Flash drive not working

[MARS]

My flash drive has a problem. I insert it into the USB port and the computer recoginzes it but won't let me open it. When I click on the icon in 'My computer' I just get a message telling me to insert a disc.

[Jeff]

Go to Control Panel
Then to System Properties
Then to the Hardware Tab
Then to the Device Manager Button
Click on the Universal Seriel Bus Controler +
Then Right Click on USB Root Hub and Select properties

There you can check if it is enabled
You can then run a Troubleshoot
You can then Update Driver

If that doesn't get it working, then you may have a bad USB Stick/Thumbdrive.

[MARS]

Nope. It says it works okay. I suppose the person I'd lent it too managed to break it. Thanks anyway Jeff

[deadknight]

Never lent your stuff to untrusted people....wait......dont lent it to Anyone....

[Zmery]

Maybe it's protected against reading/writing? I've had a pen disk which had a switch to lock those down (like old floppys had)... it's worth checking... I suppose...

[Andere]

I suggest you ask the person you lent it to. It could be a password issue, but then I think, you should be asked for it... instead of a notice "Insert a disk".

Never lent your stuff to untrusted people....wait......dont lent it to Anyone....

Not a bad idea...

[MARS]

I suggest you ask the person you lent it to. It could be a password issue, but then I think, you should be asked for it... instead of a notice "Insert a disk".

Never lent your stuff to untrusted people....wait......dont lent it to Anyone....

Not a bad idea...

I have asked and it's probably their fault.

[Andere]

This may be a bit weired, but: use a BIOS level boot disk, like GParted, http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php, to boot from AND have your Flash Drive connected when you do it.

When you boot to the GParted, you will find your Flash Drive there too, in my version it was in top right. It will now be in its basic form - no Windows anywhere... it's all stripped, like any drives or disks are... If it functions at all, technically, you'll be able to format it = making it a new one. Format it to FAT32, that's the basic in these cases.

No guarantees, but I tried it with my Flash, and it worked. If it doesn't work, the Drive is probably broken --- go kick your "pal".

GParted or others of the kind are good to know, they are basic and complete disk tools - like if you get a virus attack, and need to clean your disk.

Best of luck, that's about all I can say?