• Why sometimes the computer does not see the flash drive. The flash drive is not detected on any computer: reasons and solutions. Necessary theory for understanding - Flash drive: to live or not to live

    The computer does not see the flash drive - there is a solution.

    Hello. Your The computer does not see the flash drive , memory card or hard drive and you are wondering what to do? Surely every computer user has experienced a similar situation, or even more than one.



    Today I will help you with this issue. I’ll tell you what problems there are with displaying usb devices and how to solve them. By the way, the last article was about data recovery from a flash drive. If you are interested in this, then replenish your knowledge.


    Your computer does not see or detect the flash drive, hard drive and memory card. Let's look at the possible reasons for this situation. At the end of the article, don’t forget to watch a visual video lesson on how to make a flash drive or hard drive work.


    A short outline of the article


    • Device Definition

    • Power indicator

    • Front USB ports

    • Not enough food

    • USB disabled in BIOS

    • USB device not recognized

    • Outdated drivers

    • Viruses

    • Different file systems

    • Conclusion

    Determining the device

    The first step is to determine exactly how the computer does not see your USB drive. This answer will make it clear whether it is possible to recover data from a flash drive or not.


    To do this, you need to go to Windows Device Manager.



    In order to enter it, you need to right-click on the my computer shortcut on the desktop or in the start menu, go to properties, click on device manager.


    After that, select disk devices.



    We got to the device manager and the disk devices tab. If your flash drive or memory card appears in this list, then it is highly likely that you can recover data on it. If there is no flash drive there, then the memory card controller is most likely burned out. I recommend trying to connect your USB device to other computers.


    If nothing changes and the flash drive is still not visible, then the problem is probably a faulty controller. It’s unlikely that you will extract data from such a USB device; you can, of course, contact special institutions that do this (they are not in all cities), but they will charge you a tidy sum for the work. So think about whether you need it or not.


    Your flash drive is visible as a device, but it does not appear in my computer or Explorer, or asks to be formatted. To do this you need to go to disk management. To get into it you need to perform the following steps. Here are screenshots for clarity:




    The device is displayed, writes its volume and file system - it is ready for use and functions normally.


    The device is displayed, shows its capacity, but does not display the file system and writes “not defined”. In order to use it, you need to right-click in the Not Defined window and select Format. You can check the quick formatting box and click OK. After the device is formatted, it should work in normal operating mode.



    Displayed as a removable device, says no media and does not show the file system. All these parameters indicate that this device is not working properly, there is internal or external damage to the controller. You can hardly read information from such a flash drive without special expensive equipment.

    Power indicator

    When you connect the flash drive to the computer, a small indicator on the USB device should light up. If it lights up and starts blinking, then everything is fine with the flash drive, but not with the operating system, you need to look for the reason in it. If the flash drive indicator does not light up, then the problem may be in the device itself or the connected port of the computer.

    Front USB ports

    There have been cases when a flash drive is connected to a computer via the front USB ports, but the flash drive does not work. Perhaps these front usbs are turned off or they forgot to connect them to the motherboard.

    Not enough power

    Power shortages mainly occur when connecting hard drives through the front USB ports of the computer, hubs and hubs. It is best to connect such devices directly to the USB connectors on the motherboard, that is, at the back of the computer. If you use a usb hub or hub, then disconnect unnecessary devices, this may help. The reason may also be a low-power computer power supply.

    USB disabled in BIOS

    This problem is rare. Mainly in computer clubs and similar entertainment establishments. What is this for? To prevent a person from introducing viruses and downloading various programs and unnecessary information onto the computer. This is more of a protective measure. If this is a home computer, then you need to go to the BIOS settings and check the box to enable the launch of USB devices in the motherboard.

    USB device not recognized

    The usb device is not recognized and when you connect a flash drive, the operating system gives it an already used letter (volume label in use). This does not always happen; there are other cases. In order to fix this you need to go to the computer control panel.



    I showed how to enter it above, or you can open the Run window - the keyboard shortcut Win + R (the checkbox between Ctrl and Alt plus the letter R) and type the command diskmgmt.msc. Go to disk management, find the desired device - a flash drive, right-click on it and select Change drive letter or drive path. In the window that appears, you can add or change this letter.

    Outdated drivers

    It is possible that your drivers are outdated - update them. To do this, you need to find out what manufacturer and model of your motherboard is. Usually written on the packaging box, if you saved them, of course. If not, then use the Everest or Aida program. Using them, you can find out the model of your motherboard and a lot of other useful information about your computer. After you have found out everything, you need to go to the manufacturer’s official website, find the required motherboard and download drivers for the chipset and usb device, if any.


    Viruses

    There have been cases where the computer does not recognize the flash drive due to viruses that have appeared in your operating system. To do this, I recommend using good anti-virus programs and doing a full virus scan at least once a month. If you don’t have it, you can use the free Kaspersky Yandex antivirus version, or purchase a paid product.

    Different file systems


    This happens, but very rarely. Your computer does not see the flash drive due to a conflict between the file systems of the computer and the flash drive. Most flash drives work in two file systems: FAT and FAT32, and hard drives work in NTFS.


    You can try formatting your flash drive in a different format such as FAT32 or NTFS. Maybe after this everything will work fine.


    Useful information. On a flash drive in FAT and FAT32 format, you can upload information in one file of no more than 4 Gigabytes, and on a hard drive much more. Therefore, if you encounter such a problem, be prepared for it and keep it in mind.


