Rather Interesting Flash drive dilemma.

Loser777 · 02-13-2007, 05:12 AM

My friend gave me his thumbdrive for me to fix because it was giving him problems... When the drive is plugged in, two drive icons appear and when they are opened it says "Please insert a disk into drive:(whatever)". I've tried formatting, but it says the disk is write protected... and also, the disk reads as unknown capacity. There is no write protection switch on the disk. I'm stumped right now.

BloodyBlade · 02-13-2007, 05:20 AM

Probably physically broken or corrupted.

Can you do scandisk on it?

Loser777 · 02-13-2007, 05:26 AM

You mean error check? Nope...
It is a white Patriot Exporter. It has an ability for a secure second partition, but my friend never set a password or anything. Might be a driver problem...

BloodyBlade · 02-13-2007, 05:28 AM

It shouldn't require drivers if it is a basic flash drive.

Loser777 · 02-13-2007, 05:29 AM

What is really getting me is that it is write protected. My friend had put a bunch of files on it and it was working fine at first.

XGhozt · 02-13-2007, 07:31 AM

Possibly a virus and its just "in use" try safe mode.

DarthSlyGuy · 02-13-2007, 08:45 AM

I have seen this before. Check for a write-protect toggle switch. If there isn't one you may have one of the drives that doesnt physically have the toggle. Somehow it got toggled on even though its disabled. Not a while lot you can do. Just buy a new one. They are dirt cheap now anyways.

Aberrant · 02-13-2007, 03:58 PM

On my external it shows up as 2 drives because I have the second partition encrypted. First partition you can access fine, second shows the same characteristics as you are describing. Does the base partition have the encryption program on it and if so have you tried using it and just not putting a password? Just a thought.

XGhozt · 02-13-2007, 08:05 PM

Oh you know what it is, its that stupid ownership problems.
In Safe Mode there is an extra tab normally hidden when clicking on properties for the folder/file whatever.

Just add your admin user as the owner of it. It still thinks the last person who used it is the owner, but that user does not exist, so it deleted it from the flash drive.

Normally it just gives ownership to the next user, that I can't explain.

Aberrant · 02-14-2007, 01:43 AM

Good info XGhozt

Loser777 · 02-14-2007, 06:31 PM

Alright, I'll take another look at the Flash Drive today. It doesn't even display the storage capacity so I doubt it's simple write protected.

NickF · 02-14-2007, 06:54 PM

I like Bloody's physically damaged theory.

Donlac · 02-14-2007, 07:20 PM

Is it a U3 drive? cause then it should show up as a CD drive and a flash drive...

HARD_ON · 02-14-2007, 07:44 PM

Too bad it's not like a HDD. Just run a magnet over it.

02-13-2007, 05:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
Loser777 Geeky Azn d00d Enlightened Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 3,043	Rather Interesting Flash drive dilemma. My friend gave me his thumbdrive for me to fix because it was giving him problems... When the drive is plugged in, two drive icons appear and when they are opened it says "Please insert a disk into drive:(whatever)". I've tried formatting, but it says the disk is write protected... and also, the disk reads as unknown capacity. There is no write protection switch on the disk. I'm stumped right now. __________________ Q6600 @ 3.6GHz 1.32v 9800GX2 @ 700/1752/1000 4GB DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 2.0v ASUS P5Q-E
$Loser777 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-13-2007, 05:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
Loser777 Geeky Azn d00d Enlightened Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 3,043	You mean error check? Nope... It is a white Patriot Exporter. It has an ability for a secure second partition, but my friend never set a password or anything. Might be a driver problem... __________________ Q6600 @ 3.6GHz 1.32v 9800GX2 @ 700/1752/1000 4GB DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 2.0v ASUS P5Q-E
$Loser777 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-13-2007, 05:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Loser777 Geeky Azn d00d Enlightened Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 3,043	What is really getting me is that it is write protected. My friend had put a bunch of files on it and it was working fine at first. __________________ Q6600 @ 3.6GHz 1.32v 9800GX2 @ 700/1752/1000 4GB DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 2.0v ASUS P5Q-E
$Loser777 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-13-2007, 07:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
XGhozt The Friendly Ghozt. Gold Member Crusader Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: California Posts: 3,782	Possibly a virus and its just "in use" try safe mode. __________________ Ghoztcraft - Gaming Made Easy
$XGhozt 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-13-2007, 08:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
DarthSlyGuy Dark Lord of the Sith Senior Member Gold Member Moderator Blessed Join Date: May 2004 Location: Nar Shadda, Korriban Posts: 2,547	I have seen this before. Check for a write-protect toggle switch. If there isn't one you may have one of the drives that doesnt physically have the toggle. Somehow it got toggled on even though its disabled. Not a while lot you can do. Just buy a new one. They are dirt cheap now anyways. __________________
$DarthSlyGuy 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

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02-13-2007, 03:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
Aberrant Senior Member Blessed Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: In an Igloo Posts: 2,371	On my external it shows up as 2 drives because I have the second partition encrypted. First partition you can access fine, second shows the same characteristics as you are describing. Does the base partition have the encryption program on it and if so have you tried using it and just not putting a password? Just a thought. __________________ I ban you Otaku for making me check :P Have you seen my penguins?
$Aberrant 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-13-2007, 08:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
XGhozt The Friendly Ghozt. Gold Member Crusader Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: California Posts: 3,782	Oh you know what it is, its that stupid ownership problems. In Safe Mode there is an extra tab normally hidden when clicking on properties for the folder/file whatever. Just add your admin user as the owner of it. It still thinks the last person who used it is the owner, but that user does not exist, so it deleted it from the flash drive. Normally it just gives ownership to the next user, that I can't explain. __________________ Ghoztcraft - Gaming Made Easy
$XGhozt 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-14-2007, 01:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
Aberrant Senior Member Blessed Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: In an Igloo Posts: 2,371	Good info XGhozt __________________ I ban you Otaku for making me check :P Have you seen my penguins?
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02-14-2007, 06:31 PM	#11 (permalink)
Loser777 Geeky Azn d00d Enlightened Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 3,043	Alright, I'll take another look at the Flash Drive today. It doesn't even display the storage capacity so I doubt it's simple write protected. __________________ Q6600 @ 3.6GHz 1.32v 9800GX2 @ 700/1752/1000 4GB DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 2.0v ASUS P5Q-E
$Loser777 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-14-2007, 06:54 PM	#12 (permalink)
NickF Do Not Return to Shelf Senior Member Gold Member Crusader Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: ShopRite Posts: 3,763	I like Bloody's physically damaged theory. __________________ Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. -Ben Franklin
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02-14-2007, 07:20 PM	#13 (permalink)
Donlac Deviant Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 45	Is it a U3 drive? cause then it should show up as a CD drive and a flash drive...
$Donlac 15 0FF11\|\\|3$

02-14-2007, 07:44 PM	#14 (permalink)
HARD_ON Inquisitor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: 33°46'N - 84°25'W Posts: 4,474	Too bad it's not like a HDD. Just run a magnet over it.
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