USB Flash Drive is identified as a Hard Disk Drive

Hi,

First of all:
I have done a Windows 7 repair install which has solved some problems with my windows, however, the repair install didn't slove these problems(Autoplay for USB Flash Drives) and listing one USB Flash Drive as a HDD.

But, USB Flash Drive is still identified as a Hard Disk Drive, although it is a USB Flash Drive.

I have three USB 2 Flash Drives with the same brand 'SanDisk'. Two of which are 7GB. One of which is 2GB.


However, one of them is dealt/identified as a HDD, however, the other two are dealt as a Removable Storage. (USB Drive).

Once one of them dealt as a HDD is plugged to the PC, then it is listed under the Hard Disk Drives on my computer(Screen shot below). The Flash Drive whose assigned letter is 'I' is dealt as a HDD and even its icon in the disk management is similar to a HDD. However, the assigned letter 'L' is for a USB HDD.





Also, when opening the disk management, and clicking 'right click' on it, then I see the all the options(such as 'delete option', and 'mark partition as active' ) specific for a hard disk partition are active(not grayed out).(screen shot below).


Also, via disk management, I could 'delete' a USB Flash Drive and recreated it as the way of dealing with Hard disk partition(Screen shots below).







Besides, When clicking 'right click' on the USB Flash Drive listed under Hard disk drivers, I don't see an 'eject option' as what happens for any Hard disk partition.


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However, the other two USB Flash Drives are identified as USB Flash Drives, and are always listed under removable storage(screen shot below)


Also, in the disk management, once clicking 'right click' on any USB Flash Drive identified as USB Flash Drives, the options(such as 'delete option', and mark partition) specific for a HDD are inactive 'grayed out'.(screen shot below)







Also, When clicking on the USB Flash Drives listed under removable storage, I see 'eject option'.




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Moreover,
Although the 'use autoplay for all media and devices' are checked


Only the Autoplay of any USB Hard disk drives, and optical discs are functioning well.


However, the Autoplay of any USB Flash drives dealt as a Removable storage(USB Flash Drives) is not functioning. for instance the two USB Flash Drives dealt/identified as Removable Storage.


But, the autoplay of the one USB Flash Drive dealt/identified as a HDD is only functioning well. (Screen shot below).





Also, when clicking 'right click' on a HDD or an optical disc inserted onto the optical drive, then there is an 'open autoplay' option listed.(screen shot below).



Also, for the one USB Flash Drive identified as HDD, there is an 'open autoplay' option listed under clicking 'right click' it.(Screen shot below).



However, for the two USB Flash Drives identified as USB Flash Drives, there are no 'open autoplay' option after clicking 'right click' on them.(screen shot below)

VistaUltimate said:

Clean deletes everything on the selected drive.
For AutoPlay,I can't say anything.
Why your computer identifies your flash drive as an HDD is unknown for me.I can't help at this point.
Have you tried connecting the USB to another computer? If it doesn't have problems,your computer or OS is faulty. If it does,your flash drive is the problematic device.
Initializing is not needed,but what your computer thinks your USB drive is false.Sorry,I don't have anything to do more here.

Thanks a lot,
No, I've not connected the USB Flash Drive identified by my HP laptop as an HDD so far.
But, I would be saying that if my system were defective, then ALL USB Flash Drives would be identified as an HDD. If you read my first post, you will see that other two USB Flash Drive are identified as USB Flash Drive. Even if my system were defective, then I think it would be repaired since I have done a repair install hoping to solve all problems with it.


Yes, I agree initializing is not needed for USB Flash Drive.


What lets me ask about autoplay problem is that I found that the autoplay for USB flash drive identified as an HDD does work well. However, the autoplay for USB Flash Drives identified as Flash drives is not wroking. So, I am expecting that there is a realation between the autoplay problem and identifying a USB Flash drive as an HDD.


As a test only, I have copyied the USB Flash Drive(7GB) identified as a Flash Drive to the USB Flash Drive(7GB) identified as an HDD using MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition. So, when the operation completed, then I found that USB Flash Drive identified as an HDD is still identified as an HDD, however, there is a bad disk in front of it in the MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition.

deleting the flash Drive(identified as an HDD) whose letter is 'I' to be unallocated , and then copying Flash Drive whose letter 'H'(identified as an Falsh drive) to the unallocated drive.

There is nothing to worry about the one Sandisk Flash drive showing as HDD. It had been configured so by SanDisk and you cannot change it.

Please read this post and related posts. Removable Flash Drive Recognized as a Local Disk and not a Flash Drive

"Extract from a communication from Sandisk:

We have recently made some changes in the manufacturing of the flash drives to make them compatible with Windows 8 certification. The changes are in effect from June 2012. Flash drives configured as fixed disks still function the same as those configured as removable disks.

This fixed disk matter had already been brought to notice in this forum by Britton30.

Flash stick showing as "Local Disk"

In a Dec 2013 post one user elsewhere indicated :

SanDisk has recently reversed their decision on configuring drives as fixed disk and are back to removable. Per support "all sandisk drives are being moved back to the removable disk configuration".

So you got one manufactured in the interim period between this flip-flop by SanDisk. :) "

EDIT:First post from Atlanta where we arrived just before midnight. Had a good sleep till 7.00 A.M. After seeing this post just can't keep quiet :). I may keep watching Seven Forums till we start our drive to Cape Canaveral tom 1500hrs and then silence till we are back into our den on 13th.