    And for dessert, watch a short video tutorial on how to make your computer see a flash drive and hard drive. For convenient and enjoyable viewing, I recommend watching this video in full screen, that is, in full screen mode.


    The computer does not recognize the flash drive and hard drive

    Active PC users often have a problem that the computer does not see a flash drive connected to the computer port. The situation is quite unpleasant... You wanted to copy data from a flash drive to your computer, connected the drive and nothing happens. What should I do? What to do about it?

    Reasons why the computer does not see the flash drive

    Lack of nutrition

    The computer may not see the flash drive if it is connected to the USB port on the front of the system unit. There may be two reasons for this:

  • The front ports may not be connected to the power supply;
  • The front panel ports are receiving insufficient power.

    • Try connecting the flash device to the USB connector on the back of the computer.

    If after this the computer does not see the flash drive, try connecting it to another computer, preferably not one, but several. If it doesn't help, read below.

    Driver failure

    The second very common problem is that the computer does not see the flash drive due to a driver failure in Windows. In such a situation, you can try the following:

    Right-click on the “My Computer” icon (1), select “Properties” (2) from the context menu:

    In the window that appears, select the “Hardware” tab (3) => “Device Manager” (4):

    Near the “USB Controllers” item, click on the black plus sign (5). You will see a list of USB device drivers (6) that were connected to your computer:

    Insert the flash drive into the computer and see which driver has changed; you need to remove it (right-click on it and select “Delete”).

    Remove the flash drive from the computer and insert it back. The flash device driver will be updated.

    If the above method did not help you, try reinstalling the chipset drivers. They include drivers for all controllers. The DriverPackSolution program will help you do this.

    Presence of a virus on a flash drive

    The third fairly common problem is that the computer does not see the flash drive due to the device being infected with one of the Autorunner viruses. When you try to open a flash device, a warning appears: “Access denied.” To log into the flash device you need to do the following:

    Go to “My Computer”, in the address bar (7) enter the address of your flash drive, for example G:/

    If you managed to get to the flash drive, then make hidden files visible. To do this, click “Tools” (8) in the title bar and select “Folder Options” (9) from the drop-down menu:

    Click the “View” tab (10), scroll the slider (11) down and in the settings uncheck the box next to the sub-item “Hide protected system files and folders” (12). Below, check the box “Show hidden files and folders” (13):

    Paul - the job is done, now all that remains is to find and delete the malicious autorun.inf file (14):

    Did you do it? Now scan the flash drive for viruses with your antivirus (note that the antivirus databases must be updated).

    Problems with partitions

    The computer also does not see the flash drive due to problems with the device partitions. Let's say you insert your flash device into your computer. It was successfully recognized, a characteristic sound sounded and a shortcut was displayed in the taskbar (15). But the system did not assign a partition letter to your device. This is easy to fix:

    Go to the “Start” menu (16) => “Control Panel” (17):

    In the window that opens, make sure that in your sidebar it says “Switch to category view” (18). If instead it says “Switch to classic view”, then click on this inscription and you will have what you need. Click on the “Administration” icon (19):

    In the window that opens, select “Computer Management” (20):

    In the window that appears, select “Disk Management” (21). There you will see all the information media present in the system: flash drives, hard drives, disk drives and their partitions, marked with letters. If you find your flash device there (you will see that there is no partition letter (22) next to the name of the flash drive):

    This needs to be fixed: Right-click on your storage device. From the context menu, select “Change drive letter or drive path” (23):

    A small window will pop up, in which click the “Change” button (24):

    In the new window, select the partition letter from the drop-down list (25):

    Mechanical problems

    Well, the most recent case is perhaps the saddest. If all the above operations did not save your flash drive, then most likely your flash drive has mechanical damage.

    We often use flash media to quickly transfer information between computers. There are situations when the computer does not see a USB flash drive, which creates many problems. Let's look at why your PC doesn't recognize the connected device, how to fix it, and how to recover data from a broken flash drive.

    How does the problem manifest itself?

    The problem can occur in any version of Windows. The error appears in one of the following ways:

    • You connected the drive, but the computer shows no sign of a new device. This also happens after rebooting the PC multiple times;
    • The sound of a connected drive appears, but the desired folder is not visible on the PC;
    • The computer requires ;
    • A window appears with a message about an error in reading information;
    • The PC freezes immediately after connecting the flash drive;
    • There is a problem with the text “Device not recognized.”

    Please note that the above discussed only options when the flash drive itself is working, but is not recognized by the computer. Connect the drive to another PC or smartphone. If the problem lies specifically in the flash drive, it needs to be repaired.

    Reasons why the computer does not see the flash drive

    The causes of the problem may include both OS malfunctions and hardware failures. First, we recommend trying to fix the problem using software methods. Then you need to check the health of the PC hardware components and the operation of the flash drive on other computers.

    Software reasons:
    • System overheating.

    The simplest and most common cause of errors in the operation of a flash drive is a computer that gets very hot. If the USB port is located near a cooling system, rising temperatures may force the port to shut down. Thus, the OS automatically protects the port from damage;

    • Inappropriate drivers.

    The computer does not see the flash drive if there is no USB driver software or the program is incorrect. This situation is mainly encountered by users who have recently reinstalled the OS and have not yet configured its operation;

    • The drive is not formatted.

    The first time you connect a flash drive to a computer, you may receive a message about the need to format the storage. This will erase all data and files. Without formatting, you will not be able to use the flash drive in this system, since its parameters are not compatible with the OS settings. To save the data you need, you must connect the drive to another PC.

