Good day!

If your flash drive began to fail constantly: it is not formatted, when connected to a computer - it often freezes, when copying files to it - errors fly out, but it was not subjected to mechanical stress - there is a CHANCE to restore its performance!

It would be nice if, when connecting a flash drive, it was somehow detected, for example: a connection sound is emitted, the flash drive is displayed in "my computer", an LED blinks on it, etc. If the computer does not see the USB flash drive at all, then first I recommend that you familiarize yourself with this article:

Generally, give universal instruction, how and with what program what to do to restore the USB flash drive - it's impossible! But in this small article I will try to give an algorithm that will help, even novice users, to deal with the problem and solve it.

Recovery of the USB flash drive // ​​step by step

Defining the controller model

It turned out, by the will of fate, I had one flash drive, which Windows refused to format - an error took off "Windows cannot complete formatting"... The flash drive, according to the owner's assurances, did not fall, water did not get on it, and in general, it was treated rather carefully ...

All that was clear upon examining it was that it was 16 GB and its brand was SmartBuy. When connected to a PC, the LED turned on, the flash drive was detected and was visible in the explorer, but it worked with malfunctions.

SmartBuy 16 GB - "experimental" non-working flash drive

To restore normal operation of the flash drive, you need to reflash the controller microcircuit. This is done with special utilities, and for each type of controller - its own utility! If the utility is chosen incorrectly, then with a high degree of probability, you will spoil the USB flash drive completely ... I will say even more, for one lineup flash drives - there may be different controllers!

Each device have their own unique identification numbers - VID and PID , and the flash drive is no exception. To choose the correct utility for flashing, you need to determine these identification numbers (and according to them the controller model).

One of the easiest ways to find out the VID, PID, and controller model of a flash drive is to use special utilities. One of the best of its kind is .

Flash Drive Information Extractor

Small free utility, for getting as much information about the flash drive as possible. You don't need to install it!

The program will determine the model of the USB stick, the model and the type of memory (all modern flash drives are supported, at least from normal manufacturers) ...

The program will work even in cases where the file system of the flash drive is not detected, when the computer freezes when the media is connected.

Received information:

• controller model;
• possible variants of memory chips installed in the flash drive;
• type of installed memory;
• manufacturer's declared maximum current consumption;
• USB version;
• full physical disk space;
• the amount of disk reported by the operating system;
• VID and PID;
• Query Vendor ID;
• Query Product ID;
• Query Product Revizion;
• Controller Revision;
• Flash ID (not for all configurations);
• Chip F / W (for some controllers), etc.

Important! The program only works with USB sticks. MP3 players, phones and other devices - it does not recognize. It is advisable, before starting the program, to leave only one USB flash drive connected to the USB ports, from which you want to get the most information.

Working with Flash Drive Information Extractor

1. We disconnect from the USB ports everything that is connected (at least all drives: players, external hard drives etc.).
2. Insert the flash drive to be repaired into the USB port;
3. We launch the program;
4. Press the button "Get information about a USB flash drive" ;
5. After a while, we get as much information about the drive as possible (see the screenshot below).
6. If the program is frozen- do nothing or close it. Remove the USB flash drive in a couple of minutes from the USB port, the program should "hang", and you will see all the information that it managed to pull out from the USB flash drive ...

Now we know the information about the flash drive and can start looking for the utility.

USB flash drive information:

• VID: 13FE; PID: 4200;
• Controller model: Phison 2251-68 (second line in the screenshot above);
• SmartBuy 16 GB.

Addition

You can reliably determine the controller model if you disassemble the USB flash drive. True, not every body of a flash drive is collapsible, and not every one can then be assembled back.

Usually, you need a knife and a screwdriver to open the case of a flash drive. When opening the case, be careful not to damage the inside of the flash drive. An example of a controller is shown in the screenshot below.

Disassembled flash drive. Controller model: VLI VL751-Q8

Appendix 2

You can find out the VID and PID of the flash drive using the device manager (in this case, nothing needs to be installed). True, in this case, we will not recognize the controller model, and there is some risk that by VID and PID it will not be possible to accurately identify the controller. And nevertheless, suddenly the above utility will freeze and give no information at all ...

