If it doesn’t see the flash drive. The PC does not see the flash drive: instructions for solving the problem
Hello!
Flash drive on this moment, this is one of the most popular types of storage media (except for the ability to share files over the network).
In fact, a USB flash drive has a lot of advantages: it is mobile (can be put in any pocket), universal (connects to any PC, laptop, gadget), copying/reading information from it is quite fast, etc.
But one small thing happens to them" problem“- sometimes the computer refuses to recognize and see it. There are quite a few reasons for the invisibility of a flash drive, in this article I want to give the most basic ones that I most often encounter in my work.
Also from the article you will learn what can be done to restore the functionality of your device (you shouldn’t always immediately throw it away and run to buy a new one?! 👣).
To help!
If you want to buy flash drives at bargain prices, I recommend using Chinese online stores:
Reasons for the invisibility of a flash drive
10 Main reasons and their solutions...
Problem #1: the flash drive is not formatted
This reason is the most common! The fact is that after purchasing a flash drive, you need to format it (very often new flash drives and disks are not formatted at all and therefore they are not visible in “My Computer/This Computer”...).
Solution
It is most likely pointless to go into “My Computer”, because... in some cases you won’t see a flash drive there.
Therefore you need to open "Disk Management" . To do this, press the button combination Win+R (The Run window should appear) , enter the command diskmgmt.msc and press Enter (screenshot below).
Remark! If your flash drive is not visible in Disk Management, go to the 3rd problem.
Find your flash drive in the list (guide by its size and name, for example, "Kingston...8 GB") , then click on it right click mice and in the context menu that appears, select - " Format... " (example in the screenshot below) .
Actually, that's all. By the way, I recommend choosing NTFS as the file system (because on FAT 32, which is often the default on flash drives, it is impossible to copy and place files whose size exceeds 4 GB).
Problem #2: incorrect auto-installation of drive/flash drive letter
When you connect any disk drive, flash drive, floppy disk, etc. to your computer - it automatically assigns your drive unique letter, For example, "System disk C:\" or " Local disk F:\", etc.
Everything would be fine, but sometimes the auto-installation of the letter fails and assigns a non-unique letter to your connected drive. As a result, the drive is not visible...
To solve this, you just need to try changing the letter (this is done quickly and very often solves the lion's share of problems).
Solution
You also need to go to "Disk Management" (how this is done is described above), then select your “invisible” drive, click on it right mouse button and select the function " Change drive letter or drive path ".
To help!
By the way, in some Windows cases may not assign a drive letter to all connected drives at all. To fix this, use the following recommendations:
Problem #3: Outdated or broken drivers
A very, very common problem is outdated drivers (also sometimes drivers can fail and conflict with each other). It is worth noting that on older computers another problem is possible - the inability to see a flash drive whose size is more than 32 GB.
This can be solved in the following way: first remove the old drivers, then install new ones.
Solution
First of all, open the device manager, where you can see all the devices connected to the computer. To do this, open, then switch the view to "Large icons" and select "from the list" device Manager " (example in the screenshot below).
To help! Alternative ways to open Device Manager -
Note!
On devices for which there are no drivers, the yellow light will appear Exclamation point. In general, it is not advisable for you to have such devices marked with exclamation marks (or red crosses).
After uninstalling, click the "" button - it is located at the top of the Device Manager window. After which, your manager window will blink a couple of times, and the drivers will be reinstalled...
Problem #4: Front panel not connected system unit
Very often, the USB ports on the front panel of the system unit are not connected to the motherboard (apparently, they forget to connect this socket when assembling the PC). In this case, you simply insert the flash drive into a port to nowhere...
Solution
- Quite simple: connect the flash drive to the back of the system unit - it always has 2÷4 USB ports. At the very least, it is recommended to do this simply for testing - to confirm that the USB ports on the front panel are not working.
- Try connecting the front panel to the mat. board If you have never had such experience before, I do not recommend getting into the system unit; it is better to use the services of service centers.
Problem #5: viruses on a PC or flash drive
Settings for enabling USB ports are usually located in the "Advanced" tab. On opposite point USB Controller need to convert the value to Enabled(i.e. enabled, see screenshot below). Then save the settings and exit (usually F10 key).
You can also just reset BIOS settings to optimal (USB ports are always included in them. At least I have not yet seen the opposite...).
