Solved Possible to repair dead (carelessly unplugged) USB flash drive?

[teckneeculler]

This 16GB USB3 memstick is only 6 months old, but it's now unusable.

This is probably because I impatiently pulled it out of its port before doing the usual 'Safely Remove' routine.

I've just run Partition Guru on the stick and it found that all (except one) 1800 sectors are damaged, but it wouldn't run a 'Repair'.

Anyone know of software that might help with this?

I realize that I can easily buy another stick, but I'm curious to know if this sort of damage is repairable. I mean, there's no physical breakage, so it must be just a software problem.

 

[billmcct]

Not repairable. Simply unpluging without ejecting wont cause that kind of damage. Sounds like an internal short. Cheap drive?
I never eject any of the 30 or so flash drives I have since it's unneeded. Windows 7 Does Not use Write Caching on external drives so no real need to eject.

Bill

 

[Megahertz07]

I always use 'Safely Remove' routine.
It can be in use by the antivirus and when it says it's safe to remove the led doesn't blink any more.
Better be safe than sorry.

If there is a chance to have your data back, ask Jumanji for help. He is the disk guru.

 

[jumanji]

"but it's now unusable" Can you please elaborate how?

Flash drive brand? Manufacturer? Genuine with warranty?

Post a screenshot of Windows Disk Management with only your flash drive plugged in. Follow the guidelines here Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image - Windows 7 Help Forums

Do you want to recover any data or just want to make your flash work again?

 

[teckneeculler]

Thanks guys.

I use flash drives frequently when I'm building, repairing or tweaking customers' machines, to transfer apps and bits of useful software.

And I use the 'Safe' technique 99.9% of the time. This was one of those rare times that I didn't do the removal properly.

Why do I say it's unusable? Because it no longer shows up in 'Computer' or even in Windows 'Disk Management'. In fact, I couldn't get to see the drive and its contents at all until I used PartitionGuru, an excellent app that SWI2 suggested when I asked a recent question here about a damaged Sata HDD.

So, according to PGuru, every sector except one is 'Damaged', to use PGuru's own phraseology, which is the app's most severe rating.

Do I need the data? No, the stick only held a collection of tuning and tweaking software, all of which were only copies.

As I said, I can easily - and will - replace the drive. It may even be under warranty still, it's a Transcend JetFlash JF780 16G USB3, around 9 months old.

The point of my inquiry is just this: For future reference as a PC servicing tech, I'm curious if there's any software that can repair this sort of fault. PGuru couldn't, AFAIK. It could display the sector layout OK, but when I said, 'Repair, PGuru!' it just hummed away for about 7 hours and didn't achieve anything.

 

[jumanji]

"it's a Transcend JetFlash JF780 16G USB3"

The best thing you can try: ( And you can't do anything better. )

Most flash drive manufacturers provide a Repair/recovery tool for their flash drives. Reason why I asked for those details.

For Transcend JetFlash see this JetFlash®780 - Support & Download,TS8GJF780,TS16GJF780,TS32GJF780,TS64GJF780,TS128GJF780,TS256GJF780


Try that online recovery tool and check if it repairs your flash drive. JetFlash Online Recovery - Support & Download


"JetFlash Online Recovery is a repair tool specifically developed for Transcend JetFlash USB flash drives. In an attempt to repair your flash drive when it is no longer recognized by PCs or not working properly, the JetFlash Online Recovery provides the initial help by restoring your flash drive to its factory default settings.

*The repair process will delete all data stored on your flash drive. Please back up all your data before using the JetFlash Online Recovery."

If it can't, contact Transcend Support for Warranty replacement.

 

[teckneeculler]

Thanks, jumanji, but I'd already tried the Transcend fix. It didn't work, said it couldn't read the drive.

I'll check out the Transcend dealer for a warranty replacement.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I've been using Flash Drives almost as long as they have been sold on the open market.

And I've never heard of that brand. Is it even sold in the USA?

I've become pretty finicky about what brands of Flash Drives, memory chips, and hard drives that I buy, since I'm in the 'Computer' business and what I buy just HAS to work.

As far as using the 'Eject' or SAFE method of removing a FD, I wait till no lights are flashing and "PULL IT!".

I learned that trick with the old Floppy Disks (yes, I'm that old). The rule of thumb in the day was, "if the light on the drive is flashing, "DON'T TOUCH IT"!!! Light out? Pull it out!

I've carried that rule over to my flash drives and in all these years, with many flash drives, from 64 megs, to 128 GB, and I've never lost one.

Oh, by the way, my favorite brand of Flash Drive is "SanDisk".

Cheers Mate!
TechnoMage

 

[teckneeculler]

You and I might be similar ages? DOB 08-40 LOL

Oh, and the brand?

I shop the New Zealand market. Transcend is probably sold under another name in the US.