How to find a utility for flashing a flash drive

Important! After flashing the flash drive, all information on it will be deleted!

1) Knowing the controller model - you can simply use the search engines (Google, Yandex, for example) and find the one you need.

The work algorithm is as follows:

1. We go to the site:
2. We enter our VID and PID into the search bar and search;
3. In the list of results, you will most likely find dozens of lines. Among them, you need to find a line that matches: controller model, your manufacturer, VID and PID, flash drive size .
4. Further in the last column - you will see the recommended utility. By the way, note that the version of the utility also matters! It remains to download the required utility and apply it.

After you find and download the utility you need, run it and format the media - in my case, you only had to press one button - Restore .

Formatter SiliconPower v3.13.0.0 // Format and Restore. An end-user utility designed for both low-level and high-level (FAT32) formatting of flash drives on Phison PS2251-XX controllers.

After a couple of minutes of blinking the LED on the flash drive, it began to work normally, messages from Windows about the impossibility of formatting did not appear anymore. Bottom line: the flash drive was restored (it became 100% working), and given to the owner.

This, in fact, is all. For additions on the topic - I will be grateful. Good Luck!

A flash drive is one of the options for a successful storage of content, which is required to complete production tasks and to organize your own leisure time. Flash drives can be of sufficient volume, allowing the user to accumulate large amounts of useful information, videos and photos. Unfortunately, it also happens that this reliable storage breaks down at one point, making it impossible to subsequently download the recorded material, or, of course, record new ones.

With the help of special utilities, you can reanimate the Sandisk drive.

Experienced users know that there are special programs with which it is possible to restore a USB flash drive, restore its operability, and, if necessary, restore files previously recorded on it.

Unfortunately, the Sandisk flash drive in solving such a problem is not the most successful example, since the manufacturer did not accompany it with special recovery programs. For this reason, sometimes you have to be zealous, surf the Internet before finding useful tips and even more so, the necessary programs. But do not rush to be disappointed, everything is not hopeless, in fact, you can use some programs that will help you successfully recover a Sandisk flash drive.

There are several options software to solve the problem with recovering your Sandisk flash drive. We invite you to try the capabilities of several utilities. Do not be confused that one of them is not focused on Sandisk flash drives, and the second is paid at all. These minor obstacles can be easily eliminated and the utilities can be customized to achieve the designated goal.

SanDisk RescuePRO Utility

SanDisk RescuePRO is a great tool for recovering Sandisk removable media. Surprisingly, the name of this utility practically corresponds to the name of removable media, but the manufacturers of these two products are completely different and have nothing in common. However, since the main problem for us is to find a program that will help restore the USB flash drive, the history of the creation of the SanDisk RescuePRO utility and its manufacturers can be omitted.

So, initially download it to your computer. This can be done from different sources, but so that you do not burden yourself with unnecessary additional hassle, we suggest that you go to the website of the LC Technology International company. It will be easiest to find and download such a utility on this site. Although you will have to fulfill some requirements. In particular, you will need to enter your personal data, indicating your email address, to which you will receive a link to download the utility.

Rather, initially you download the archive with the program. Unzip it and install the program itself. In most cases, the utility has an English-language interface, so we prompt you to find a button labeled "Wipe media".

By clicking on this button, you will be prompted to select the removable media that you want to format. Choose, indicate the path to it and start this process, after which all information will disappear from the media, and the drive itself will be restored.

It's so easy to restore the removable media to work if you download and install such a Sandisk flash drive recovery program.

Formatter Silicon Power Program

If your Sandisk flash drive stopped working, Formatter memory card recovery program Silicon power can try to bring her back to "life", only, unfortunately, not in all cases. Read the instructions for the Formatter Silicon Power program. It clearly states that it works with all removable media that PS2251-03 controllers have.

ADVICE. For this reason, if you connected your non-working USB flash drive to the computer, and the program does not want to see it and perform any actions, then the program does not work with this type of flash drive. You will have to use other options for solving the problem.

If, after connecting removable media and launching Formatter Silicon Power, the program window opens, you are in luck, then you can try to restore your digital drive to work. To do this, you just need to click on the "Format" button, the program will do the rest on its own, you just need to wait for the completion of its actions.

