Almost everyone uses USB flash drives now. This is a simple and reliable way to transfer and store information. But the malfunction of these devices has become a common problem for many users. Below are all possible causes of problems and options for resolving them.
First, simpler and more effective ways to solve the problem will be described, so you should follow the recommendations in order. But do not forget that some problems, such as severe physical damage, 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- outdated drivers;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 hard drive to the flash 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 install a more powerful power supply or USB hub with a separate power source. 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 the heating of the connected USB device. 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 could be a virus that infects the boot file of the 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. Different PCs may have different keys, so look at what is 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 the inclusion of USB is regulated. 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 versions not only regulate how the controller turns on, 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, the 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 the operation of a usb flash that 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
When Windows XP is installed, the flash drive may not be recognized due to outdated updates required for its operation. However, some flash drives can work in PC USB ports, while others cannot.
The main updates required for normal operation of 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 recovery programs:
- ChipGenius – determines the manufacturer and other information about the device;
- AlcorMP – reflashes usb flash controllers from most manufacturers;
- JetFlash Recovery Tool – flashes flash drives from Transcend.
If your computer says "Insert disk" when booting, the problem may be outdated drivers that should be removed.
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 the 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 by correct formatting and installing drivers. Some programs can also help restore USB flash, so you should follow the instructions in order.
In this manual I will describe all the ways I know to solve this problem. First, the simplest and, at the same time, the most effective methods will be used in most situations when the computer does not see the flash drive, reports that the disk is not formatted, or produces other errors. There are also separate instructions on how to.
There are many reasons why you may encounter the fact that your computer does not see the flash drive. The problem can appear in any version of the Microsoft operating system - Windows 10, 8, Windows 7 or XP. If the computer does not recognize the connected flash drive, this can manifest itself in several variations.
Start Disk Management using one of the following methods:
- Start - Run (Win + R), enter the command diskmgmt.msc, press Enter
- Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Computer Management - Disk Management
In the disk management window, pay attention to whether the flash drive appears and disappears when you connect and disconnect it from the computer.
The ideal option is if the computer sees the connected flash drive and all partitions on it (usually one) are in the “Good” state. In this case, just right-click on it, select “Make partition active” in the context menu, and perhaps assign a letter to the flash drive - this will be enough for the computer to “see” the USB drive. If the partition is faulty or deleted, then you will see “Not distributed” in the status. Try right-clicking on it and, if such an item appears in the menu, select “Create a simple volume” to create a partition and format the flash drive (the data will be deleted).
Further simple steps
Try going to Device Manager and see if your device is listed as unknown, or in the “Other devices” section (as in the screenshot) - the drive may be called there by its real name or as a USB mass storage device.
Right-click on the device, select Delete, and after deleting it, in the Device Manager menu, select Action - Update hardware configuration.
Perhaps this action will be enough for your flash drive to appear in Windows Explorer and be accessible.
Among other things, the following options are possible. If you connect the flash drive to the computer via an extension cable or USB hub, try connecting directly. Try connecting to all available USB ports. Try turning off the computer, disconnecting all extraneous devices from USB (Web cameras, external hard drives, card readers, printer), leaving only the keyboard, mouse and flash drive, then turning on the computer. If after this the flash drive works, then the problem is in the power supply to the USB ports of the computer - perhaps the power supply of the PC is not enough. A possible solution is to replace the power supply or purchase a USB hub with its own power supply.
Windows 10 does not see the flash drive after updating or installation (suitable for Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10)
Many users have encountered the problem of USB drives not being displayed after upgrading to Windows 10 from previous OSs, or after simply installing updates on an already installed Windows 10. It often happens that flash drives are not visible only via USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 - i.e. It can be assumed that USB drivers are required. However, in fact, this behavior is often caused not by drivers, but by incorrect registry entries about previously connected USB drives.In this case, the free USBOblivion utility can help, removing from the Windows registry all information about previously connected flash drives and external hard drives. Before using the program, I recommend.
Disconnect all flash drives and other USB storage devices from the computer, run the program, check the Perform real cleanup and Save undo reg file checkboxes, then click the “Cleanup” button.
