. But knowing the VID and PID of the drive, you can determine the type of its controller and select the appropriate program.

VID is used to identify the manufacturer, PID is the identifier of the device itself. Accordingly, each controller on the removable drive is labeled with these values. True, some unscrupulous manufacturers may neglect the paid registration of ID numbers and assign them simply at random. But mostly it concerns cheap Chinese products.

First, make sure that the flash drive is somehow detected by the computer: a characteristic sound is heard when connected, it is visible in the list of connected devices, displayed in "Task Manager"(perhaps as an unknown device) and so on. Otherwise, there is little chance not only to determine the VID and PID, but also to restore the media.

ID-numbers can be quickly determined using specialized programs. Alternatively, you can use "Device Manager" or just disassemble the USB flash drive and find information on its “insides”.

Please note that MMC, SD, MicroSD cards do not have VID and PID values. Applying one of the methods to them, you will get only the IDs of the card reader.

Method 1: ChipGenius

Perfectly reads basic technical information not only from flash drives, but also from many other devices. Interestingly, ChipGenius has its own database of VIDs and PIDs to give you guessed device information when it fails to poll the controller for some reason.

To use this program, do the following:

1. Run her. Select the flash drive at the top of the window.
2. Bottom opposite value "USB Device ID" You will see VID and PID.

Please note: older versions of the program may not work correctly - download the latest ones (you can find just such one at the link above). Also, in some cases, it refuses to work with USB 3.0 ports.

Method 2: Flash Drive Information Extractor

This program gives more detailed information about the drive, of course, including VID and PID.

After you have downloaded the program, do the following:

Method 3: USBDeview

The main function of this program is to display a list of all devices ever connected to this PC. Additionally, you can get detailed information about them.

Instructions for use are as follows:

Method 4: ChipEasy

An intuitive utility that allows you to get comprehensive information about the flash drive.

After downloading, do the following:

1. Run the program.
2. Select the desired drive in the top field.
3. Below you will see all its technical data. VID and PID are in the second line. You can select and copy them "CTRL+C").

Method 5: CheckUDisk

A simple utility that displays basic information about the drive.

Further instruction:

1. Run the program.
2. At the top, select the flash drive.
3. Check out the data below. VID and PID are located on the second line.

Method 6: Studying the Board

When none of the methods helps, then you can take drastic measures and open the case of the flash drive, if possible. VID and PID You may not find it there, but the marking on the controller has the same value. The controller is the most important part of the USB drive, it is black and square in shape.


What to do with these values?

Now you can start using the information received and find an effective utility for working with your flash drive. To do this, use where users themselves form a database of such programs.

There are many factors that lead to the fact that flash drives refuse to work. In this article, we will consider not the reasons, but ways to return products to full functioning. To do this, we will study the process of how to flash a USB flash drive using special utilities.

The USB drive formatting function is not available, the operating system software signals errors, and special utilities do not give the desired result? You can restore the functioning of the product by flashing a flash drive, or rather, flashing a flash drive controller.

Firmware is usually called firmware, which consists of service information on microcircuits and controller microcode. This microcode is embedded in the product during the manufacture of the gadget at the factory. The service can overwrite many times during operation.

Performing a software repair (repeating the factory steps) consists of the following:

• Cleaning.
• Memory testing.
• The process of compiling new translation tables, their subsequent recording in the service fields.

All of the above actions are "low-level formatting".

For such work, utilities for controller models have a strict specialization. Because of this, the repairman needs to find the appropriate one for a particular instance. Chip options may vary in different batches. In some cases, you have to sort through more than a dozen options.

Definition of type (brand)

Before the flash drive is flashed, it is required to determine the PID, VID values ​​​​for it. With their help, you can find out the model by which the technological program for repair will be determined. To determine the model, the easiest way is to look at the marking after opening the case. A more gentle way is to use software methods.

Special software is used that recognizes any USB flash drive to find the manufacturer's identifier (VID code) and product identifier (PID code). For example, let's take the Flash Drive Information Extractor program (there are many other software).

After the application installation process, run the GetFlashInfo.exe file. Then we click on "Get data" and the user will be presented with a report with the codes of interest.

Based on the received VID and PID data, we determine the controller and software (UTILS) in the iFlash database so that the flash drive controller is flashed.

With a similar controller, other devices will be presented in the list. Of these, more similar ones are intuitively selected. Now you need to find the utility, enter the found name in the search engine. If the resource you are looking for is not found, you can turn to other sources or google. If the name is slightly different, everything should work out.

Choosing an operating system for technoutilities

Best of all, technological utilities work under Windows XP. Manufacturers are more conservative and do not chase after fashion. In the work it is necessary to install drivers and perform other "dangerous" actions. Therefore, you need to have administrator rights.

How to flash a flash drive found program?

First, turn off the drive, and then run the exe file of the downloaded and unpacked software (in our example, MPTool.exe).

In the archive, you need to look for the readmi.txt text file (read me). It may contain useful data, an instruction, or a link to a source with it. Google translate can translate English text.

