On my Window's xp partition, it shows up in My Computer but can't be read or formatted. When I open up Disk Management, the usb drive shows up as "Unreadable." Does anyone know how I can fix/format this. I have all my data backed up so I don't need to recover anything. Thanks!
USB drive "unreadable"
Started by
Numb Remxed
, Oct 05 2008 11:08 AM
#1
Posted 05 October 2008 - 11:08 AM
Numb Remxed
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On my Window's xp partition, it shows up in My Computer but can't be read or formatted. When I open up Disk Management, the usb drive shows up as "Unreadable." Does anyone know how I can fix/format this. I have all my data backed up so I don't need to recover anything. Thanks!
#2
Posted 05 October 2008 - 01:34 PM
The Admiral
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What filesystem is the external hard drive?
You may be able to run a chkdsk on the drive to repair the corrupted sectors, but only if the drive is NTFS or FAT32 (FAT won't chkdsk, i think.)
When you say it can't be read on OSX, will your Disk Utility see it?
You may be able to run a chkdsk on the drive to repair the corrupted sectors, but only if the drive is NTFS or FAT32 (FAT won't chkdsk, i think.)
When you say it can't be read on OSX, will your Disk Utility see it?
#3
Posted 05 October 2008 - 05:04 PM
Numb Remxed
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thanks for your reply.
The drive is FAT32. When I try a chkdsk, it says "Cannot open volume for direct access."
And on OSX, the disk utility does not see the drive as the drive doesn't even mount.
The drive is FAT32. When I try a chkdsk, it says "Cannot open volume for direct access."
And on OSX, the disk utility does not see the drive as the drive doesn't even mount.
#4
Posted 08 October 2008 - 06:39 PM
Troy
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Have you tried formatting it from within a linux OS?
I wonder if DBAN would be able to nuke it for you.
Troy
I wonder if DBAN would be able to nuke it for you.
Troy
#5
Posted 08 October 2008 - 07:51 PM
hfcg
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Now for what you do not want to hear.
Flash memory devices do NOT have an infinite read/write life.
Flash drives go bad.
You will lose all of your data on a flash drive when it fails, there is no resurection.
The drive may have stopped in the middle of copying because it failed. This would also explain why it does not show up, or work any more.
However, flash drives are not expensive.
Flash memory devices do NOT have an infinite read/write life.
Flash drives go bad.
You will lose all of your data on a flash drive when it fails, there is no resurection.
The drive may have stopped in the middle of copying because it failed. This would also explain why it does not show up, or work any more.
However, flash drives are not expensive.
#6
Posted 08 October 2008 - 08:17 PM
Numb Remxed
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thanks for your replies.
I had tried formatting the usb drive using GParted on a live cd before. However, GParted did not even see the drive so I couldn't do anything. I haven't tried DBAN because I've read that there are some issues with it working on macbook pro (my current laptop).
If there's nothing else I can do, I'll probably just end up throwing this away and getting another drive.
I had tried formatting the usb drive using GParted on a live cd before. However, GParted did not even see the drive so I couldn't do anything. I haven't tried DBAN because I've read that there are some issues with it working on macbook pro (my current laptop).
If there's nothing else I can do, I'll probably just end up throwing this away and getting another drive.
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