USB Disk Storage Format Tool

Another good option for recovering digital drives is USB program Disk Storage Format Tool. This program also benefits from the fact that it allows you not only to format the USB flash drive, restoring its performance, but also to check the drive, immediately correcting the errors found.

After you install the program, open it. In the opened dialog box at the top in the line "Device" select your USB flash drive. In the middle open window check the checkboxes next to the lines "Correct errors", "Scan drive" and "Check if dirty".

ADVICE. It is important to understand why you are checking these boxes. In particular, by confirming the need to execute the "Correct errors" parameter, you express your wishes regarding the correction of the detected errors.

The "Scan drive" parameter directs the program to scan your removable drive, and the "Check if dirty" parameter is designed to check the flash drive, even if it is damaged. Now just click on the "Check disk" button, after which the automatic process of correcting the detected errors will start, restoring the performance of your removable media.

Unfortunately, if at the end of the program your flash drive will not be detected by the computer, then you will have to start the program again, but this time click on the "Format Disk" button. At the end of the process, in most cases, the flash drive can be restored by breathing a second "life" into it.

On the Internet, you can find other ways to restore the performance of flash drives of this model. You can, of course, use alternative programs, after having thoroughly studied the recommendations regarding their use.

So, you were able to make sure that the process of recovering flash drives is not as complicated and difficult as it might seem initially to the ignorant. With strict adherence to all recommendations, everyone succeeds in formatting a removable drive.

Darning the firmware

Software malfunctions flash drives are quite common. In these cases, the drive externally intact, when connected to USB port gives signs of life - blinks with an indicator and is even detected in the OS, but does not give access to data. Identified logical drive has an incorrect capacity (zero, 512 bytes, 1 MB or a couple of terabytes), and each time it is accessed, messages are issued"Insert disc", "Perform formatting", "No access to disk"and stuff like that.

The main reason — a firmware failure, commonly referred to as firmware. The firmware consists of the controller microcode and service data on flash memory chips. The microcode is put into the controller at the manufacturing stage (usually it is a small masked ROM), it does not change during operation and rarely deteriorates - if only together with the chip (but then this is already a hardware problem). But the "service" ( it is primarily a translator, as well as memory parameters and various identifiers and flags) is rewritten quite often, which is why it is subject to all sorts of distortions.

Most often, problems are caused by power failures at a time when the controller is busy with some kind of internal flash memory operation. For example, it writes updated service fields there or rebuilds the translator (a routine procedure for leveling out wear). Note that the activity indicator does not light up at the same time, that is, from the user's point of view, the flash drive does nothing and it is not necessary to stand on ceremony with it. And now it is unexpectedly removed from the USB port, or there is a voltage drop of 5 V (the reason is a weak PC power supply, and more often a bad contact in a loose connector), or static breaks through to the case, causing the controller to freeze.

In all these cases, the write operation remains incomplete, and the data in the flash memory is inconsistent, which leads to unpleasant consequences. First of all, the integrity of the translator suffers - holes are formed in it, and uniform addressing is violated. The next time it is turned on, the controller will detect the problem and lock the memory. "A hundred times I pulled out a flash drive just like that, and no problems, and here you are - such a bummer!" Is a typical reaction of an unlucky owner.

There is another reason for the failure of flash drives associated with the increase in the number of bad cells. Modern flash memory such as MLC / TLC NAND is rather unreliable, and a significant reserve in capacity is laid in the chips. This means that as the failure occurs, the defective blocks are promptly (via the translator) replaced with backup ones, and such reassignments are invisible to the OS. Defect management is one of the main functions of the firmware, and if the intensity of the "remap" exceeds a certain threshold, then the firmware itself sets a lock to prevent further damage.

Sometimes the flash drive is blocked more gently - only for writing. The data is visible and readable, but when trying to create a file, erase or format, a message is displayed "The disk is write-protected"... Such a move on the part of the controller is quite reasonable - NAND memory is damaged mainly during writing, and reading in light cases can be left. In addition, damage to the user is minimized. Often memory cards behave this way: for example, for a degrading microSD, spontaneous switching to read-only mode is almost a common thing.