When the application is launched, we connect the USB flash drive to the PC. Information about it will be shown in the program window. After pressing the "Start" button, the process of flashing the flash drive will begin, which is reflected in the yellow bar.

When the flashing is completed, an approving text will be displayed on a green background in one of the cells - OK.

Immediately the operating system will be prompted to format the disk. If the correct driver is installed on the computer, then everything can work out. If the driver is missing, then you need to detach / attach the drive. Then the necessary driver will be installed automatically, the flash drive will be displayed in the explorer, after which you can start formatting.

With other utilities, the actions may differ, but not so critical that the user cannot cope with the process.

Manufacturers began to add software to the general public, which is intended for repairing flash drives. To download what is necessary in a particular situation, select a model in the technical support section. Sometimes a serial number may be additionally required. Quite often, the serial number is requested by the program itself and checked using the Internet. It will not be superfluous to authenticate using the SerialCheck software, since fakes are all around us.

For almost all models, you can restore functionality by using proprietary software. It is possible to find similar situations on the forums. The process of flashing the controller of the Chinese flash drive has no differences, except for its smaller capacity compared to the declared one. A flash drive can be unrepairable if the brand of the controller is unrecognized.

SanDisk flash drives are in difficult situations. This is due to the conduct of their corporate policy. The company itself performs a full production cycle, starting with the development of non-standard solutions and ending with implementation. There is no repair software for them.

Kingston Format Utility is a proprietary utility that is designed to format Kingston USB drives. In general, the program was released specifically for "flash drives" of the HyperX DTHX30 / XXGB series, but, nevertheless, it supports any other drives from this manufacturer. Compared to standard Windows formatting tools, this program demonstrates a much higher speed. It has no other significant advantages.

Kingston Format Utility can convert media file system to FAT32 and NTFS. Both of these file systems have their advantages and disadvantages. We will not go into them now, but only note that FAT32 is better suited for storing small files, and NTFS for large ones. Moreover, drives in FAT32 format have a limitation that does not allow files larger than 4 GB to be written to them, which must be considered when choosing a file system before starting the formatting process.

All the necessary utility controls are concentrated in one small window where you can select the desired media (if there are several connected) and specify the source file system. Formatting will begin immediately after pressing the "Format" key. The program works with media of any size and does not need to be installed. The only thing you need to do before launching it is to unpack the downloaded archive.

Key features and functions

• quick formatting of USB-drives from the manufacturer Kingston;
• support for NTFS and FAT32 file systems;
• work in portable mode;
• a minimum of controls in the main application window;
• faster performance than the standard Windows format tool.

Flash drives from Kingston, due to their reliability, long service life and relative cheapness, are very popular. But, like any other technique, they are not protected from various breakdowns and failures. The drive sometimes really "dies", and it is not possible to restore it. Although the situation is more common when a flash drive can be brought back to life with the help of special utilities.

In this article, we will tell you several effective ways to restore a Kingston flash drive.

Is it possible to restore

Here are a few signs that a flash drive can be recovered:

• the system prompts you to format the removable disk;
• a notification appears when a USB flash drive is connected that a new device has been detected;
• errors occur when writing data and reading;
• the drive shows up in explorer but doesn't open.

These problems are eliminated by formatting the media or flashing the controller, but if there is important information on the drive, then you must try to “pull it out” before starting the recovery procedures.

Controller firmware

To restore a Kingston flash drive, you will need a special utility, and in order not to make a mistake and download the correct program, you need to find out the controller model.

One of the ways to obtain the necessary information is the Flash Drive Information Extractor program.

• on the flashboot.ru website, go to the iFlash section;
• enter the PID and VID value in the corresponding windows and click Search.

Press the get data button, a report with PID and VID lines will appear. Their value is used to search for utilities for the correct recovery of the Kingston Datatraveler flash drive.

Using the FLASH MODEL and FLASH VENDOR columns, find your flash drive and see which utility fits the drive's controller.

Programs for flash drive recovery Kingston

Of course, you can find the necessary utility without knowing the controller model. To do this, it is enough to type the query “recovery utilities” in the browser search engine. There are several applications in the results, among which the following recovery tools are sure to be.

The problem is that Kingston flash drive recovery utilities only work if they are compatible with the controller that is installed in the drive. Therefore, if you download the first utility that comes across, you can expect that it will not detect the connected USB flash drive.

When the necessary program is found and installed, you can proceed to the recovery procedure. Just be sure to first read the instructions, which are usually packaged with the utility in the archive, to find out if there is a special procedure for the recovery program.

Kingston Format Utility

This is a proprietary utility designed to format Kingston flash drives. Initially, the program was released specifically for the HyperX DTHX30/XXGB USB series. Nevertheless, it supports any drives from this manufacturer. This program, compared to other standard formatting tools, demonstrates higher speed.

Kingston with this utility happens by converting the media file system to NTFS and FAT32. Both of these systems have their advantages and disadvantages. We only note that FAT32 is better for storing small files, and NTFS is better for large ones. In addition, FAT32 format drives have restrictions that will not allow you to write files larger than 4 GB. This must be taken into account before starting formatting and choosing a file system.

