Urgent: flashdrive says "not formatted" need data

[Bandarlog]

My girlfriend and I are teachers and have grades due tomorrow and her Apacer 256 Flashdrive cannot be read by Windows. Windows says that the disk is not formatted, but she just used it Friday. It won't read on all three of our computers (all Windows XP). The grades are on the flashdrive and we need those grades. Help please!

Bandarlog

[nic2k4]

I don't know if this will work for you:


http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/TechNews/TechAtHome/2005/02/09/925339.html

[canadateck]

I dont know maybe try Booting in safe mode? Thats all I can offer. Good Luck.

[Soopafresh]

http://diskinternals.com/flash-recovery/

[Leoslocks]

Not in line with the flash recovery programs mentioned but I go through a similar situation with a Soyo KT333 board. I am using a card reader connected to USB internally and get the same error.

• Plug the USB device in.
• Open an explorer window
• Select the drive <assumes error message>
• Unplug the drive / plug the drive back in
• Select the drive

This has worked with my (USB) issues.

If the drive worked on your three computers prior to this instance, persue the data recovery tools mentioned. If the drive was not tested on these machines, try another machine . .perhaps a different operating system.

[Sabro]

Is it possible the unit has been damaged? This is very common when people hook flashdrives to their keychains (WHY OH WHY WOULD YOU?).

If not you might want to try the freeware application located below :

http://www.officerecovery.com/freeundelete/

Sabro

[Bandarlog]

We very much appreciate the help. We tried Free Undelete and Flash Recovery, but neither of them even recognized the flash drive. If there aren't any other "Magic Bullets" I guess she's stuck with faking some grades.

[handyguy]

"I dont know maybe try Booting in safe mode?"

Yeah but no USB drivers are loaded in Safe mode are they?

There are flash drive recovery services. Try a USB port on the back of a computer instead of the front.

[Sabro]

"Try a USB port on the back of a computer instead of the front.

This is indeed true, as sometimes if the USB port has been used for another device it can somewhat become picky when a new device is being used on it.

As Handyguy stated, try another unused USB port and see if that helps any.

Sabro

[Bandarlog]

We have tried different USB ports.

I thought we had found the answer at the manufacturer's site. They had a utility that fixes the drive, but it stated that it would wipe out all existing data. My girlfriend is very upset. This is the second Apacer USB drive that has done this (we returned the first). I officially flame them for her!!!

(To make matters worse my Storix has been through the washing machine numerous times and still works perfectly, though a bit rusty on the edges.

She's resigned herself that the data is irrecoverable. Thanks anyway for the help and quick response!!!

Bandarlog