Problem #8: File system error
In cases of file system failure - when you connect a flash drive, you will most likely see a message stating that the flash drive is not formatted, that it has file system RAW and Windows will offer you to do something with it 😊.
In some cases, formatting a flash drive cannot be completed due to some errors...
In general, the problem with the file system is quite “big”, and its solution is not always simple and quick (especially if the flash drive has the necessary data).
Solution
If the data on the flash drive is needed- I don’t recommend formatting it. In general, I advise you not to do anything with it, but take it to a service center. If you want to do everything on your own, then try first removing your data from it using recovery utilities: Recuva, R.Saver, Easy Recovery Professional, etc.
To help!
How to recover photos from MicroSD cards memory or USB flash drive -
If the data on the flash drive is not needed (or you have already copied it): I recommend trying to format the flash drive using one special. utilities - HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool.
HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool
A simple utility for low level formatting disks and flash drives. In a number of cases, it helps to bring drives back to life, for which there was practically no hope left. By the way, it even formats those disks that Windows does not see or gives reading/formatting errors.
The utility works quite simply: after launching, it will present you with a list of all connected drives to the system, you select the one you need and format it. After formatting, the disk (or flash drive) starts working as it should!
Formatting a flash drive
To help!
How to format a flash drive (FAT32, exFAT, NTFS) -
Problem #9: USB port malfunction
It also happens that the USB port becomes unusable. Most often this happens due to frequent and careless use of it: for example, many people sharply pull the flash drive (or USB cable), over time the USB port begins to fit poorly to the inserted flash drive (i.e. there is no contact between the flash drive and the port). As a result, the flash drive is invisible.
Note. By the way, the USB port may not work stably: i.e. you will first see the flash drive, and after you start copying information onto it (or reading it) - you may see an error, or the connection will simply disappear...
Solution
- Try connecting the flash drive to another USB port, or to another computer/laptop. If the problem is related to the USB port, you will immediately notice the difference...
- I also recommend paying attention to dirt in the USB port. Often, over time, a layer of dust, plaque, etc. accumulates, which leads to bad contact. If there is a lot of dirt, try removing it with an old toothbrush dipped in alcohol. (perform the operation with the PC turned off!) , and then reinsert the flash drive.
Problem #10: USB flash drive malfunction (for example, after being dropped)
This is perhaps the worst thing that could happen to the drive, especially if it contains important data. Most often, the user guesses that the flash drive may have become unusable, because... before that:
- the drive fell to the floor;
- was dropped into water;
- accidentally touched or hit by any object;
- visible on the drive deep scratches, chips or cracks.
In general, when you insert a flash drive into a USB port, the LED on it should light up (most flash drives have one). The characteristic sound of connecting the device should “ring” on the PC. If all this is missing, especially when connecting a flash drive to different devices– then this is a bad sign, most likely there is a problem with the flash drive itself.
Solution
- Buy a new flash drive (banal and simple 😉, especially since the prices for them are now quite affordable (and they generally cost “pennies”));
- Try taking it to a service center, maybe the technician will be able to resolder the contacts and it will work again (but I would recommend this method only for). After repairing the drive: using it for important data is not justified!
What to do if the computer does not see USB? First of all, you need to make sure that the device you need to connect is not damaged. You can check this very simply: if everything is fine when you connect it to another computer, then the device itself is working. Also, when connecting it to your PC, pay attention to whether the light bulb (LED) lights up. If the USB ports and cable may be fully functional, you need to check the settings of the device itself and confirm that it can communicate with the computer (if this option is disabled, the device will not appear on your computer). This also applies to tablets, smartphones, MP3 players and similar gadgets.
Many people connect new devices to the USB ports located on the front panel of the system unit. However, very often the front ports do not have a connection to the power supply, or there is power, but it is not enough for correct operation. What to do if the computer does not see this situation? Simply reconnect the device to one of the ports located on the back.
Sometimes the system immediately detects new drive data, but displays a message stating that the device is not recognized and refuses to read the information. Most often, the problem lies, again, in insufficient power and is solved by connecting the media to another port. However, in some cases there is a need for the easiest and most convenient way to do this using specialized programs(let's say Everest). It will help you find out the name of your board, and then download the appropriate drivers from the official websites of the manufacturers.
It is also possible that the problems occurred because Windows assigned the new device a volume label (letter) that was already in use. This can be corrected using the control panel tools (right-click on the “My Computer” shortcut and select “Manage” from the menu that appears). On the right you will see the "Storage Devices" tab, and in it - All you have to do is find the label of our device, right-click and select "Disk Path" ("Change Drive Letter"). In the window that opens, enter new symbol. After doing this, the problem can be fixed.