    • Incorrect device detection.

    When you hear the sound of a connected device, but do not see it in Explorer, you can say that an error has occurred in the system partitions and drive name. This is the reason why the flash drive is not visible on the computer. The system simply assigned it the letter of an already existing drive;

    • Conflict between PC file system and flash drive.

    In this case, you will be able to open the drive folder, but it will be empty. For example, if your computer is configured with NTFS, and the flash drive is FAT 32, two devices will be able to set up a connection, but the user will not be able to view files or add them to the drive folder;

    • Flash drive infection with viruses.

    According to statistics, more than 70% of all malicious programs are written specifically for installation and distribution through external USB gadgets. Perhaps the built-in OS defender simply does not allow the flash drive to pass through so that the virus does not spread.

    • The USB port is disabled in the BIOS settings.

    In this case, the user needs to independently go to the system menu and activate the port.

    Hardware reasons:
    • The drive connector is dirty.

    We often carry flash drives in our bags and pockets. This way, the device may be damaged by third-party objects. Be sure to check if the USB connector on the flash drive is dusty. If necessary, it can be cleaned with a dry cotton swab.

    • The USB port has no power.

    If you are using a desktop PC, the ports on the front of the case may not have power. This happens when, at the assembly stage, the front panel of the PC was not connected to the general power system. You can fix the problem at any service center.

    We also note cases when the computer does not see the Micro SD flash drive. This happens when the connector (the adapter that connects the memory card and the USB port on the computer) is faulty. Also, different file systems can cause the problem.

    What to do: diagnosis and correction

    To solve the problem, you need to start by working with a standard diagnostic utility. This utility is installed by default. Its main advantage is the ability to accurately determine why the computer does not see a flash drive or other connected device.

    Follow the instructions:

    • Open Notification Center and click on the Settings tile;

    • Next, click on “Update and Security”, and in a new tab go to “Troubleshooting”;
    • On the right side of the screen, find the “Hardware…” item and select it. A diagnostic utility will open, which will automatically detect the problem and solve it.

    To run the recovery tool in Windows 7, you need to press the Win + R key combination and enter the command shown in the figure in the Run window that opens. Click "OK" and the diagnostic utility will open in a new window.

    Checking with Disk Management

    Disk Management is a standard utility for analyzing and managing all disks in the system. If the diagnostic tool does not help, we recommend checking whether the system recognizes the connected flash drive at all.

    The absence of a drive name in the list of disks indicates that it is faulty. Follow the instructions:

    • Connect the drive to the laptop;
    • Next, click on Win + R and enter “diskmgmt.msc” into the text field;
    • In the Disk Management window, look at each item in the list. It is also recommended to reconnect the drive. See if it appears on the list. It may be that the computer recognizes the flash drive, but due to the similarity in the partition names, it disappears.

    To force open the folder with the contents of the drive, select it in the list and click on the drive partition at the bottom of the window. Also check if the partition is healthy. Its status is displayed at the bottom of the window. To troubleshoot problems, right-click on the disk and select “Fix.”

    Forced renaming of a partition on Flash USB

    If you see that the letter of the flash drive matches an already installed disk, you can be sure that the computer will not see the flash drive via USB.

    The user can independently assign another free letter to the device. To do this, in the “Disk Management” window, right-click on the drive name and click on “Change letter or path...”.

    In the window that opens, click on the letter and then on “Change”. Enter any other letter of the Latin alphabet that is not used by existing devices. Save the changes and reconnect the flash drive to the computer. Everything should work fine.

    If the computer does not see the micro flash drive (Micro SD) even after changing the Disk Management settings, we recommend restarting the computer and moving on to the next solution.

    Flash drive not recognized after update

    If your system has problems with connected USB devices after upgrading to a new version of Windows or after installing the next update package, we recommend removing all USB drivers and reinstalling them through Device Manager.

    If the computer does not see an SD flash drive, a microflash drive, or a smartphone connected via USB, you must use the command line to remove USB port drivers. This will allow you to erase from the system even those drivers that were installed manually from untrusted sources. Follow the instructions:

    • Disconnect from the PC all storage devices that are connected via USB (including a webcam, flash drives, smartphone, card readers). You don't have to turn off the mouse and keyboard;
    • Restart your computer;
    • Download the DriveCleanup program (a utility that can search and remove all USB hardware drivers through the command line). Link: http://drivecleanup.ru.uptodown.com/windows/download;
    • Install the utility;
    • Launch a command prompt on your computer. To do this, press Win + R and enter the command cmd;

    • In a new window, enter the command drivecleanup.exe and press Enter to execute it;
    • Next, the removal of absolutely all drivers and related entries in the registry will begin. Wait for the process to complete and close the Command Prompt window.

    Please note that drivers for all USB devices are removed at once, so after completing the operation, the connected mouse or keyboard may stop working. To further control the computer, use the touchpad or reconnect the USB mouse. Its drivers will be installed automatically.

    Now go to Device Manager. To do this, right-click on the Start menu icon and select the appropriate item:

    In the new window, find the field with the name of your computer (usually the top line of the list). Right-click on it and select “Update configuration” in the list of actions that opens. Thus, new “correct” drivers will be installed immediately for all types of devices. An Internet connection is required to perform this action.

    Now restart your computer and check if the flash drive is still visible on your computer. In 95% of cases, this solution helps fix all types of software errors.

    Correcting registry entries

    Another solution is to use a third-party program USBOblivion to automatically search and edit erroneous registry entries that are related to USB operation. These errors sometimes occur during the process of upgrading to a new OS version.