It happens that a bad area on a flash drive (often of a small size, about 0.2-4 MB) not only does not lead to blocking, but also does not give errors when writing and then reading data. But what is read is completely different from what was written down. For the user, it looks like an unexplained corruption of one or more files caught in the defect. You can check the drive like this: create a non-empty file the size of a USB flash drive on your hard disk, copy it entirely to it and compare both files in binary mode (command fc / b on Windows). If there is at least one mismatch, the flash drive is unreliable.

Such "field tests", however, do not give full confidence in the serviceability of the device. For comprehensive testing of flash drives (not only USB drives, but also any memory cards), a number of special utilities have been created, such as Flashnul 1.0rc1, Flash Drive Tester 1.14, MyDiskTest 2.50, H2testw 1.4, and Flash Memory Toolkit 2.01. They are compact, easy to use, have broad diagnostic, but at the same time destructive capabilities. By negligence, you can screw up (for example, overwrite HDD), so that the user is required to be careful and familiar with the documentation, especially for Flashnul, which runs in console mode. But the utilities can easily identify defective and unstable sectors (in common parlance - bad blocks), broadcast failures, real performance, and, importantly, fakes. After all, flash drives and cards with a controller flashed for a larger capacity are a constant assortment of Chinese bazaars and Internet flea markets.

In all the cases described, the problematic flash drive needs to be repaired. Software repair includes cleaning and then testing all available flash memory, compiling a new translation table and writing it to the service area (usually at fixed addresses). These actions are often referred to as "low-level formatting". All other service information on the chips is also updated.

Exactly the same actions are taken when initializing a new, just assembled flash drive at the factory, so for repair, as a rule, production utilities of the MPTool class are used.MP here means Mass Production, and the prefix is ​​given for a reason: "tool" can work simultaneously with 8 or even with 16 drives. Another thing is that outside the factory conveyor, such opportunities are useless and only complicate life.

The utilities are strictly, even excessively strictly specialized in the models and modifications of the controllers, so you need to look for a version suitable for this instance, and even so that it understands the available flash memory (this is sometimes even more important). Unfortunately, there are no universal recipes here. On flash drives of the same model, versions of controllers and variants of memory chips change almost from batch to batch, so ready-made solutions from the forums often do not work and you have to look for your own. Sometimes all that remains for the repairman is a patient search of a dozen or two utilities of one category or another, plus games with settings (a separate pleasure with an ini-file size of fifty lines, where the meaning of many parameters is vague).

Settings for one of the production utilities. There are five such tabs with parameters

This class of technological software, of course, was not intended for wide distribution, and even 5-6 years ago it was not easy to get the necessary programs. And with their not very friendly interface and the absence of sane documentation, the task was further complicated. But demand gives rise to supply: since then, the Chinese have pulled off and made public almost everything that a repairman needs, and our enthusiasts have created a non-commercial resource flashboot.ru, on which almost all available repair utilities are freely available (with the exception of, perhaps, the oldest versions, dating back to the days of 64MB flash drives).

You can find other useful directories on the Web, for example usb-disk.ru/prog.php and rdm.kiev.ua/pages/utils/flash. They contain "flash" software of various origins, including proprietary software that has long since disappeared from official sites. Some of the utilities are irrelevant (refer to obsolete models or solve narrow tasks such as creating a password-protected partition on a USB flash drive), but the rest may well be useful when repairing or restoring data. Brief explanations facilitate selection.

It should be noted that the usbdev.ru/files resource is actually an alternative to flashboot.ru, containing many technological utilities broken down by 35 brands of controllers. The commonly used utilities include recommendations, including the principles of selection of the version, the order of work, the main parameters and error codes. Determining the model of the controller and memory without opening the flash drive is not always easy, and the site describes different ways, how to do it. A selection of specifications for controllers and memory chips is useful for reference.

Methodological materials give particular value to the flashboot.ru website: instructions for software repair of flash drives of certain models, documentation for many utilities, and most importantly - an extensive forum where beginners and advanced repairmen share their experience. The posts describe numerous difficulties and ways to overcome them. All the tips are not to list, we will give three more or less general ones.

