Windows will no longer recognize my usb flash drive

[mike_bio]

Hello all. I'm having problems getting my 1GB mp3 player/usb flash drive to be recognized by windows. It worked fine until yesterday I inserted it in a Vista notebook (in the past it had worked ok in windows Vista). When I inserted it in the usb port of this notebook, it popped a message like "Windows cannot open c:\windows\system. Cannot find default program to open file. Press ok to continue." in 5-6 identical windows and did not recognize it- as if I hadn't inserted it. I pulled it out.

Since then whenever plug it in a PC (I tried 2 WinXP and 1 Win2000 PC that work ok with other usb devices) it is only recognized as "unknown usb device" and Windows asks for drivers. Of course none exist -even in the manufacturer's site- because these devices are meant to be automatically recognized by windows as "usb storage devices". I should note that 30' before I used it on the vista notebook it worked fine.

I do not mind for the data it has, I just want to get it working. Since windows semi-recognize it I think it is not fully destroyed. Maybe it needs some kind of formatting? But how can I do that since it is not recognized as a disk by windows or command line (I tried that too)? In device manager it is listed as "USB device"under "Other Devices", with the classic yellow question mark.

Any suggestions? I'm a quite experienced windows user so feel free to talk technical.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Sterling_Aug]

I does sound like it is dead, however you can try these utilities. Do a Google search for them:

Pen drive data recovery.

HP USB format

Recover my files.

[mike_bio]

Thank you for the feedback, but most of the search results are about getting your files back and not getting the drive itself properly recognized by windows.

I even tried mounting it in Linux, but no lock there either.

I'm heading back to the store where I bought to get it replaced- It doesn't seem to malfunction from my error so the guarantee must still be valid.

[BipolarBill]

You can try formatting, but use FAT - not FAT32 or NTFS - as the file system.

[mike_bio]

I cannot format it in any file system and with any os, because it is not recognized as a drive. Only as a "USB device" that needs drivers.

[BipolarBill]

Then it is indeed a goner.

[sell2ucheap]

I posted sometime ago about this type orf problem. It is a Vista bug and MS is aware of it and I am sure(I hope) they will address it in the service pack that is out,Try this..if you havent returned it or if this happens with another USB device in Vista...Insert the device and wait for the "need disk" prompt. Select find automaticly. When it tells you that it cannot find it or that the device did not install correctly..cant remember the prompt..go to device manager and uninstall it there..it will be there with the yellow question mark. Reboot your machine with the device still attached. When prompted for the driver by Windows select "Ask me later". The look in my PC and the device will be there and you can use it like always. Hope this helps