What to do if the computer does not see USB? Although very rare, it still happens that the ability to read data from USB devices is disabled in the BIOS. Most often, this is done in online salons and similar establishments so that people, using their media, do not infect their computers with viruses. If we are talking about a home PC, you should go into the BIOS, and then check the box that allows the motherboard to enable USB devices.
If the computer does not see information on your drive via USB, this may be due to the presence of malicious software. virus programs on the PC itself or the connected device. Here the solution is obvious: you should download a reliable powerful antivirus and conduct a full scan of both the computer itself and the drive.
This advice most likely applies to those who cannot connect a flash drive. What to do if you have already done everything described above? You need to know that sometimes there is a conflict between the file systems of USB devices and PC. As a rule, on flash drives this is - FAT systems and FAT32. Modern hard disks support NTFS system. Using the already familiar Disk Management, you can change the file system type of the flash drive to FAT32 or NTFS.
Finally, you may just need to format the drive. This can be done if it is displayed in the list of connected devices. However, when formatting, all data stored on it will be permanently deleted.
Almost everyone uses USB flash drives now. It's simple and reliable way transfer and storage of information. But the malfunction of these devices has become a common problem for many users. Below are all possible reasons problems and solutions for them.
First, simpler and effective ways to solve the problem, therefore you should follow the recommendations in order. But do not forget that some problems, for example strong physical damage, it cannot be eliminated.
Reasons why the system does not recognize the device
To operate a USB device, it has a built-in special controller. If there is a certain failure, it may become blocked, which will prevent the computer from recognizing the flash drive.
The reason for the failure may be a power surge, sudden removal of the flash drive, incorrect formatting, etc. Violations of this type can still be corrected, but in case of mechanical or thermal damage, it is impossible to restore the operation of the flash drive.
You can understand that the flash drive is not detected by the computer by the following factors:
- The USB device is connected, but the computer says “insert disk”;
- The message “Device connected, not detected” pops up;
- issues a request to format the flash drive;
- a data reading error message appears;
- The indicator on the drive is on, but it is not displayed on the computer, etc.
The cause of the failure may also be:
- non-working computer USB ports;
- outdated drivers;
- viruses on the device;
- settings failures in BIOS;
- different file systems of the USB device and computer;
- assigning the letter of the connected flash drive hard drive etc.
Driver check
First of all, you need to check whether the driver is installed correctly on your computer.
To do this, go to “Disk Management”:
Now try removing and inserting the USB device and see if it appears in this window. If the flash drive is visible and the status is indicated as “Good”, right-click on it and select “Make partition active”.
If there is a problem, the status will show "Not allocated", "Not initialized" or "Unknown", which means that the device is damaged.
The system may assign the wrong letter to the flash drive, which will also prevent it from being recognized. Right-click on the device and select "Change Drive Letter" and assign a different value:
The flash drive driver itself needs to be checked in Device Manager:
- start;
- control Panel;
- device Manager.
If the driver for the flash drive is not installed, yellow question marks will appear next to one or more USB devices.
Computer hardware errors
When the PC does not detect a new flash drive, insert it into different USB ports. If all ports are operating normally except one, the cause of the problem is a problem in that port.
The same problem can arise when connecting a flash drive not directly, but through a USB hub or extension cable. Try connecting the device directly to the USB port. If everything works, then the adapter is the cause.
It happens that many devices are connected to the computer via USB, then the ports may not have enough power to operate the flash drive. Disconnect other devices from the ports one at a time, leaving only the mouse and keyboard. If the USB drive now works, then the problem is due to lack of power.
Photo: USB hub transformer Apacer PH150
In this case, it is better to put more powerful block power supply or USB hub with a separate power supply. But if the size of the flash device is very large, older laptop models simply will not handle its power. With this option, it is almost impossible to solve the problem.
Another problem is heating connected USB— devices. The malfunction may be a short on the device board.
You can check this on another computer - if it continues to heat up, then the USB drive is faulty. And if everything is fine in other places, then the computer port itself may short out.
If the flash drive and USB port are working properly, the indicator on the device will light up. Then the cause of the problem is systemic, not hardware.