First tip- for software repair, you need to know the exact model of the controller. The simplest way- open the case and look at the marking of the microcircuit. This is not always possible (for example, monolithic flash drives), so it is better to use programmatic methods. The controller is identified by the iFlash database using codes VID / PID(the first code is the manufacturer ID and the second is the product ID). These codes are assigned to any USB device and can be found using the Device Manager or special programs USBDeview 2.22, CheckUDisk 5.4, ChipGenius 4.00.0025 RC3 Fix or Flash Drive Information Extractor 7.5.0.480 (the latter two immediately display the brand and model of the controller, together with the firmware version, and also report useful information about memory chips). Having identified the controller, you can find a utility to work with it.

Second tip- choose an operating system. Technological utilities should be run in the Windows XP environment (moreover, the 32-bit version), they often do not work under Vista and the G7. The production toolkit is sometimes conservative - he doesn't need to chase after fashion. However, updated versions are already appearing, and Windows 8, hopefully, will ease the situation (compatibility with XP is at its best there). In all cases, you must have local administrator rights: utilities often install their driver and perform other "dangerous" actions from the point of view of the OS.

Third tip concerns putting the controller into test mode. Often, the operating system cannot determine the connected USB flash drive - a message pops up in the tray "USB device not recognized" and the VID / PID codes are zero. Then you will not be able to install the driver or run the utility. This is due to the corruption of service data on the flash memory: the controller firmware tries to read them at startup, but freezes and does not respond to OS requests.

In test mode, memory polling is disabled and the controller operates by default. To do this, it is sufficient to short-circuit the two data bus lines. On the disassembled flash drive, short-circuit the 29th and 30th pins of the memory chip (with a needle, blade or thin tweezers) and in this form connect the flash drive to the USB port. Immediately after it is detected in Windows, open the pins (you should not keep them for a long time: the controller is warming up). Then you can run the repair utilities. Unplug the USB flash drive only when the utility is finished or when it prompts you to do so ( Replug device).

In some cases, you should short-circuit other pins of the chip or generally work with the controller - short-circuit its data bus (for example, the 23rd and 24th pins). main reason This is memory chips in BGA and LGA cases, which are being installed on flash drives more and more often. It is difficult to get to their conclusions, which is why you have to turn to the controller. The principle is the same as for closing the data bus in memory. There is also a special test pin, which is shortened by a minus. There is no general standard for pinout of controllers, so the specification is in your hands (as a rule, it is not difficult to find it). The poke method is not suitable here - you can burn the device, on which the "repair" will be completed. See also the comments to it for more details.

By closing the bus, monolithic flash drives are also treated, where, it would seem, installation cannot be approached. In a number of such models, the conclusions of the memory microcircuit are duplicated in test points on the end of the case - this should be used. There is no standard wiring here, the contacts for closing are selected empirically. The described method can also revive other devices with a USB interface that have turned into "brick" - players, video cameras, etc. You just need to get access to the chip and have a utility for the firmware, as well as the firmware itself (usually in the form of a binary file downloaded from the official site).

The CnMemory flash drive is built on a 32 GB microSDHC card. This cannot be cured. Oh yes, the Chinese!

Another one had free access to the factory utilities. beneficial effect... Many manufacturers of flash drives stopped pretending that their products never break, and posted a variety of Recovery Tools on their official websites. . The latter, as a rule, have an easy-to-understand interface, but much less settings than the factory software; their task is to return the flash drive to its original state ("like new"), and difficult cases are too tough for them. To download a suitable utility, you need to go to the section technical support and indicate the model of the drive, and sometimes also its serial number- often illegible due to small and blurry numbers on the case. In some cases (JetFlash Online Recovery from Transcend) the serial is requested by the program itself, checking it over the Internet connection. If there are doubts about the authenticity of a flash drive or memory card, it does not hurt to check it (the SerialCheck utility, etc.) - popular brands are often faked, and there is little demand for fake.

It makes sense to start repair actions from the official sites, and if the proprietary utilities did not help (for example, they refuse to recognize your drive due to a new controller or memory modification), use flashboot.ru with its archives. A selection of full-featured software plus a forum search (there is always a similar case!) Will help bring almost any model to life. Even fake flash drives from Chinese bazaars can be brought to life, another thing is that their real capacity(usually 2-4 GB) today, few people are interested in, and the memory from the rejection quickly begins to crumble. Signs of a non-repairable fake - a controller of an unknown brand (not described in the iFlash database) and "overwritten" memory chips without any marking at all.