After cleaning is completed, restart your computer and connect the flash drive - most likely, it will be detected and become accessible. If not, then also try going to the device manager (by right-clicking on the Start button) and follow the steps to remove the USB drive from the Other devices section and then update the hardware configuration (described above). You can download the USBOblivion program from the official developer page: www.cherubicsoft.com/projects/usboblivion
But, in relation to Windows 10, another option is possible - actual incompatibility of USB 2.0 or 3.0 drivers (as a rule, then they are displayed with an exclamation mark in the device manager). In this case, the recommendation is to check the availability of the necessary USB and chipset drivers on the official website of the laptop or PC motherboard manufacturer. At the same time, I recommend using the official websites of the device manufacturers themselves, and not the Intel or AMD websites, to search for such drivers, especially when it comes to laptops. Also, sometimes updating the motherboard BIOS helps solve the problem.
If the flash drive is not seen by Windows XP
The most common situation I encountered when calling to set up and repair computers, when a computer with the Windows XP operating system installed on it did not see a flash drive (even if it sees other flash drives), was caused by the fact that the necessary updates for working with USB drives were not installed . The fact is that many organizations use Windows XP, often in the SP2 version. Updates were not installed due to restrictions on Internet access or poor performance of the system administrator.
So, if you have Windows XP and the computer does not see the flash drive:
- If SP2 is installed, update to version SP3 (when performing the update, if you have Internet Explorer 8 installed, remove it).
- Install all Windows XP updates, regardless of which Service Pack you are using.
Here are some of the fixes for working with USB flash drives that were released in Windows XP updates:
- KB925196 - fixed errors that appear in the fact that the computer does not detect the connected flash drive or iPod.
- KB968132 - fixed errors where when connecting multiple USB devices in Windows XP they stopped functioning normally
- KB817900 - The USB port stopped working after removing and reinserting the flash drive
- KB895962 - USB flash drive stops working when the printer is turned off
- KB314634 - the computer sees only old flash drives that were connected before and does not see new ones
- KB88740 - Rundll32.exe error when inserting or removing a USB flash drive
- KB871233 - the computer does not see the flash drive if it has just been in sleep or hibernation mode
- KB312370 (2007) - USB 2.0 support in Windows XP
By the way, despite the fact that Windows Vista is almost never used anywhere, it should be noted that installing all updates should also be the first step if a similar problem occurs.
Completely remove old USB drivers
This option is suitable if the computer says “Insert disk” when you insert a USB flash drive. Old USB drivers available in Windows can cause this problem, as well as errors associated with assigning a letter to the flash drive. In addition, this may also be the reason why the computer restarts or freezes when you insert a flash drive into a USB port.
The fact is that by default, Windows installs drivers for USB drives the moment you connect them to the corresponding port on your computer for the first time. At the same time, when the flash drive is disconnected from the port, the driver does not go anywhere and remains in the system. When connecting a new flash drive, conflicts may arise due to the fact that Windows will try to use previously installed drivers corresponding to this USB port, but to a different USB drive. I won’t go into detail, but will simply describe the steps required to remove these drivers (you won’t see them in Windows Device Manager).
How to remove drivers for all USB devices
- Turn off the computer and disconnect all USB storage devices (and not only) (flash drives, external hard drives, card readers, web cameras, etc. You can leave the mouse and keyboard provided that they do not have a built-in card reader.
- Turn on your computer again.
- Download the DriveCleanup utility http://uwe-sieber.de/files/drivecleanup.zip (compatible with Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8)
- Copy the 32-bit or 64-bit version of drivecleanup.exe (depending on your version of Windows) to the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
- Launch Command Prompt as Administrator and enter drivecleanup.exe
- You will see the process of removing all drivers and their entries in the Windows registry.
When the program finishes running, restart your computer. Now, when you insert the USB flash drive, Windows will install new drivers for it.
Update 2016: It is easier to perform the operation of deleting mount points of USB drives using the free USBOblivion program, as described above in the section about non-working flash drives in Windows 10 (the program will work for other versions of Windows).
