Question

USB Flash Drive - Appears as "not ready" - Cannot Recover Data

Asked by: RichJS

I have a clients Verbatim 2Gb flash drive with EXTREMELY important data on it.

When inserted into ANY machine, it shows up as "Removable Disk" assigned G:.
In Device properties it appears as:
USB Disk 30X USB Device
File System "Unknown"
Device Type "Disk Drives"
Location "on USB Mass Storage Device"
Status "No Media"
Partition Style "Master Boot Record (MBR)

When opened it gives the prompt "insert a disk into Removable Disk (G:)" as if it a CD drive.

It therefore doesn't show up on any recovery software (PC Inspector/GDB/Recuva) as it looks to the software as a drive that is 'not ready".

I have scanned the original machine for viruses, none found. I cannot scan the drive for viruses for obvious reasons. i have attempted to remove the drivers loaded for it, and re-install, no luck.

The Data on the drive is drawings for an engineering works, and is worth ALOT of money, and they are DESPERATE. I have exhausted my ideas on what i could do. Please could someone help.

Thanks in advance.
R

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Asked On
2009-02-02 at 00:24:29ID24104015
Tags

Data Recovery Removable media

Topics

Disaster Recovery

,

Storage Technology

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: AllamzPosted on 2009-02-02 at 00:43:42ID: 23525166

Dear RichJS,

i'm sorry to tell you that but 90% the Flash Disk is Destroyed.

Regards,

Mohamed Allam
Senior Solution Developer

 

by: RichJSPosted on 2009-02-02 at 01:02:10ID: 23525267

Thats not what i wanted to hear. :(

 

by: AllamzPosted on 2009-02-02 at 01:10:47ID: 23525297

RichJs,

i'm really sorry to tell you that, but instead of wasting your time. i've had the same issue and i've did every possible thing to save the disk but i failed.

Sorry again.

please don't hesitate to contact me if you require any assistance.

Mohamed Allam
Senior Solution Developer

 

by: RichJSPosted on 2009-02-02 at 21:18:55ID: 23534243

*sigh*

 

by: AllamzPosted on 2009-02-02 at 23:39:07ID: 23534818

Hello Rich,

Any Updates Regarding your Flash Drive ?

Regards,

Mohamed Allam
Senior Solution Developer

 

by: RichJSPosted on 2009-02-03 at 00:03:27ID: 23534990

Nothing;. it really is a problem...
any idea what causes such problems?

 

by: AllamzPosted on 2009-02-03 at 00:12:54ID: 23535047

RichJs,

Alot of things may cause the flash disk to do so like

removing the flash without safely remove as some of the flashes are sensitive, maybe it has a physical damage.

if your data is Extremely Extremely important at this stage you may need to use the services of professional data recovery services.

Regards,

Mohamed Allam
Senior Solution Developer

 

by: RichJSPosted on 2009-02-09 at 01:11:27ID: 23588371

I have given up. Thank you for the help...

 

by: AllamzPosted on 2009-02-09 at 01:38:12ID: 23588505

Rich,

you are more than welcome and i'm really sorry for you loss.

Regards,

Mohamed Allam
Senior Software Engineer

 

by: LexmarPosted on 2009-09-22 at 16:50:02ID: 25398779

Try a different recovery tool that can do a surface scan (yes I know there is no surface on a flash)  ie.bit level.  In most cases flash included the computer will erase the directory tables and sometimes removing the flash drive at the wrong time can corrupt  the MBR.

A surface scan may be able to recover this.

Download the free trial of "Get My Files" see if it can recover.  If it can  then purchase.  This works on all media types.

Company is Get Data  Product is 'Get My Files'

http://www.regnow.com/softsell/visitor.cgi?affiliate=95299&action=site&vendor=7198

Disclosure: I am an affiliate for this product, if you eventually purchase, I do get a referral commission.  I do use this product in house and use it regularly to recover files from reformatted hard drives mostly when people hit F11 to restore at bootup and don't understand that it will put the machine back the way it was from the factory.

You have nothing to lose but some time.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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