If all else fails, it means that the case is really complicated and programmatically, most likely, it cannot be treated. In particular, worn out, spilled memory chips (the level of defects during testing exceeds the threshold, usually 2-3%) definitely require replacement. For a layman, this is most often unprofitable, and the flash drive flies into the bucket. It happens that you can't find a utility for a rare or relabeled controller - then you shouldn't suffer either.

The Silicon Power LuxMini 920 at the time of release was one of the fastest available with the JMicron F603 controller. But he was so hot that the flash drives were massively out of order. A year later, they began to put the controller weaker

SanDisk flash drives are tricky cases. This American brand offers models good quality, but they also fail. And there is practically no repair software: there are no necessary programs on flashboot.ru and other resources. This is corporate policy. SanDisk is one of the few "full-cycle" companies that designs and manufactures NAND flash memory chips, controllers, and storage devices. As a result, non-standard solutions are used in them, up to the addressing scheme and other basic things. SanDisk does not disclose this information to anyone, therefore, utilities for its controllers cannot be found in the public domain.

⇡ Work to wear

The main and completely unsolved problem of flash drives is the limited resource of NAND memory in terms of the number of writes / erasures and, accordingly, its rapid wear during operation. The worn-out page loses its ability to be rewritten and remains in its last state - a kind of ROM-memory. The market is constantly demanding: "More capacity and speed, less size." In response, the technological process becomes thinner (up to 19 nm has already reached, 16-18 nm norms are on the agenda) and the data packing density in the crystal is growing, and the resource - how will it turn out.

It turns out not very well: the current 25-nm MLC NAND chips withstand 3,000, 5,000, sometimes 10,000 rewriting cycles (the first value is typical for the mass segment, the second is for mid-range chips with some selection, the third is for the best graded samples), and latest models TLC NAND, storing three bits of data in one cell (8 charge levels!) - no more than 1,000-1,500 cycles. And these are still optimistic estimates: skeptics generally talk about 300-500 cycles. For comparison: the previous generation single-bit SLC memory (34 nm process technology) had a resource of 100,000 cycles. Such "hardy" chips are still being produced, but in small amount and at a high price - 3-5 times more expensive than MLC; they go to complete the top SSD enterprise class.

Of course, sophisticated translation and wear-leveling algorithms smooth out the resource constraint of the MLC, and sometimes quite successfully. Look at the declared service life of the current SSD drives, but they are based on the same element base... But flash drives do not have such advanced controllers, firmware, DRAM cache buffers and such a reserve of capacity (20% or more) - then they would cost many times more. However, a similar exotic is also available, take at least a 50 GB drive from SuperTalent for $ 200.

Inside, this flash drive is a full-fledged SSD built on a SandForce compression controller. Unless the interface is not SATA III, but USB 3.0. This cannot be repaired

Conventional models fail pretty quickly. A noticeable part of them does not even live up to the end of the guarantee, many are completely lost. The transition of flash drives to the category of disposable items only emphasizes the current frivolous design, sales policy (like an FMCG product; even machines selling flash drives have appeared) and bargain prices.

⇡ The cards are dealt

All of the above technologies apply to USB storage devices. Memory cards, on the other hand, are practically not repairable - hardware repair is obviously difficult, and software requires special equipment, which is not widely available on sale. The fact is that ordinary card readers (more precisely, their controllers) do not pass technological commands (the so-called vendor specific) required for low-level card formatting. Repair utilities are also tied to special readers, so the latter are useless by themselves. That is why even the Chinese do not post them, and it is difficult to find service software on the Web. All that is available to an ordinary user is a high-level card formatting utility.

Utilities are both universal (SDFormatter 4.0, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3) and specialized proprietary. The latter are designed for specific families of cards - they cope better with defects, but require a proprietary card reader, which is often inaccessible. In fact, these are lite versions of the factory software. For example, in the description of Memory Stick Formatter 2.5 from Sony there are only five models of readers with which the program can work - naturally, made by Sony itself. If none of the utilities helped, then the dumped card remains to be returned under warranty or thrown away (well, or given to a DR specialist for an expensive restoration).