Reinstalling USB devices in Windows Device Manager
If none of the above has helped so far, and the computer does not see any flash drives at all, and not just one specific one, you can try the following method:
- Go to Device Manager by pressing Win+R and typing devmgmt.msc
- In Device Manager, open USB Controllers
- Delete (via right click) all devices called USB Root Hub, USB Host Controller or Generic USB Hub.
- In Device Manager, select Actions - Update hardware configuration.
After reinstalling USB devices, check if the USB drives work on your computer or laptop.
Additional actions
- Check your computer for viruses - they may cause inappropriate behavior of USB devices
- Check the Windows registry, namely the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer. If you see an option named NoDrives in this section, remove it and restart your computer.
- Go to the Windows registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ System\ CurrentControlSet\ Control. If the StorageDevicePolicies parameter is there, remove it.
- In some cases, completely de-energizing the computer helps. You can do this this way: unplug the flash drives, turn off the computer or laptop, unplug it (or remove the battery if it’s a laptop), and then, with the computer turned off, press and hold the power button for a few seconds. After that, release it, reconnect the power supply and turn it on. Oddly enough, this can sometimes help.
Recovering data from a flash drive that the computer cannot see
If in Windows Disk Management the computer displays the flash drive, but in the status “Not recognized”, “Not initialized”, and the partition on the flash drive is “Not distributed”, then most likely the data on the flash drive is damaged and you will need to use data recovery.
There are a few things to keep in mind that will increase the likelihood of successful data recovery:
- Do not write anything to the flash drive you want to recover.
- Do not try to save recovered files to the same media from which they are recovered
If nothing helps, and your computer still does not see the flash drive, and the files and data stored on it are very important, then the last recommendation would be to contact a company professionally engaged in file and data recovery.
Active PC users often have a problem that the computer does not see the 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? — This article will help you. In it, I hope you will find a solution to your problem and fix it.
Let's get down to business and find out what problems can happen to your flash drive and how you can easily fix them.
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 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 file autorun.inf (14):
Done? 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 steps did not save your flash drive, then most likely your flash drive has mechanical damage.
I hope this article made you understand in what cases the computer does not see the flash drive and helped you get rid of this problem.
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Today, you practically cannot find a person who does not have a flash drive in his arsenal. This device is a universal thing and is used everywhere. On TVs, stereo systems, 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 the USB port on 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.
And allows you to quickly save important files and text documents. However, sometimes users are faced with the fact that the flash drive does not appear on the computer. What to do in this situation? What could cause problems of this kind?
It is worth considering that sometimes the computer stops seeing removable media, even if there were no problems with it before. In some situations, the PC does not display the contents of folders, and sometimes it does not even “see” that the device is connected. Finding yourself in such a situation, every user asks himself a completely logical question: “Why is the flash drive not displayed on my computer?” Some begin to panic, worrying that all saved data will now be lost. But don't despair prematurely. First you need to calmly deal with the causes of the problem. There may be several of these.
Lack of power or socket problems
Typically, stationary system units have several ports for connecting USB storage devices. Some of them are located on the front part of the system unit, and they quite often stop working correctly.
In this case, you need to try inserting the flash drive into the slot located on the back of the computer. If there are no corresponding ports there, then you need to check the headphone output hole, which is usually also located on the front of the system unit. If the audio track does not play, then the problem is due to a mechanical failure of the connectors. Another possible explanation is that they were not originally connected to the PC motherboard. Developers very often make this mistake when producing systems systems.
In addition, if the computer is via USB, this may indicate that too little power is being supplied to the connector, which is why the media is constantly turning on and off. This happens due to errors by developers who do not always fit the cables as tightly as possible into the required grooves.
If the flash drive is not displayed in the “My Computer” folder for these reasons, then it will be difficult to deal with the problem on your own. It is much easier to contact a service center or return the faulty system unit to the seller.
If the problem is not related to a lack of power or improper operation of the connectors, then it is worth considering other reasons for the non-functioning removable media.
Drivers
Each flash drive has software installed by default, which should be automatically activated when the device is connected to the PC. However, Windows 7 does not always install the driver correctly. This is where the most common reason why a flash drive is not displayed in “My Computer” appears.
