Any computer geeks want to help a lady in distress?

rml_16
rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
in Chit-Chat
I have a thumb drive that just all of a sudden stopped working last week. I plug it in and nothing. The drive doesn't even show up anywhere, the lights don't flash, nada.

I don't *think* I need anything on it (I'm a writer and I save things to it so they're portable, but also e-mail everything to myself for just such a case as this), but if it's possible, I'd like to double check. Short of taking it to a store to be dissected, anyone have any advice? Thanks!

***EDITED TO ADD***

I have tried two different computers and several different ports on each one.

Replies

  • webdevsoup
    webdevsoup Posts: 384 Member
    I have a thumb drive that just all of a sudden stopped working last week. I plug it in and nothing. The drive doesn't even show up anywhere, the lights don't flash, nada.

    I don't *think* I need anything on it (I'm a writer and I save things to it so they're portable, but also e-mail everything to myself for just such a case as this), but if it's possible, I'd like to double check. Short of taking it to a store to be dissected, anyone have any advice? Thanks!

    Mac/PC? I would say try plugging it in to a different USB port. Sometimes that's all that's needed. Other than that, you can try another PC. There's no reason it should stop working all of a sudden, especially if you haven't noticed any problems with it before.
  • Eaglesfanintn
    Eaglesfanintn Posts: 813 Member
    Have you tried it in a different pc or tried something else in that USB slot? If nothing's showing up on your computer, it might be that USB port and not the thumb drive.
  • KitoBrandt
    KitoBrandt Posts: 15 Member
    I'm a Certified IT Tech here. Have you tried plugging it into any other USB ports on your system?
    If you did and saw no changes, have you tried plugging it into another system to see if it was recognized there?
    What Operating System were you using (Windows or Mac)?
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    It's a PC. I have tried it on two different computers and ever port I could. Other thumb drives work just fine on both computers.

    Literally, I had it plugged in, took it out for a minute to plug a different one in and then when I put it back, nothing. The lights don't even flash on it. I'm wondering if something isn't connecting inside it.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm a Certified IT Tech here. Have you tried plugging it into any other USB ports on your system?
    If you did and saw no changes, have you tried plugging it into another system to see if it was recognized there?
    What Operating System were you using (Windows or Mac)?

    Windows. I've tried it on XP and 7.
  • philOHIO
    philOHIO Posts: 520 Member
    two things

    1- try blowing on the contacts. If that doesn't work... try plugging it in to a different computer.

    If one of those two things don't work, you are probably SOL. Flash memory isn't the most reliable, and underscores the reasons for backing up files. Check the computer you were using, may have saved on there, too... if possible.
  • danwood2
    danwood2 Posts: 291 Member
    Some USB drives have a lock switch on it. It might have been flipped to lock the last time you handled it which will allow it not to be recognized when you plug it. Check to see if that happened.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    Have you tried turning the computer off and then back on again? (Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll get out.)
  • KitoBrandt
    KitoBrandt Posts: 15 Member
    If there are no activity lights on the drive, then that's a good indicator that it's nonfunctional at this point.
    I would recommend replacing the drive. In the future, you may want to look into cloud-based solutions like 'DropBox', 'BOX', or 'Google Drive'.

    By using an online storage system, you don't need to worry about hardware failing to access your files.
  • kais79
    kais79 Posts: 41 Member
    two things

    1- try blowing on the contacts. If that doesn't work... try plugging it in to a different computer.

    If one of those two things don't work, you are probably SOL. Flash memory isn't the most reliable, and underscores the reasons for backing up files. Check the computer you were using, may have saved on there, too... if possible.

    I agree with this one. If the lights on it aren't working and you've tried blowing off any dust on the contacts, the drive has most likely failed.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I don't see a lock switch. It's a pretty simple drive, only 1G and I think one of the originals.

    Tried blowing on it. Nada,

    I guess I'm SOL. No big. Everything important is elsewhere.

    Thanks for the suggestions!
  • kais79
    kais79 Posts: 41 Member
    Have you tried turning the computer off and then back on again? (Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll get out.)

    LOVE THIS! :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Have you tried turning the computer off and then back on again? (Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll get out.)

    LMAO

    Just started watching The IT Crowd over the weekend.

    (And, yes, the computer is plugged in!)
  • Darkskinned88
    Darkskinned88 Posts: 1,177 Member
    try a different port, or a more drastic approach, reformat it, but like KitoSoma says online storage is the way to go, the thumb drive with be like a floppy disk in the next few years

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