It was easier a few years ago. In particular, a burnt-out stabilizer was successfully replaced in CF cards, and the first generation SD could be repaired using cameras. Some Fuji models skipped technical commands, allowing accidentally obtained repair software to be used. But for a long time those "fujiks" and those SDs are no longer in operation ... Unfortunately, today there are no programs for cards capable of performing any functions that are inaccessible to a regular disk editor and staff resources OS.

There is only one exception left: the device known as the "clip" (the official name is " Adapter for unlocking MMC and SD cards "), allows you to remove the write lock from SD / SDHC / microSD cards (the latter with an adapter), as well as a password - forgotten or set spontaneously. The clip can be found from the repairmen cell phones... The compact device is powered by a 9-volt battery or a USB port; when a card is detected in a slot (via a limit switch), a complete erase command is sent to it, which resets the flash memory and service fields on the card. The result is displayed on the built-in LED: fast flashing - success, slow - faulty card. A few seconds - and the card is like new. Of course, all data is irretrievably lost in this case. However, in more serious cases (flashed firmware, incorrect volume due to a destroyed translator, etc.), the clip is useless.

"Clip" in original and disassembled form. The battery makes it completely autonomous

Some cameras and smartphones that have their own driver for working with cards can replace the clip. So, according to rumors, Nokia E72 on Symbian OS is able to remove protection from microSD. The "low-level formatting" option does the same with SDHC in a number of Canon cameras and Panasonic - in this case, the same All Erase command is issued. So the owner of a locked card can be given advice: try to format it on all devices that you find, and the simpler the gadget ("dumber"), the greater the chances of success.

Of course, there are some underwater rocks... The capacity of SD cards has grown steadily, almost doubling over the year, and with it the specifications have changed: SD → SD 2.0 (SDHC) → SD 3.0 (SDXC). Hence the compatibility issues. An old device may simply not recognize a modern card of 32 GB or more (in addition to volume, power consumption also plays a role - SD 3.0 drives are demanding on power). Screen caption "I can't work with the map", and even freezing is a frequent phenomenon, and nothing can be done about it.

The unrepairability of memory cards raises the question of their quality even more acutely, and also makes it necessary to regularly backup... In order not to run into a fake, buy flash drives in trusted places (for example, in large stores). A failed card can be simply thrown away, but it is wiser to return it under warranty. To do this, save documents and packaging, and receipts on thermal paper should be copied immediately - they quickly fade to an unreadable state. It makes sense to get rid of "waste paper" only for one reason - the price of the device does not justify the trip to the guarantee.

All important files on the card must be duplicated on an independent medium - hard disk, DVD, USB flash drive, another card or in cloud service... Don't be lazy to keep your copies up to date. Saving on backup will sooner or later come out sideways (of course, we are not talking about downloaded free content). By the way, older digital SLR cameras have already acquired a double slot and can record pictures simultaneously on two cards. Obviously, this option was introduced for a reason, but at the request of disgruntled photographers - you will not envy a professional who has lost unique frames.

In the event of an accident, the user will save his time, nerves and money: recovering data from faulty memory cards is expensive or even very expensive. If an ordinary SD or CF will cost 3,000-6,000 rubles, then for monolithic structures such as microSD, prices reach 25-30 thousand. Recently, full-size SDHC / SDXC cards are increasingly made using monolithic technology, which does not contribute to the cheapness of services.

The reason is that it is difficult to solder to the memory chip bypassing the controller: debug leads still need to be found, and their wiring is usually found out empirically on a working analog (see the monolith library). Not all DataRecovery companies undertake such microsurgery, so you will have to look for them outside of megacities. It can be easier to contact a trusted specialist and send the "patient" by regular mail.

⇡ Dispensary: ​​maintenance-free run

From the above, you can draw a clear conclusion: it is better not to bring flash drives to repair. As in medicine, prevention is much more profitable here than treatment - it is easier to prevent a breakdown than to try to fix it later. Life has shown that the correct operation of flash drives and memory cards saves you from many troubles. Here are some recommendations on how to extend the life of your drives, and if a malfunction has arisen, then to minimize its consequences.

