Mutltiple USB drives no longer working


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I'm getting so aggravated with these ######ing USB drives. I've bought several different models at work, USB 2.0 and 3.0 and both will work for a while then stop. I've tried just about every remedy I can find out there but nothing seems to work. It appears in Disk Management, but gives no options other than properties. Tried booting to a windows install disc and it isn't recognized. Any ideas?

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10.27.2014-09.03.png

 

I have tried diskpart, HP USB formatter, gparted, spinrite, Boot and Nuke, etc. I've tried almost everything.

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Just the one PC, or is it other systems?  If it is just the one PC, try updating/reinstalling your USB drivers.

Multiple PCs, Macs, tried loading Ubuntu off a Live CD. Windows XP through Windows 8.1. LaCie USB drives, Kingston and Imation are all doing this to me.

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Could be your computers, or just one, is frying them out, like too much power to the USB ports, that fry the memory chips on flash drives.

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Could be your computers, or just one, is frying them out, like too much power to the USB ports, that fry the memory chips on flash drives.

 

ea, multiple PCs, multiple drive OEMs....something is happening with the flash drives that is screwing them up.

 

We used to have someone working here that gave off some kind if energy and she would go thru mice, keyboards, and wrist watches like crazy.

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Multiple PCs, Macs, tried loading Ubuntu off a Live CD. Windows XP through Windows 8.1. LaCie USB drives, Kingston and Imation are all doing this to me.

But...there's no pattern there. Multiple machines, multiple USB keys, and always the same thing happens? Are you always trying with a single machine first? If so then Mindovermaster could be right about it frying the keys. Otherwise, are you holding the USB keys next to a magnet or something? :blink: :p
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I don't think it's caused by any one PC. I've used both USB 2 and USB 3.0 drives, different manufacturers, different capacities. They were primarily being used when I was in a helpdesk role to fix student machines (laptops). Some worked longer than others. I've got a two Kingston drive that are 1GB and 2GB back when that was a lot, both work without any problem. They are being recognized to the smallest extent in Windows. I can see it in disk management, it usually gets a letter, but I can't do anything with it. Same in Diskpart, any command will give an error of some sort.

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I don't think it's caused by any one PC. I've used both USB 2 and USB 3.0 drives, different manufacturers, different capacities. They were primarily being used when I was in a helpdesk role to fix student machines (laptops). Some worked longer than others. I've got a two Kingston drive that are 1GB and 2GB back when that was a lot, both work without any problem. They are being recognized to the smallest extent in Windows. I can see it in disk management, it usually gets a letter, but I can't do anything with it. Same in Diskpart, any command will give an error of some sort.

This sentence confuses me.

But I'd go with the idea that one of the computers that you connect the drives to, is causing them damage.

Could it be something to do with this? http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/ftdis-anti-counterfeiting-efforts-sit-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place/

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^If that was the case there'd be a a network outage here.

 

off topic but amen

 

on topic: I agree with mind. Its one of the computers frying the flash drives. In my experience this is true. A wrong adapter on a usb hub and boom burnt flash drives that once worked for 5 years

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This sentence confuses me.

But I'd go with the idea that one of the computers that you connect the drives to, is causing them damage.

Could it be something to do with this? http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/ftdis-anti-counterfeiting-efforts-sit-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place/

 

Ok so here is kind of a timeline if that makes it more clear

 

  • I started at my current job and there were a handful of Kingston 1,2,and 4GB USB 2.0 drives. All of which still work (5+ years later)
  • Bought higher capacity Imation drives 16 & 32GB USB 2.0 drives. They worked for a while, I think 1 or 2 might still work. A handful started to not work anymore
  • Bought some Kingston USB 3.0 32GB drives to replace the defective ones. Those stopped working as well
  • Bought LaCie 16GB USB 2.0 petite keys to go on a key ring. Worked great for a while and then stopped working.

The primary role of these drives was basic IT diagnostic programs and transferring documents and such. In the helpdesk role I used to be in, I have folders for anti-virus apps, portable apps, and solutions I used to fix laptops and desktops. On occasion maybe 1 or 2 would be used for a bootable USB drive to install Windows or run Ubuntu or something of that nature. Some of the USB keys have probably been inside hundreds of laptops (<--sluts).

 

<---UPDATE--->

Got my Lacie Petite key working again using this tool (http://flashboot.ru/files/file/410/). Yes it's a Russian site, but this one is legit. I opened the program, selected the USB and hit start. Took about 5 minutes but it's back up and running again. I tried it with my Kingston and had no luck. Will keep working with this. 

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lol at "sluts"

 

That program looks interesting, but only works with drives that have Phison controllers, right?

 

Still, good to have in the tool box (Y)

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lol at "sluts"

 

That program looks interesting, but only works with drives that have Phison controllers, right?

 

Still, good to have in the tool box (Y)

Not 100%, I'd be a liar if I said I fully understood the whole USB controllers and everything. I believe the LaCie, if I'm reading it right, was a Toshiba controller.

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If it was one flash drive, I'd probably cut my loses and chuck it. But with like 10 drives of various models, I'm a bit curious.

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Try this it worked for me. UNPLUG your computer from the electrical outlet leave unplugged for 10-15 minutes, then plug back in and boot up your computer. I had this issue with all the USB drives on my computer, somebody suggested I unplug the computer for 10-15 minutes, so I tried it and it worked, never had the problem return I dunno what caused it or why this works.

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Try this it worked for me. UNPLUG your computer from the electrical outlet leave unplugged for 10-15 minutes, then plug back in and boot up your computer. I had this issue with all the USB drives on my computer, somebody suggested I unplug the computer for 10-15 minutes, so I tried it and it worked, never had the problem return I dunno what caused it or why this works.

 

that's accumulated energy in the PSU, that can only be depleted with a power off and cable removed.

 

I think there is two possible reasons: some computer is frying the usb devices or it's you: i've meet a girl once that she could demagnetize every credit card so easily, just by touch it them.

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