    Follow the instructions:

    • Download the USBOblivion utility from the developer’s website https://www.cherubicsoft.com/projects/usboblivion and install it on your computer;
    • Disconnect all previously connected flash drives;
    • Launch the application and check the boxes “Real cleaning” and “Save undo file”;
    • Click on the "Clear" button.

    • All keys with information about USB devices will be deleted. You can now reconnect the drives. They will work in standard mode, and new correct entries will be created in the registry.

    BIOS check

    It happens that the computer does not see any

    If one of the lines named “USB Controller” is Disabled, change it to Enabled. Save the settings, close the system menu and restart your computer. The port will now work.

    Now you know what to do if the computer does not see the flash drive. Write which method helped you solve the problem and whether you were able to recover the files on the drive.


    In recent years, flash drives have become very popular and almost every PC user has one. It has become the norm that almost every second person constantly carries a flash drive with all the necessary information. And this is not surprising, because a memory card is much more convenient than a previous generation storage medium, for example, like a disk.

    Compactness and accessibility are not the main advantages of flash media. Users appreciate it primarily because all files for work or study are always at hand and, if necessary, they can be erased or overwritten.

    But no technology is absolutely perfect. Problems such as the inability to read or open files are becoming more common. The reason may lie either in the storage media itself or in the computer. And this is deplorable because in an instant you can lose all files with important information. That’s why it’s worth knowing why a flash drive stops working and all possible methods to fix the problem.

    Non-working flash drive

    Let's start with the worst, namely that the problem lies in the fact that the media has failed. Indeed, in this situation, repairing it will be almost impossible or unreasonably expensive.

    Mostly, flash drives break after rough impact on the controller or chip, as well as due to short circuits and failure of contacts on the board. It happens that after getting into the water the carrier remains working and users only breathe a sigh of relief. But in vain! After the flash drive gets into the water and turns out to be working, you should immediately rewrite all the files to another medium. After all, just because it works correctly does not mean that after a while it will be the same. Moisture and electronics, although very small, are completely incompatible things and almost never their contact goes unnoticed.

    Also, if the computer does not see the media, you first need to determine the reason. You need to inspect the body of the device for cracks and dents. Naturally, if the flash drive is completely smashed, it is useless to do anything at all.

    But if you still have doubts about the device’s inoperability, you need to move on. It's easy enough to check if it works. You just need to insert the flash drive into your computer. If the device lights up (there is an LED built into the case) and the computer beeps about connecting the device, then the flash drive is working. This means the problem can still be fixed.

    But if the carrier itself did not react in any way, like the PC, then it is useless to do anything. You can, of course, contact an electronics repairman or service center. They will try to resolder the contacts and may even replace the broken case, but this will be very expensive. It is easier to buy a new flash drive, unless, of course, there are vital files on the old one.

    Is the flash drive showing signs of life? So, we look for the problem further.

    De-energized USB port on the front panel of the PC

    The most common reason why a computer does not see a flash drive is a de-energized USB port on the front panel. Many users automatically connect the flash drive to the computer through the front panel. It's easy and convenient. And somehow we completely forget that these are not the only ports on the PC.

    This problem is especially likely after the PC has been repaired or cleaned from dust, replaced thermal paste, or any other activity that includes disassembling the system unit. It’s just that at the time of its assembly, due to forgetfulness, you may not connect the front ports to power. The problem is simple and easy to solve.

    If you need files right here and now, you can simply use other ports. They must be working if the problem really is hardening of the front ports. If the flash drive works and the rear ports too, then there will be access to files. This can be called the first way to solve this problem. But after that, it’s still better to spend a little time and connect them, because habit is a gainful thing.

    But method 2 already takes time. You need to connect the motherboard power cable to the front panel of the PC. The connectors may be different, depending on the case model. But it’s practically impossible to get confused in them, since each cable has markings and the whole structure is designed, so you need to try hard to connect a “foreign” cable.

    But still, in different models there are wires of such types as “VCC”, “D-”, “D+”, and also “GND”. Also, those who are afraid of messing things up and doing something wrong can look at the color coding. As a rule, wires and connectors have the same markings. But just in case, you need to pay attention to the inscriptions.

    First you need to gain access to the motherboard itself. To do this, you need to carefully unscrew the bolts holding the cover in place and remove it. It is recommended to put the bolts in one place so as not to lose them. After this you need to find the cable leading to the front panel and find the connector on the motherboard. Their markings must match. And so you can work on the principle of exclusion. If only one power cable is not connected, then its connectors are free. But you still need to carefully look at the color and letter markings.

    Once the connector of the desired color is found, you need to carefully insert the power cable into it. Then, without assembling the case, turn on the computer and check the functionality of the front panel. If everything works well, then great; if not, then you should check the labeling more carefully.

    If you cannot connect the cable due to fear of burning the contacts, it is recommended to call a specialist. A qualified specialist will do this work once or twice, and your equipment will work as before.

    Malfunctioning or disabled USB port

    In some cases, the problem that the computer does not see the flash drive is not the storage media itself, but the connector where it is connected. For example, a port may simply not work due to damaged contacts in it. And this port will not see not only the flash drive, but also any other device connected through it.

    The problem can be easily solved if you have a little knowledge of circuit design. You just need to patch up the soldering iron contacts. But if such knowledge is completely absent, then the computer must be taken to a service center. There, problems can be quickly resolved for a small fee.