All the necessary program controls are concentrated in one window, where the required media is selected (if there are several connected) and the source file system is indicated. As soon as you click the Format button, formatting will begin.

The program does not need to be installed and works with drives of any size.

Key features:

• quick format drives from Kingston;
• work in portable mode;
• support for FAT32 and NTFS file systems;
• in the main window, a minimum of controls;
• high speed compared to other formatting tools.

Recovery flash drive Kingston

Hetman Uneraser is designed to recover files deleted from various media. The application supports work with almost any storage media - USB-devices, hard drives, memory cards, cell phones.

The list of supported file systems includes VFAT, NTFS, and FAT 12/16/32. Hetman Uneraser is able to recover office documents, multimedia files, emails, photos, RAR and ZIP archives, etc.

You can also try to recover not only deleted information, but also data from damaged and already formatted media.

USB Drive Antivirus Utility

Designed for all those who worry about and care about the security of their computer and its file system as a whole. There are many different types of spyware and viruses currently available that, if they penetrate your computer, will delete all your data or steal passwords and confidential information. Therefore, it is recommended to pay special attention to the exchange of information with partners and friends via USB drives.

All antiviruses usually slow down the system, take up a lot of space, and also spend a lot of your system resources to work. USB Drive Antivirus Portable does not require installation and runs directly from a USB drive or other removable media, consuming a minimum amount of RAM and other resources.

The program is perfect for recovering a Kingston dtse9 flash drive, it eliminates the possibility of any conflicts with anti-virus software and is fully compatible with it.

This utility will detect and remove all the latest spyware and virus programs that can get onto your computer through removable devices. As soon as a USB drive is connected, the application automatically scans the device for malware, viruses and suspicious files.

Low Level Format Tool

Judging by the numerous user reviews, this program does an excellent job with damaged Kingston media. It works at a low level, so it is quite successful in its functions. This applies not only to drives from Kingston. Just note that the utility will format the flash drive and restore its functionality, but the data from it will not.

The advantages of the utility users include:

• work with all types of media (removable drives, SD cards, hard drives, flash drives);
• completely resets the information on the drive.

Flaws:

• the free version has formatting speed limits;
• after the formatting operation, it is necessary to initialize the device;
• only English interface.

USB flash drive is not recognized as a disk when connected to a computer or laptop? Can't you write anything on it? And even formatting the flash drive does not work? Basically, all is not lost. Most likely, the problem lies in the controller. But we'll fix it. And everything will take a maximum of 5-10 minutes.

The only caveat is that restoring the performance of a flash drive is possible only if it does not have any mechanical damage (+ it displayed in device manager). That is, if you disabled it not through "Safely Remove" (or something like that), then this can be fixed. At the very least, it's worth at least trying to restore a non-working flash drive.

How to restore the performance of a flash drive

Even if it seems that the USB flash drive has come to an end, you should not take it in for repair. And even more so throw it away. First, you can try to recover a damaged flash drive.

The instruction works for all USB flash drives: Silicon Power, Kingston, Transcend, Data Traveler, A-Data, etc. It can be used to restore the file system and fix any problems (except for mechanical damage).

So, the first thing you need to do is determine the parameters of the USB flash drive. Or rather, its VID and PID. Based on this information, you can determine the brand of the controller, and then choose a utility that will help restore a damaged flash drive.

To find out these parameters, do the following:

1. Connect the flash drive to a PC or laptop and go to Start - Control Panel - Device Manager.
2. Find the "USB Controllers" section.
3. Double click on it and look for "USB Mass Storage Device". This is your flash drive (I remind you that it must be connected to the computer).
4. Right click on it and select "Properties".
5. In the new window, go to the "Details" tab.
6. In the "Property" field, select the item "Hardware ID" (or "Instance Code").

   

7. See the VID and PID values ​​and remember them.
   
8. Next, go to the site http://flashboot.ru/iflash/, enter your values ​​​​at the top of the site and click the "Search" button ("Search").
   
9. Look for the model of your USB flash drive (by manufacturer and amount of memory). In the right column "Utils" there will be the name of the program with which you can try to restore a non-working flash drive.
   

After that, it remains to find this utility by name or follow the link (if any) and download it.

Restoring Kingstone, Silicon Power, Transcend and other models is easy: just run the program and follow the instructions.

What to do if you have not found a suitable utility for your model? To do this, go to Google or Yandex and write something like this: “Silicon Power 4 GB VID 090C PID 1000” (of course, you should specify the parameters of your flash drive here). And then look what the search engine found.

Never use programs that are not suitable for the VID and PID parameters of your controller! Otherwise, you will “kill” the flash drive completely, and it will no longer be possible to restore it.

In most cases, recovering a damaged flash drive is successful. And after that it will be determined when connected to a PC or laptop.

This is how you repair a flash drive with your own hands using a free utility.

And most importantly: in this way it is possible to restore a damaged flash drive in 80% of cases. While most specialized programs may not be able to cope with this task.