To fix this problem, you need to go to Device Manager. You can do this in two ways:
- Right-click on “My Computer” and select “Properties”. On the left in the window that opens there will be a list of available directories. From it you need to select “Device Manager”.
- Left-click on “Start” and enter the name of the required directory in the search.
If everything is done correctly, a new window will open with a list of all connected devices and a report on their operation. In this list you need to find “USB controllers”. There will be a “+” icon next to the inscription. You need to click on it and see if there is an exclamation mark next to any of the devices.
If one of the drivers does not work correctly, then you need to right-click on it and select “Update”. After this, the system will try to independently find the required software.
If this does not happen and the computer, then the necessary drivers can be installed manually. To do this, you need to go to the website of the manufacturer of the removable drive and download the current version of the software. After this, you can either run the file directly from the downloads folder, or go to the “Device Manager” again and specify the path to the folder where the necessary drivers are located.
If the computer no longer sees the flash drive, you can use other ways to solve this problem.
Windows Troubleshooters
This method is not suitable in cases where the device is not detected by the system at all. If the computer sees the flash drive, but does not open the files stored on it, then in this case Windows itself will help solve the problem.
To use standard troubleshooting tools, you need to unplug the flash drive and reinsert it. After this, the system usually notifies you that it was not possible to install the software for the device and offers to try to solve the problem.
If such a function is not available on your computer, do not despair. To do this, go to the official Microsoft website and download the necessary utility. After that, launch it and click the “Next” button. The program will automatically begin diagnosing and correcting possible faults. As a result, the utility will report a verdict and offer several options to choose from to solve the problem. The user only needs to follow the program's recommendations.
In some cases, standard troubleshooting tools will produce a report indicating that no problems were found. This means that the functionality of the utility was not enough to work. This may also be a sign that the problem lies in the removable drive itself.
Sometimes the flash drive is not displayed in the “My Computer” folder for a number of other reasons.
Viruses
Virus and spyware can also affect the correct operation of the system. In this case, errors like “Access Denied” most often appear on the screen. This means that viruses and Trojans have damaged the original device driver and replaced several files on it.
To solve this problem, you need to go to “Computer” and enter the name of the flash drive (usually some Latin letter) in the address bar, followed by the characters “:\”. Next you need to press Enter. The next step will most likely open an empty folder. To make its files visible, just go to the startup directory. To do this, select “Tools” and go to “Properties”, after which a new window will open.
In it you need to find the “View” tab and scroll the slider to the very bottom. Having found “Hide files”, you need to uncheck that option and activate the visibility of hidden files. After this, it is enough to confirm the operation, and all the necessary files should appear in the folder of the flash drive. However, that's not all. The fact is that after these manipulations the flash drive still does not appear in the “My Computer” folder, this is due to the fact that the file affected by the virus has not yet been deleted.
To get rid of it, you need to find a document called autorun.inf and delete it. After this, all that remains is to scan the system for possible malware. It is possible that there may be residual virus files on your computer.
If nothing helps and the flash drive is not visible to the phone and computer, then you can try more complex manipulations.
You can also try disconnecting all devices from the computer and restarting the PC. After this, you need to scan it for viruses, turn the device off and on again, and only then connect the flash drive. The fact is that the virus may not be on the PC itself, but on some additional device connected to it, so they need to be disabled.
Formatting media
If the device is not visible not only on the PC, but also on the smartphone, then the problems may be more serious. As a rule, in this case, a message appears on the monitor stating that the installed disk needs to be formatted. When starting to fulfill the system requirement, you need to understand that this operation will destroy absolutely all data from the removable media. But along with the necessary documents, malicious or incorrect software will also be removed.
To activate this process, just click on “Format” and wait until the system cleans the flash drive.
To start the formatting process manually, just perform the following manipulations:
- Go to “Properties” by right-clicking on “My Computer”.
- In the drop-down menu, activate the formatting function.
- Choose a file system that will fully match your PC.