    But it’s worth noting that if not a single port is working, then the problem may lie much deeper. For example, this may happen because the ports are disabled in the BIOS.

    To reconnect the ports in the BIOS settings, you must first go into it. To do this, you need to restart the computer and press the F2 key in the first three seconds of the reboot. After this, the BIOS window should open. On different models, the keys for calling up the BIOS may differ. As a rule, they are marked.

    To connect ports you need to follow the instructions:

    • After the BIOS is opened, you need to go to the Advanced Settings menu and select the USB configuration.
    • Find the line “USB Controller” and set the value opposite it to “Enabled”. This will allow you to use the ports.
    • After all the above manipulations, you need to save the changes by pressing the F10 key. This will not only save the changes, but will also exit the BIOS.

    Now that we can say with confidence that the ports are connected, we need to check them. To do this, you need to connect a flash drive through one of the ports and make sure that everything works as it should. If the computer still does not see the flash drive, then the problem lies elsewhere.

    Dirt and dust in the flash drive connector

    Due to the fact that the flash drive is very compact, you always carry it with you in your pocket or bag. Some even attach it as a squirrel to their apartment or car keys. In addition, quite often the lid from it is lost.

    It is this attitude towards the device that leads to its contamination. Small debris and dust getting into the card connector can damage it. This occurs because the pins become dirty and no longer interact properly with the port pins on the PC.

    Also a sign that the flash drive is dirty can be its freezing, slow file transfer and reading of information. To clean the media connector you need a match or a cotton swab. Use a match to shake out all the debris from the connector. Soak a cotton swab in alcohol and wipe everything inside. This will help eliminate debris and prevent contact oxidation.

    Viruses on PC or storage media

    You should be especially careful to ensure that no virus gets onto the flash drive. Even on a trusted site you can get infected. And many users do not think about information security at all and download files from unverified sources.

    Inserting a flash drive into someone else's computer that has viruses is a sure sign of infecting files that were already on the drive. Viruses on a computer multiply quite quickly, infecting more and more files.

    This is why quite often a flash drive does not work precisely because it is infected with a virus. As a rule, in this case, the computer recognizes the media and beeps when it is connected. But the files on it cannot be read, and the system tries to convince the user that the flash drive was not found.

    If this happens, first of all you need to install an antivirus on your computer and scan it completely. And in order to be able to view files on the card, you need to gain access to them. But to do this, you need to delete the infected document from it. To do this, first of all you need to do the following:

    1. Open "Start";
    2. Find through the search bar “Show hidden folders”;
    3. Right-click on the item requested and go to “Show hidden files and folders”;
    4. Find the line “Hide system files” and uncheck it;
    5. Find the line “Show hidden files” and tick it;
    6. Click the “Apply” button;
    7. Click "OK".

    After all these steps, you need to go to the “My Computer” folder and go to the problematic device, in this case the drive. In its folder you will see a file called “Autorun”. This file must be deleted, and then the flash drive must be scanned for viruses using any anti-virus software. This can be done by right-clicking on the drive folder and selecting “Scan for viruses.” Typically, this line will be marked with your antivirus icon.

    Once the flash drive is completely safe for use, you can easily read information from it. But, for example, if there were no viruses on it or it still did not work after all the manipulations, then the problem may lie in the lack of drivers.

    Outdated drivers or their failure

    It also happens that the flash drive is not displayed by the computer due to the drivers being outdated or a system failure. A common cause of failure is a power surge or sudden shutdown of the system. Also, older computers may simply not work with cards larger than 32 GB. Both can be solved by simply updating the drivers.

    To do this, you need to go to “Device Manager”. You can get to it through the “My Computer” folder and simply find it by searching in the system. After the “Device Manager” folder is opened, you need to insert the problematic flash drive into the computer port and open the “USB Controllers” tab. In the tab we find the line called “Storage device”, select it and delete it through the right-click menu. This is to remove the driver from the system for the flash drive. After removal, you need to reconnect the flash drive. This will start automatic driver installation and the computer will see it as usual.

    Of course, if the problem persists, then you need to try something else. For example, reinstalling all USB drivers may help. This can be done using the disk that came with the motherboard. If it is not there, then you can download a driver update program. There are many such programs on the Internet. They work identically. They scan your computer and display all drivers that have updates. Also, such programs themselves update them after agreement from the user.

    It is worth noting that you should not doubt your actions due to the difference in USB formats. Drivers for ports 2.0 and 3.0 are installed in the same way. Moreover, the ports differ only in the speed of writing and reading information.

    There are errors in the file system

    Due to the fact that there is an error in the file system on the computer, it cannot see the drive. You can check this through Device Manager.

    To do this, you need to insert the drive into the PC and go to the “Disk devices” tab in the manager. If the device is displayed, then the drive itself is working, but the system simply does not perceive it as necessary. The problem can be corrected by simply formatting the memory card. But this is a very delicate action. It will be described in detail in the next paragraph.

    If the drive is not displayed in this tab, then the flash drive itself is faulty. Its contacts could come loose or the controller could burn out. When it comes to repairing equipment, experts are quite capable of resurrecting it. But such minor work will be unreasonably expensive; it will be cheaper to buy a new device.

    Conflict between file systems

    It happens that files on the media are not displayed by the computer due to a conflict between the file systems on the connected device and the PC. For example, this often happens when the file system on the computer is NTFS and the drive is FAT32. This occurs not only in Windows operating systems, but also in Apple products. So, for example, if a flash drive was formatted on a MacBook, it will not be readable on a PC with the Windows operating system.

