format usb issue

[ecoimpact]

Hello all,

I have a usb in which I cannot access after a problem occurred, further detail described in a post in 'windows 7 forums' located here: reason for format request

The usb has alot of important work on it and I'm wanting to sort why I can't format it, as I want to use a program 'recover my files' afterwards to recover the important work. A window displays stating to check whether its 'read-only' and I'm at my wits end trying to sort out how to go about changing this setting in windows 7 and wanting to know whether this is the reason 'format' won't work or will not even attempt to run, I seem to think I changed it to read only, though can't remember how!

At one point I changed the name of the usb drive to 'x' in the hope of windows 7 recognising it as a new device and in attempting to reverse this I then tried accessing disk management, which was not loading after 10 mins, although I was able to revert back to the original drive name on a windows xp pc. Whilst using the xp comp, I ran format with xp and a window displayed saying it didn't work, stating something about read-only.

I seem to recall changing the usb settings at some point after the problem started, as I originally didn't want to format the usb and was concerned I would accidentally select format when inserting the usb. The only problem is that I can't recall how
I did this and wondered if there is a different process to deselect 'read-only'.

The usb shows up in the 'computer' window, although I can't access the usb as it requests a format. The usb shows up in the 'disk management' within 'computer management' as: 992 mb RAW Healthy (primary partition), except I don't recall it being RAW when I was able to access to the usb. I can see the properties of the usb and the space is full in the pie diagram, don't know if that matters, its just the size of data on the usb is allocated as zero for both used and free space and I know it was completely full.

Update: I took the usb to a local computer shop and told the bloke I wanted to format it, but that the usb wouldn't do it. He was about to plug it into his laptop, I believe he thought I wanted to permanently delete all traces of the data, as he started talking about lifetime warranties and how i could get a replacement, this was while he did something under his desk with the usb. I then stated it was the data i wanted to recover (2 years worth of higher education), in which he then plugged it into his laptop and went into disk management and told me it wasn't turning on (not lighting up). Another worker referred me to a data recovery agency.

I got home and plugged the usb in the laptop and now it is completely dead, no longer showing up at all, you can imagine how angry this made me! I called the data recovery agency and explained the situation and they stated because it wasn't turning on, that it would be a hardware recovery and resulting data recovery, costing around $600!!! WTF. I stated that it might have been swiped over a magnet unwittingly at the computer store and the recovery agent suggested that only works with large hard drives!!

Admittedly, the data on the usb was copied from multiple folders located on a couple of my external hard drives, so it won't be such a pain in the proverbially backside to gather my homework again considering the alternative! Guess this is a lesson not to trust the judgement of someone else before handing them over years of work, full of blood, sweat and tears!

Greatly appreciated.

ecoimpact

 

[Brink]

Hello Ecoimpact,

You might see if you can use the "Clean" command on the usb drive as in the tutorial below. Do not use the "Clean All" command. If you do, you may not be able to retrieve anything from it at all.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

Hope this help,
Shawn

 

[ecoimpact]

Hello Ecoimpact,

You might see if you can use the "Clean" command on the usb drive as in the tutorial below. Do not use the "Clean All" command. If you do, you may not be able to retrieve anything from it at all.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

Hope this help,
Shawn

I shouldn't have taken the usb to the computer shop, as I what you recommended I'm unable to do now, due to the usb not showing up in disk management.

Handy to know though. Thanks

 

[electrotune1200]

Have you been able to retrieve your files from your external hard drives? Here is a tool that should make your usb flash drive recognizable again, but you will lose all data. I've used this tool on a few drives that I thought were dead. Hopefully this at least gets your flash drive back.

HP usb disk storage format tool -
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool | Peripherals Download | PC World

 

[Brink]

Hello Ecoimpact,

You might see if you can use the "Clean" command on the usb drive as in the tutorial below. Do not use the "Clean All" command. If you do, you may not be able to retrieve anything from it at all.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

Hope this help,
Shawn

I shouldn't have taken the usb to the computer shop, as I what you recommended I'm unable to do now, due to the usb not showing up in disk management.

Handy to know though. Thanks

Have your tried plugging the USB into a different USB port to make sure that is not the issue as well? Does it show up in the command prompt using "diskpart" and "listdisk" ?

 

[FZ21Z]

Does it show up in the command prompt using "diskpart" and "listdisk" ?

I was thinking that whilst reading the thread, as when I was trying to make a boot stick, I lost the use of the drive due obviously to doing something wrong, but got it back by doing it right. So whilst the issue is different, the principle to try and fix it is the same.