Video: Recovering a flash drive that is not recognized by the computer
Virus check
Then why is the flash card seen by the computer, but not read? One reason may be a virus that infects boot file USB drive. Because of this, the device either does not boot at all or is immediately blocked by the antivirus. And if it is displayed, it displays a warning “Access denied” when you try to open it.
First of all, you should destroy the infected boot file “autorun.inf”. To do this, enter the address of the flash drive in Explorer (for example, G:/):
- "Service";
- "Folder properties";
- "View";
- “Hidden files and folders”;
- "Show hidden files and folders."
The download file will now be displayed. It must be removed and data from the entire device scanned with an antivirus.
If the flash drive does not open through Explorer, use the command line:
Setting up USB in BIOS
The flash drive may not be recognized due to USB ports being disabled in the BIOS. This happens very rarely, but it's best to check your settings just in case. Please note that no device will be recognized in a disabled USB port, so if others work fine, then skip this step.
To enter the BIOS, restart the computer and press the Del or F2 button while turning it on. On different PCs there may be different keys, so look at what will be written on the screen (approximately “Press F2 to enter Setup”). If a blue table with settings opens, then everything is correct - you have entered the BIOS.
Now you should find the menu item in which you adjust turning on USB. Its name may vary, but most often it is the Advanced (Peripherals, Integrated Peripherals) tab:
In it, look for the item USB Configuration/Controller, etc. There are a lot of BIOS menu options, so it’s quite difficult to specify the exact item. But the word USB must be present. Now make sure that USB support is “Enabled”, if not, then switch them:
Some BIOS version not only regulate the inclusion of the controller, but also indicate its operating mode - V1.1 or V1.1+V2.0 (there is already 3.0). Choose the option that supports all directions (V1.1+V2.0). Save the settings and exit the BIOS (most often the F10 key).
USB drive is not detected by the system due to errors
After formatting, which may not have been entirely successful, operating system may not see the flash drive due to errors. This can be checked in the “Disk Management” item, the entrance to which was described above. If the flash drive says “Good”, but it is still not visible in Explorer, the cause may be a formatting error.
This can be eliminated by new formatting. Right-click on the device and select “Format”. The flash drive should now display and work without errors.
Different file systems of flash cards and computers
To restore usb work flash, which is not detected on the PC, you need to change the file system, which may cause a conflict on the computer. The file system of the latter is most often NTFS, while the flash device is FAT32. In the Disk Management window, you can see the file system types of different PC media.
Correct formatting solves the problem. For this:
In the window that opens, check the compliance of the specified capacity and the parameters of the flash drive. Specify the file system NTFS and check the box next to “Fast (cleaning table of contents)”. Now click “Start”:
Confirm your actions:
After the process is completed, the system will notify you:
Photo: formatting completion message
Required OS updates for operation
At installed system Windows XP may not recognize the flash drive due to outdated updates required for its operation. However, some flash drives can work in PC USB ports, while others cannot.
Major updates required for normal operation USB devices:
- KB925196 – incorrect recognition;
- KB817900 – port operation stops after the device is removed and reloaded;
- KB968132 – errors when connecting several flash drives;
- KB88740 – Rundll32.exe error;
- KB895962 – stops the USB device after turning off the printer;
- KB871233 – the flash card does not work after the PC wakes from sleep or hibernation;
- KB314634 – support only older USB devices;
- KB312370 (2007) – USB 2.0 support.
Recovery methods
When no problems are found with the system, you can use special programs on restoration:
- ChipGenius – determines the manufacturer and other information about the device;
- AlcorMP – reflash controllers usb flash most manufacturers;
- JetFlash Recovery Tool– reflashes flash drives from Transcend.
If your computer says "Insert disk" when booting up, the problem may be outdated drivers that should be deleted.
For this:
- When the computer is turned off, disconnect all USB devices (except the mouse and keyboard);
- turn on the PC;
- download the DriveCleanup program;
- Depending on the OS version, copy the 32-bit or 64-bit “drivecleunup.exe” to the C:\Windows\System32 folder;
- go to command line and write “drivecleunup.exe”;
- drivers will begin to be uninstalled:
After this, restart your computer. Insert the flash drive and the system will find new drivers for it.
A flash drive may not be detected for many reasons, the main of which are a malfunction of the device or USB port, as well as system errors, most of which can be eliminated with correct formatting and driver installation. Some programs can also help restore USB flash, so you should follow the instructions in order.