    So, it turns out that the only way out is to format the device. But before doing this, it would be wise to copy the files to a computer with a different operating system. The last PC on which the drive was used is perfect. After formatting, the flash drive will be completely empty.

    To properly format the drive you need to follow the instructions:

    • Open the “My Computer” folder;
    • Right-click on the connected device and select “Properties”;
    • In the window that appears, see what file system is used on the drive and remember. Close this window;
    • Right-click on the folder of the connected device and select the “Format” function;
    • In the window that appears, check the box that matches the file system of the drive. This will allow you to format it into the desired file system;
    • Check the “Quick” attribute and click “Start”.

    After some time, the PC will report that formatting the drive is complete. The flash drive is formatted correctly and should now work correctly.

    IMPORTANT! Quick formatting is chosen not only for the reason that files will be deleted faster. If suddenly there was something important on the flash drive, only in this deletion option can these files be returned using a special program. If you do not use quick formatting, the files will be lost forever.

    Unformatted flash drive

    Quite often, when a completely new flash drive is inserted into the port, the PC warns that the device needs to be formatted before use. That is, until formatting occurs, there is no access to the device. If the flash drive is new and there is no information on it, then you can safely format it of any type. The problem will go away after this.

    But if the flash drive is not new and has been used before, that is, it has the necessary files or not, then you can try connecting it to the port of another PC. Then again to the computer, which does not provide access to the files. This simple action helps resolve the problem.

    If the problem does not go away, then it is better to copy the necessary files to another PC and format the flash drive. Step-by-step instructions for correct formatting were provided just above.

    The flash drive has been assigned a busy letter or there are problems with the partition

    As already mentioned, technology is imperfect and even a computer can make mistakes. Thus, the PC may incorrectly determine the type of connected device. But you can’t tell by looking at it, because the computer signals the connection and the flash drive is displayed. But it cannot be used for its intended purpose.

    Also, the problem itself may be that the system did not assign a letter to the partition, or did so, but it is already occupied. For this reason, a conflict between addresses arises.

    To fix this, you need to try assigning a letter to the partition. You need to do this manually according to the instructions:

    1. Press “Win+R” simultaneously to open the “Run” window;
    2. Enter the command diskmgmt.msc into the line of the window. It will redirect to the section we need for managing drives;
    3. In the connected device manager you need to find the flash drive. You can simply turn it off and on and see what appears;
    4. On the partition defined as a connected drive, you need to right-click and click on “Change letter”;
    5. In the window that appears, click sequentially “Change” - “Ok”;

    After this, an additional dialog box will open in which you can select the letter you like for the drive. After making your selection, just click on “Ok” and the selected letter will correspond to the device section.

    ADVICE! Before choosing a drive letter, you should look at those already occupied. Otherwise, the problem will remain if you unknowingly assign a busy letter to the device.

    The power supply is faulty or the portal is over-current

    Many users noted that the computer did not see the drive because the power supply was faulty. Its job is to consume and distribute energy. Like any device, it has a limit on power values. That is why the distribution across nodes is balanced.

    For example, such a situation may arise after replacing one node. And the new element requires more energy than the others. Because of this, the balance in the distribution of energy is upset, and since the power supply cannot supply more energy to the replaced node, it simply does not reach other points.

    Such an imbalance in energy distribution can literally cut off power to the PC's USB network. It is correct to calculate in advance the energy consumption of a particular component when replacing it. But if an important element was replaced without this calculation, then all that remains is to buy a more powerful power supply.

    But if the unit has not been replaced, then most likely the power supply is faulty and incorrectly produces the potential for power. For example, after a breakdown, it began to produce less power than declared by the manufacturers. In this case, you should not even try to fix the problem, since the fate of the entire PC is at stake. It's better to replace the power supply.

    There is another explanation for the fact that the PC does not see the flash drive. Look at your computer, what is connected to it? A computer mouse, a keyboard lamp, a smartphone on charge and maybe some other device? And all this overloads the USB ports. Simply connecting multiple devices already consumes the maximum current distributed to them. And there's an extra flash drive there. In order for the PC to start seeing the map, you need to disconnect a couple of devices and the problem will be solved.

    What to do if your Windows XP PC does not recognize the flash drive

    There are a large number of reasons why a memory card is not recognized by a PC running the Windows XP operating system. The problem may be either in the storage medium itself or in the operating system. But the computer hardware itself may also be to blame.

    If the operating system is the reason why the computer does not see the connected device, then you need to make changes in the OS settings. This can be done using special utilities, but it is recommended to do everything yourself.

    A faulty flash drive is not worth the money that can be spent on repairing it at a service center. The only thing worth doing is keeping this one and buying a new drive. You should choose a good quality flash drive with a casing made of durable material. This will help protect the new drive from mechanical damage.

    As a rule, if the PC cannot detect the drive, the OS informs the user about this with the following messages:

    • The drive is inserted into the computer port and when you try to read information from it, a message like “Insert disk drive” pops up.
    • When you try to read information from the card, the OS reports that the drive must be formatted before use and does not allow you to read data without this. It turns out that it is not possible to view the files, since after formatting they will be deleted.
    • After the user attempts to access files on a connected device, the OS reports that access to files on the drive is impossible.
    • Immediately after connecting the device through the port, the OS freezes. It is noteworthy that when the drive is removed, everything returns to normal.