• Protect flash drives from the strong mechanical stress(falls, shocks, bends, vibration), temperature changes, dampness and aggressive environments. Do not use excessive force when inserting the drive into a USB port or card slot, or removing it.
• Protect flash drives from ionizing radiation (X-rays, radionuclides, cosmic rays) and strong electromagnetic fields. Screening baggage at airports carries a certain risk, although not too great. These kinds of dangers grow along with the density of data packing, so it may not be worth taking high-capacity flash drives (64 GB or more) in flight.
• Flash drives, and even more memory cards are afraid of static discharges, so do not touch their contacts with your fingers and metal objects. Increased electrification is observed on synthetic surfaces (carpet, linoleum, etc.), as well as in winter with its dry air. In these cases, before picking up the USB flash drive, discharge yourself on the nearest grounded object - say, a radiator or a back wall. system unit... If the computer is not grounded, be especially careful with flash drives. Outdated two-wire electrical wiring and sparkling carpet on the floor have ruined, I think, more than one thousand drives.
• Regularly check the flash drives using the built-in OS tools - this speeds up work and facilitates data recovery in case of logical errors and damage to the file system (the latter is a frequent consequence of unsafe removal from the USB port, as well as wear and tear of flash memory and controller failures). Defragmentation serves the same purpose. To reduce wear and tear, it is more profitable to copy files to the hard disk, quickly (only clean tables) format the USB flash drive in the OS and write everything back; often it is also shorter in time.
• Do regularly backups data. A valuable file stored on one flash drive and nowhere else is as unjustifiable a risk as a single apartment key stuck in a pocket full of holes. This is especially important when traveling, where flash drives and memory cards are entrusted with critical, expensive in every sense information (scans of documents, access codes, correspondence, maps of the area, etc., not to mention photo and video filming).
• It is not recommended to use a flash drive in the mode of intensive write operations, for example, keep a working accounting database on it. Such operation significantly reduces the resource and reliability of the drive - it can fail in a month or two.
• Flash drives and memory cards should not be filled to capacity, especially in one session and with large files - the likelihood of failure increases. This is the “last shot effect” known to photographers, which spoils the whole shooting. When the volume overflows, the file system can be damaged, the translator often crashes, and then you cannot do without the help of a DR specialist. Leave at least 3% free space and monitor the progress of the recording. Slowdowns and even more freezes are a dangerous symptom (first of all, of worn-out flash memory), such a drive is unreliable.
• Remove memory cards from mobile devices (cameras, smartphones, etc.) as rarely as possible from the slot. It is safer to transfer data through a USB connection to the host. Also, do not do anything with the card when the battery is "dead": if the power supply suddenly disappears at the time of recording, the card will most likely fail. This also applies to formatting and deleting files. Be careful in winter - in cold weather, batteries lose capacity and discharge much faster.
• In car gadgets (DVRs, GPS-navigators, etc.), memory cards often fail. This is probably due to voltage drops and interference in the on-board network. Cigarette lighter power adapters are often made according to simplified schemes, stabilization and filtration are lame there. Cards are sensitive to this, especially the microSDHC format. Preventive measures are to use high-quality equipment, do not chase after high capacity (it is noticed, cards of 16 GB and more "die" first) and, of course, back up everything valuable. The power supply is well insured by the "inverter 220 V + network adapter”, But this cumbersome solution is not for everyone.
• Before removing a USB flash drive from a USB port or a memory card from a card reader, camera or other mobile device, follow the safe removal procedure in the OS, or turn off the power of the mobile device. Do not remove the drive while it is writing or reading (while the activity light is blinking) - it could be damaged. Saving a few seconds will then result in serious losses of time, nerves and money.
• If the flash drive with data behaves strangely, it is not recognized in operating system, or it is detected and soon disappears, or freezes at some point - do not try to treat it with low-level utilities, even if the words Recovery, Restore or Repair appear in their names. Almost all of them overwrite "old" without the possibility of recovery, and often without warning! Important files must first be copied to another drive (as is a separate topic), and only then proceed with the repair using the methods described above.

And let your flash drive live long!