XP Pro Won't Recognize Sony Micro Vault USB 2.0 Flash Drive

There's a good chance the drive was removed while it was writing data, causing it to become corrupted.  There is a good article here: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1869
on how to fix it and recover the data.

Before you go through all that, you might also try removing the drive under device manager, then unplugging it, wait about 15 seconds, and plug it back in.  This is assuming you've only tried it on one PC.  If you've already tried it on several PCs, go straight to the article and follow the instructions there to recover your data.

Good luck.

Hmm... check your computer management and make sure it's not getting a drive letter that's conflicting with a drive already in your PC.  Right click on "My Computer" then click "manage".  When that comes up, click on "disk management" and look for your USB drive in that list, if it's listed, try giving it a different drive letter.  Right click on it, then click "change drive letter or path".

Should do the trick.

Tidder

Also, from there you can check if the drive partition is corrupt as well.  Quite possibly you can reformat it from there if you need to.

Thank you all for your suggestions - I've tried them all (including PC Inspector Smart Recover) and nothing will recognize the Micro Vault as "SONY" which is how it used to be seen.  In PC Smart Recover it sees it as "G Drive" but won't let me proceed no matter which kind of file I select.

I did find this solution but am unable to find the file recommended.  Can you help me find it?  Do you have more ideas?


FROM http://www.everythingusb.com/forums/showthread.php?s=1dff35cf06ea63db3077f53aecb0521f&threadid=3506&perpage=30&pagenumber=1

I have been trying for 3 months to find a solution to this problem. I now have a working Microvault usm256u2 device. AND my original data still intact.

Here's how to do it on WinXP:

1. Unplug the Microvault

2. Download the following file...
http://tech.prolific.com.tw/visitor...sp?fid=27979548 

This is the Prolific "PL-2515 USB 2.0 Portable USB Flash Controller EZRecovery Tool" There are other files on this site, but this is the one that fixes the problem.

3. Run the file and install the software (note this also installs the drivers that allow the 'Dead' microvault to be recognised as a 'security device'.

4. Plug in the microvault. (XP recognises it as a security device and installs the appropriate drivers)

5. Run the Ez-Recover program. (it should then recognise the size of your device, though it will think it is a 'prolific' one.

6.Ensure that you are prepared for the machine to RESET itself before you Hit the 'Recover button'.

7. Whilst the machine reboots, un-plug the microvault

8. When the machine is up and running, insert the microvault. (the machine should recognise it as a USB device and will load the USB drivers, as normal). In my case the original data was also left intact!

Hope this works for everyone else!

Thanks again to Peter ??? (Don't know his surname) and Prolific!

I'm checking it out...

In the mean time, try killdisk... unless you need the info from that device.  http://www.killdisk.com

It's worth a shot, fixed a similar prob I was having with a sandisk cruzer.

Thanks for the suggestions.  I've tried them all including KillDisk (which made me very nervous and took some time to get up the courage for), and the Sony Microvault will still not be recognized.  Another flash memory stick will, so it's not the computer.

One other bit of strange info.  I've gone to Device Mgr and uninstalled all USB Mass Storage Devices, and when I restart with NO USB devices attached, my computer finds a new USB Mass Storage Device and says it's installed and ready to use.  The Task Bar "Safe to Remove Hardware" icon appears as well and says I can "Safely remove Mass Storage devices on Drives E and F, but there are no such drives or devices.  Does this suggest anything else I might try?

It sounds like you have a built in card reader or something like that on your PC.  I wouldn't think that would make any difference.

Prolific never replied to any e-mails I had sent, and that file seems to be non-existant on the web.

Leave it open for a while longer, just in case.

I think this may have the recovery utility built into it.

http://www.prolific.com.tw/support/files//Flash%20Products/PL-2515Pro_PL-2518/Software/End-User/ap_UFD_Utility_v21400.zip

Thanks, Purple Tidder - I did try this one.  I now found this possible solution, but will have to wait until my friend with the Mac comes back next week...

"I had the same problem with Sony microvault 64MB (USM64U2). I tried the EzRecovery program which did not work. However, instead of having a Security Device identification it show either a USB Hub and later a USB Disk. But, anything you wanted to do on the disk (i.e. format, scan, chksdsk) asked to insert a disk in the unit.

I found out that if you plug the device in a Mac OS computer, it gets identified as USB disk but with no format. Simple as using the Disk Utility and format it as MS DOS vol-ume. This solved the problem."

Oh neat.  Yeah, that'd be great if that worked.

I give up.  The Mac won't find the Microvault either - looks like it's head for the junk pile unless there are any other answers out there.  Thanks for trying...

Yeah, that bites.  Too bad prolific's tech support isn't any help either...

Thanks for all your help, Purple Tidder - you definitely deserve these points!  I tried the last EZ Recovers and they couldn't find the disk, either, so enough is enough...

Dang it, that sucks!  Any chance you'd get rid of/sell it?  Contact info is in my profile.  I'd love to get my hands on it, I can't stand to not know the answer...