    When solving the problem that the PC does not see or read files from the drive, it is necessary to solve it sequentially, strictly following the points:

    1. The first thing you should pay attention to when connecting a drive is the indicator on the card body. It is built in there in order to determine the performance of the device itself. If the LED blinks, but the flash drive is not read by the computer, this means that the problem is in the OS itself or the PC hardware.
    2. The flash drive looks fine, but still doesn't work? It is recommended to change the port. There is a possibility that the one in which the flash drive is inserted is not working properly. Quite often, when connecting a drive through an incorrectly working port, the computer freezes. This is easy to check, since there are other ports on the computer. If when you reconnect the device everything works as it should, then you need to either stop using the broken port or have it repaired at a service center. It is also recommended to check whether it is dirty. Dirt and dust can interfere with the connections of the contacts and cleaning usually resolves the problem.
    3. When using hubs or extension cables to connect a USB device, it may not be recognized by the computer due to a malfunction of the additional equipment. It can be easily repaired with minimal knowledge. Upon inspection, you can easily notice contacts that have come loose and a soldering iron can easily fix this. You can also solve everything without personal intervention and simply take the hub for repair.
    4. There is a possibility that not enough current is supplied to the USB ports. This happens due to their overload with various devices. This can be easily checked by turning off all extraneous devices, leaving only the essentials, namely the keyboard and computer mouse. After this, you need to connect the drive and make sure that it works. If this is the case, then the power supply is too weak and needs to be replaced. But buying a cheaper hub for USB devices can help, since it has its own power source.
    5. If the previous steps did not help resolve the problem, then there is a possibility that the power supply does not have enough power or the USB port is out of date for your drive. In a word, old computers and laptops cannot read drives larger than 32 GB. Nothing can be done here. Either use a smaller drive, or replace the computer with a more modern model.
    6. Well, the last possibility of a faulty flash drive is that it is connected out of habit to the front port. It may be de-energized due to the fact that the port is not connected to the motherboard. Also, the ports may not be working due to lack of power. You can connect them to the motherboard yourself. Detailed instructions for connecting them are located in the section above.

    Errors in Windows XP prevent you from seeing your drive

    The device may not be detected due to errors in the operating system itself. For example, the OS may simply not have the necessary update software packages needed for the correct operation of devices connected via USB ports. It is also possible that only some devices can be read on a certain port.

    You can solve this problem by updating the system to SP3 and making all the updates that are available. This does not require any special knowledge. A couple of clicks and the system will do everything automatically.

    Updates can be downloaded either from Windows Update or from media (flash drive, disk). But first of all, you need to check which package is installed on the system. To do this you need to do the following:

    • Right-click on “My Computer” and select “Properties”.
    • In the window that opens, view the necessary information.

    In order to install updates, you need to let the system search for and install them on its own. This can be done in the Windows Update panel. After the system gains control, it will independently find the necessary updates and ask the user for permission to install them. The installation can be done either selectively of all found ones, or as a whole package. It is recommended to perform a custom installation only if you have an idea of ​​what the selected update does. If there is no such knowledge, then it is better to let the system install all the updates found.

    After the system has installed all the necessary OS updates, it will ask you to restart the computer. This is necessary for the changes to take effect. It won't take long. After the reboot, you can safely connect the flash drive and get on with your business.

    For those who want to install only some updates, you need to know which one does what. Here's the information you need to get started:

    There is a conflict between drivers in Windows XP

    It also happens that due to conflicting drivers, the computer cannot recognize the connected device. Thus, old drivers can cause errors in the system and prevent new ones from working correctly. The problem can be expressed as an error message popping up when a flash drive is inserted. The system does not see it and requires you to insert a disk to start working. Sometimes the OS freezes.

    This happens because the drivers conflict. For example, a user has two drives. After he inserts drive No. 1 into the PC, the system automatically installs drivers for this type of device. After finishing working with this device, the user removes it and begins working with drive No. 2. As a rule, the second flash drive is working, but the system still reports an error. This happens because the OS uses the installed driver after using drive #1 to start the second one. But they are incompatible with each other.

    Reinstalling drive drivers on Windows XP

    Since the drivers are incompatible with each other, they need to be reinstalled. This can be done either automatically or independently.

    Due to the fact that the system uses drivers from one device to another connected via a port, you must first remove all drivers for this type of drive. Then perform a clean installation.

    Typically, if there is such a conflict, the OS displays a message stating that the inserted device cannot be recognized. Also, the system may completely freeze, making it impossible to perform work on the PC.

    Removing drivers using the DRIVECLEANUP utility

    The special DRIVECLEANUP utility will help you remove drivers simply and effectively. This utility is good because before uninstalling it searches for drivers in the system. After which they are deleted.

    To start fixing the problem, you need to turn on the PC and disconnect all unnecessary devices from it, leaving only the keyboard and computer mouse. This will help avoid various conflict situations during the process.

    Then you need to download the driver removal utility. It is advisable to do this through a trusted resource, or better yet, from the official website of the program. The program itself is compatible with all versions of the OS. When the utility is downloaded, you need to open it using administrator rights. This can be done by right-clicking on the program icon and selecting “Open as administrator.” Then the utility will do everything on its own.

    1. Place the utility file for updating drivers in a system folder called System.
    2. Open the command line and write the command drivecleanup.exe and execute it by pressing the Enter key.
    3. This command will launch the utility, and the command line will display information about all drivers on the PC.

    This will also remove them.

    Automatic installation

    Since in the previous paragraph all drivers were removed from the computer, you need to reinstall them. This is necessary for normal operation of the system. Fortunately, they can be installed automatically. It's very easy to do.