Your computer does not see the flash drive, what should I do? First of all, you need to find out whether this is due to hardware problems - a malfunction of the USB port or the drive itself. How to do it? When a working drive is connected to a working port, its indicator light should start blinking. This indicates that both the flash drive and the port are in perfect order, and the source of the problem is software in nature and is located in the operating system itself. Otherwise, the malfunction has a hardware cause. Let's take a look possible options in more detail.
Hardware reasons
- It often happens that the computer does not see the flash drive connected to the USB port located on the front panel of the system unit. The main reason for this malfunction is that these ports are simply not connected to the power supply or there is insufficient voltage supplied to them. To solve this problem, try connecting your drive to one of the ports located with reverse side system unit. Most likely, the flash drive can be easily identified.
- It happens that a USB device does not receive enough power due to overcurrent in the ports or hub, or due to a fault in the power supply. Owners of outdated laptops may also encounter this problem due to the large capacity of the USB drive. In such a situation, nothing can be done. Another reason is too a large number of simultaneously used USB ports. Disconnect devices that are not currently needed and try connecting your drive again.
- If after this the computer does not see the flash drive, then most likely the problem is not in the ports. Connect it to another PC, or better yet, to several. If the situation has not changed, the flash drive is definitely faulty. You can try to repair it by giving it to the appropriate specialist. Most often, this will cost more than the cost of the drive itself. Therefore, you need to resort to this option only if the information contained on the flash drive is important and you simply need to restore it. In other cases, it is easier and cheaper to purchase a new one.
Software reasons
If the USB device turns out to be working, then the problem lies in the operating system settings. For example, often the computer does not see the flash drive when support for USB ports is disabled in the BIOS. If in the settings this interface connected, then when you connect the drive you may see a message stating that " USB device not recognized" and the icon safe removal will change to an exclamation point. What could be the reason for this, we will consider further.
- One of the most common problems is that when you connect a USB device, it is assigned a drive letter that is already present in the operating system, so the computer does not see the flash drive. Most often this happens when there is network drives. To fix this, you need to go to the “Control Panel” menu, then to the “Administration” section, then “Computer Management”. In the window that opens on the left, select the "Disk Management" line. A list of disks will open on the right, visible to the system, which should include your USB drive. Select it and go to the context menu, find "Change drive letter or drive path." Assign any free letter to the flash drive.
- Another reason could be outdated versions or no drivers at all motherboard. To determine its model, we recommend using Everest program. Next, download the most current versions drivers from the manufacturer's official website. We do not recommend installing software from other sources - this can cause irreparable harm to your PC.
- It happens that everything is checked and in order, but the system does not see required driver. To check this setting, you should use the "Device Manager", which can be accessed through the same "Control Panel". In the list that opens, pay attention to “USB Controllers”: if there is a yellow icon next to at least one USB device question mark- remove it and install the driver again. As a last resort will remove all USB controller drivers. After a reboot, the operating system will automatically install them again. It is important to note that it is better not to use this method unless absolutely necessary.
- Sometimes the reason for the “invisibility” of a flash drive can be viruses. In this case, be sure to scan your PC for malware and get rid of infected files. If you can't afford paid antivirus program- no problem. There are now a large number free applications, or you can temporarily use the trial version of a well-known antivirus.
- Also, do not discount the possibility of a conflict between the file systems of the USB drive and PC. The most common option is when the computer's file system is NTFS, and flash drives are FAT. In this case, just reformat it also to NTFS, this should help.
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Today, you practically cannot find a person who does not have a flash drive in his arsenal. This device- a universal thing and is used everywhere. On TVs, music centers, in cars and other devices. The more often we use a flash drive, the faster it deteriorates and the computer stops finding it. In this article I want to tell you several ways to fix the problem of an “unreadable” flash drive.
Case one
Insert the flash drive into USB port in the back. If it doesn’t help, then unfortunately your flash drive is dead.
Case four
You insert the flash drive into the USB port, and it asks you to format it. I'm afraid that in this case you will have to format it, or else it won't work. This could happen if the flash drive was not removed correctly or it was removed during copying, preventing the process from being completed.
Case five
USB device not recognized. There is no need to panic in this case; the cause may be dust or dirt that has stuck to the contact ports. Try inserting the flash drive into another port - it doesn’t read? There are two options: either reinstall Windows or the driver, but it’s better to try the second option - you shouldn’t reinstall Windows right away.
Well, that's all, I have listed the most basic problems that occur when the computer does not see the flash drive.