- Check the box next to “Quick”. In this case, the files may be saved, but the “broken” folders will not disappear along with them.
- Click "Start".
There are other reasons why the flash drive does not appear in the My Computer folder.
Partition conflict
This happens when for some reason the system cannot recognize the name of the flash drive. The fact is that several disks can be installed on a computer. If the user assigned the name “K” to one of them, and at the same time the same index is set on the removable media by default, this will lead to a failure. Solving this problem is very simple.
To do this, you need to go to the “Control Panel” and make a selection by category (this will be more convenient). After this, you need to find the administration panel and select “Computer Management”. In this case, all manipulations must be carried out exclusively on behalf of the administrator. Otherwise, all operations will be in vain, since the system will not accept the changes made.
There are 3 categories in the administration panel. From them you need to select “Storage devices”. After opening a new window, a list of all disks registered in the system will be displayed on the right. This list will also include an unnamed device - this is a flash drive whose name “does not please” the OS.
To correct this small oversight, just assign a new index to the drive. To do this, you need to right-click on the nameless flash drive and select “Change letter”.
After this, a new window will appear on the laptop computer monitor, and the system will offer to change the letter. It is not recommended to use the letter “A” for a flash drive, as it only applies to floppy disks. For the same reason, you should not use the symbol "B". The "C" index is usually assigned to the main system partition of the hard drive. The letter "D" is responsible for the second logical partition, so it is also not suitable.
All other symbols can be safely used for the drive.
Continuing to understand why the flash drive is not visible on the computer and how to solve this problem, it is worth considering several more options.
Replacing an extension cord
All kinds of splitters are often used for USB ports. Such wires very often fail. The same thing happens to them that constantly happens to headphones - the contacts come off or break, making it impossible to use the accessory correctly.
This can happen if too many devices are connected to the PC at the same time. In this case, it is recommended to try connecting the flash drive directly to the computer. If it works correctly, then it's all about the extension cord. It's also worth trying to use the splitter with another device to check its functionality.
However, sometimes it happens that even after all these manipulations the computer does not see the USB flash drive. What to do in this situation? Don't despair. It is possible that the connectors for removable drives are simply disabled.
How to enable USB ports
Sometimes sellers, for unknown reasons, disable connectors using “fine” system settings. Perhaps this is done so that buyers turn to them for paid services. However, you can handle everything on your own.
To do this you will need to go into the BIOS. After this, you need to go to the section responsible for controllers and activate the connectors if they are actually disabled. As a rule, the necessary settings are located in the Advanced section. To enable controllers, just use the arrows on your keyboard to select Enable next to the USB Controllers line. Next, just press F10 to save your changes. After this, all that remains is to boot the computer in normal mode.
There is also a simpler explanation why a Windows computer does not see a USB flash drive.
Mechanical damage
The miniature device could fall on the floor or into the water. Its fragile parts are very easily damaged by impact.
To check the functionality of the flash drive, just insert it into the appropriate slot on your PC. If the indicator light on the drive does not light up and the computer does not make the characteristic “duck-duck” sound, then the accessory may be damaged.
In this case, it will be very difficult to “reanimate” the flash drive yourself. Of course, you can try to take it to a service center, where a specialist can restore the data. That is why it is better not to store information on only one miniature media. Experts also recommend saving important data not on flash drives, but on removable hard drives. They break much less often and last longer.
Specialized programs
If the user purchased a flash drive from popular manufacturers Kingston, Verbatium and others, then it is worth familiarizing yourself with the software that these companies offer. If you look at their official websites, you can find specialized utilities there that will help you quickly restore the operation of your device. You can also search the Internet for something else from other manufacturers.
However, you should not download such programs from sites that are not related to the company that produces flash drives. In this case, you can get dangerous malware on your computer.
Knowing why the computer does not see the flash drive, what to do and how to solve this problem, you can try to deal with it yourself. However, in the future you should make it a rule to use several drives at once. This is the only way to be sure that important data and files will not be lost at the most unexpected moment. It is also recommended to promptly clean your PC registry and check it for viruses. Some of them may be located in system files. Therefore, do not forget about OS security.