    The only thing you need is a flash drive. You just need to insert it into the USB port of your computer. After the PC recognizes the device, automatic installation of drivers for it will begin.

    Quite often this will be evident from the pop-up dialog box. But in some systems, the process of automatically installing drivers for a new device occurs unnoticed by the user.

    This process is short-lived. This can take a maximum of 2-3 minutes, no more. After installing the drivers, the device will start working correctly. This means that now the computer will not only recognize the card, but also read information from it.

    Manual installation

    You can also install the drivers yourself without using a flash card. To do this, you need to download drivers from the Internet. But in this case, a conflict with the system may arise. That is why it is recommended to install using another PC.

    To do this, you need to take the flash drive that had problems and insert it into the computer where it is recognized. There is a small condition for manually installing drivers, namely that the version of the operating system on the PC where the flash drive is not recognized and the one from which the installation will be carried out must completely match.

    Now you need to search through the system to find two files with paths: %SystemRoot%\INF\usbstor.inf and %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\drivers\usbstor.sys

    In any convenient way, you need to move these files to a PC that does not recognize the flash drive. This can be done, for example, using another flash drive or sent via Kidney or via Contact. On a computer that has a problem recognizing the drive, the files need to be placed in a folder with the same path where they were located on the working PC. After moving them to the required folder, the system will ask the user to confirm the replacement of files. When everything is ready you need to restart the system. And you can safely use an already working flash drive, as the problem will be resolved.

    Here we have discussed the most common reasons why a flash drive is not recognized by a computer. But as you might guess, there are many other reasons for its inoperability. This error may also be accompanied by other messages from the system.

    "Insert disk" message

    This message may appear when a disc is inserted. First of all, it is recommended to check how the flash drive is inserted and whether the device itself reacts (flashing LED). It happens that over time the flash drive bends, and in order for contact to occur, you need to insert it into the port slowly until a sound signal is heard.

    This may also occur due to the overlap of drivers from the previous media. Because of their incompatibility, it turns out that the flash drive doesn’t seem to exist. To correct the situation, you need to remove all drivers and install (simply reconnect the flash drive after removing the drivers).

    The system requires you to format the disk before use.

    This may happen because the flash drive is new and has never been used. In this case, you can format it without consequences, since there are no files on it.

    But this may indicate a system failure in the flash drive itself or its damage. The solution to this problem is described above, and the principle of correct disk formatting is also given there.

    A message appears indicating that there is a data error

    This message appears when:

    • There are incompatible drivers on the computer. Solution: uninstall and reinstall drivers.
    • A conflict has occurred in the file systems. Solution: format the flash drive in the desired system with preliminary saving of the data.
    • There is a failure in the media itself.

    The system hangs after connecting the device

    This PC behavior may indicate that:

    1. The port through which the media was connected is faulty.
    2. Presence of incompatible drivers.

    To eliminate one of the problems, you need to connect the flash drive through a different port. If everything works, then that's it. No, it's the drivers' fault.

    The computer does not see the flash drive, but it signals the connection

    When the media is connected, the indicator on it lights up, indicating that contact has been established. If in this case the computer does not see the flash drive, a faulty contact in the media itself, which is directly responsible for transmitting information, may be to blame.

    Also, a conflict between drivers or an already occupied partition letter can also cause such a reaction.

    Error 43 / Error 43

    If the OS produces this error, then it is useless to even try to access the files on the media, since it automatically stops the process of reading information on the device. The following reasons may cause this error:

    • Media failure. It is recommended to check its functionality on a third-party PC.
    • Presence of incompatible drivers in the system.
    • The equipment configuration has been updated. Solution6: Roll back the driver in the Manager.

    Conclusion

    The article described all types of the most common reasons why the computer does not see the flash drive, and also described ways to solve them. It is recommended that if there is such a problem, solve it sequentially, following the points of the article. This will help correct the situation only if the flash drive is not mechanically damaged irreversibly.

    Hi all! In this article we will talk about cases when a flash drive is not detected on any computer at all. So this will be detailed instructions for recovery.

    I must say that the experimental USB drive is already well known to you from previous publications, since not so long ago we recovered information from it and . For those who haven't read it yet, you can check it out.

    The situation changed for the better only when a good old utility called Hard Disk Low Level Format Tool. It was she who helped solve the problem and save money by bringing the drive back to life.

    So what needs to be done. The first step is to install the above program from the official website of the developers. It is small and weighs very little. Launch it and select “Continue for free”:

    Then, in general, our flash drive appears, which is not detected at all in the Windows 10 system itself. That is, it is nowhere and everything is here:

    Select it and click the “Continue” button at the bottom to proceed to the formatting process. In this case, it is probably not worth warning that all data will be lost as a result of this process. 😉

    In the next step, go to the “Low-Level Format” section and click the “Format This Device” button:

    After this, the program will once again ask about the seriousness of our intentions. Here, just like in a registry office, we say “Yes” once again:

    That's all, friends, now all you have to do is wait for the low-level erasing process of the USB drive to complete. After this, the long-suffering flash drive was finally detected in the system, but the first time I accessed it, it “asked” to be formatted again. Well, let's not argue:

    We start the repeated procedure using the standard means of the great and terrible Windows:

    As a result, guys, the flash drive, which was not detected before, has successfully started working. Therefore, we can safely say that the detailed restoration instructions were still a success.

    If you still have any questions, ask them in the comments to the publication. And that's all for now and see you again. In conclusion, as always, let's watch another interesting video.

    Read more: