Why is the flash drive not detected on the laptop. What to do if the computer does not see the USB flash drive? USB drive is not detected by the system due to errors

Over the past few years, flash storage media have become very popular and are used by us, literally, every day, due to their advantages over disk media. It is hardly possible to overestimate its usefulness of a flash drive, because you can quickly write information or count on it, it does not take up much space in a portfolio or bag, and the price segment is pleasantly pleasing.

Despite all the positive points, sometimes there are situations when the data cannot be read due to the flash drive itself or the computer. Indeed, at the most important moment, you can lose access to the stored files, and in order to quickly return everything to normal, you need to have certain knowledge. In this article, we will analyze all possible problem situations and find ways to solve why the computer does not see the USB flash drive.

The most common problems why the computer does not see the USB flash drive:

The flash drive itself does not work

This is the worst scenario for a person whose documents are stored on a USB flash drive, because it is practically impossible to bring it back to life. It is possible to disable a USB flash drive by mechanical impact on the device chip or its controller, by closing the electrical circuit, or by damaging the contacts on the USB board. This is what a USB flash drive looks like after closing the electrical circuit or getting moisture inside the drive.

Determining if this happened to your drive is easy enough. The very first thing you need to do is check the USB flash drive for mechanical damage, chips, cracks, etc. If it is completely broken, you can look for a replacement at a computer peripheral store. If you doubt its inoperability, you can check it with a practical method.

Connect the USB flash drive to the USB connector of the computer, if the LED on it lights up and on the computer you hear a sound that is typical for connecting a new device, then everything is in order, it makes sense to look for the problem further. If this does not happen, most likely the flash drive is no longer usable.

You can try to take the flash drive to the service center, where the wizard will try to rewire the contacts or replace the controller, but it will cost a lot, and this action will be justified only if you have important documents on it. If no fatal malfunction was detected and the flash drive shows signs of life, try the methods to restore its performance, which will be described below.

The USB port on the front of the computer is de-energized

This problem is very common among desktop users. Most computer owners are accustomed to plugging a USB stick into the front USB ports because it's quick and easy.

But there is a situation when, for some reason, during the assembly of the PC, the front panel is not connected to the power system, usually this happens due to the forgetfulness of the computer master. Accordingly, your flash drive will not be displayed, despite its complete serviceability.

This problem can be solved in two ways. If you urgently need to use the information on removable media, you can connect it to the back of your computer. The front connectors will still remain inoperative, but you will get access to the documents. It is impossible to call such manipulations a full-fledged solution, so we will consider the second option.

Method # 2 involves connecting the power cable on the motherboard to the front of the computer. The connection connectors may differ depending on the model of the computer case. But do not be afraid, they all have markings and you will not be able to connect the wrong connector due to design features. The most common wires are VCC, D-, D + and GND. Moreover, the color coding of the cable and the connector on the motherboard is the same, but it is better to keep the reference by the inscriptions.

The first step is to get access to the motherboard, to do this, unscrew the mounting bolts on the case and remove the cover. Find the cable that leads to the bezel and locate the same connector on the motherboard. In the image below you can see how the connector should look like.

It is not recommended to make the connection yourself, it is better to call the wizard. If you connect the cable and connector incorrectly, you can burn these contacts and even devices. If you decide to connect the front USB connectors, then it is better to tell us the model of your case and motherboard, and we will show you how to do it correctly and explain what the connector and cable look like.

Faulty or disconnected USB port on the computer

Sometimes the problem of unreadable information on removable media is associated not with the problem of the flash drive itself, but with the connector into which it is connected. A certain USB port may be inoperative, and this condition can be caused by trivial damage to the connector pins. Then, not only the flash drive, but also other USB devices will not work in this port.

This problem can be solved by armed with a conventional soldering iron and minimal knowledge of circuitry. If there is no such knowledge, skill and equipment, then this can be fixed at the nearest service center for a low fee.

However, if no reaction to the connection of a USB device is observed on all connectors, then the problem may lie deeper. Ports can be disabled in BIOS settings.

In order to connect ports in the BIOS menu, you need to get there initially. To enter the BIOS in the first seconds of booting the computer, you need to press the corresponding key on the keyboard, which is responsible for calling the menu. Most often, the F2 or Del key is set by default, but depending on the motherboard company and the BIOS version, it may be different. It is indicated in the first image that pops up when loading.

After you have entered the BIOS itself, we need to go along the following route: “”.

Find the line “USB Controller” so that you are allowed to use the ports, opposite should be the value “Enabled”.

After you have enabled the USB ports on your computer, press the F10 key. This will save the settings you made and exit the BIOS.

The USB connector of the flash drive is dirty

A flash drive is a mobile storage device and is therefore often carried in pockets, briefcases, or as a key fob. Due to such operating conditions, dust and small debris can accumulate in the connector. This does not happen often, but it can cause the flash drive to malfunction. Dust and small debris build up on the contact and prevent connections from the contacts in the port on the computer. Such a flash drive may not only not be displayed at all, but also freeze, slowly transmit or read information and not be detected the first time.

To clean the USB connector of a flash drive, arm yourself with a match and a cotton swab. Using a match, remove all debris from the connector, and then moisten a cotton swab with alcohol and wipe the contacts of the flash drive. This will help remove debris and oxidation.

Infection with viruses

In our time, the issue of the security of the storage device is becoming more and more urgent, because viruses are in full swing. You can visit your familiar social networking site on the Internet and get infected, not to mention downloading files from unverified sources.

Modern computer viruses can also multiply, no matter how strange it sounds. They infect files on your USB flash drive or computer hard drive, and their number grows exponentially.

Very often, the problem of the inoperability of a flash drive is virus infection. The drive is detected by the system, you can hear the characteristic sound of connecting the device to the system, but when you try to read information, you will see the message "" or " Application not found».

Before solving this problem, it is worth installing antivirus software on your computer and conducting a complete diagnosis of the files. To access the data on the drive, we need to delete the file with the virus and scan it. To do this, go to the "Start" menu and enter the following phrase "" in the search line.

Click on the found element with the left mouse button. You will see a window open with the name "Folder Options", here you need to do the following:

• Uncheck the " Hide protected system files»
• Check the box ""

After that, be sure to press the "Apply" button and only after that "OK", otherwise the changes will not take effect. It should look like this.

After that, go to "My Computer" and go to the folder of the drive itself. There you will see the "Autorun" file, you need to delete it, and check the USB flash drive for viruses with one of the free antiviruses, the Dr.WEB Cure It utility can handle this perfectly.

Now you can fully use the USB flash drive and no problems should arise. If nothing has changed, then the problem lies in the absence of drivers, we will analyze it below.

Driver failure or outdated drivers

A very common problem is when the computer does not want to display a USB flash drive due to outdated drivers or their system failure. Failure can occur due to a power surge or an unexpected shutdown of the operating system. Or, older computer models may not work with drives of 32 GB or more. We can say one thing, the problem is solved only by updating the drivers.

The first step is to go to "". This can be done in several ways, for example, through "My Computer" or find this section in the system search, as we will do.

We go into this menu, after which we connect the flash drive to the computer, after which we open the "USB Controllers" sub-tab. Select the line “ Memory device", By clicking the right mouse button opens the system menu and press" Delete ".

Such manipulations allow you to remove the driver installed on the system for your storage device. As soon as you remove it, feel free to remove the USB flash drive from the computer and reconnect it. Then the driver on the flash drive will be reinstalled and the problem will be solved.

If the problem persists, it may be necessary to update the driver of all USB chipsets, this is quite easy to do. You can use a special disk that came with the motherboard, it contains all the necessary drivers. If you do not have it, download the DriverPack program, it will automatically select all drivers for which there is an update and will carry out this procedure after your agreement.

Moreover, most users have doubts about the correctness of their actions when they learn about different USB formats. Don't be scared!

Drivers for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are installed according to the same principle. And the only difference between the ports is the maximum read and write speed.

Filesystem errors

The computer may also not recognize your flash device due to file system errors. Let's check if this is so, go to "", as described above. Now you need to open the sub-tab “ Disk devices", If you see your USB flash drive there, it means that it is working properly, and the file system does not perceive it as it should, and, accordingly, does not display it in the explorer. In my case, the flash drive was displayed, which means it is working.

To fix this problem, you must format your flash drive, but this action has several nuances, so we will consider this process in the next paragraph of the article.

If you do not see your drive there, then the problem lies in the malfunction of the flash drive itself, which means that either the controller has burned out or the contact is unsoldered. Experts in service centers can try to bring it back to life. However, this is an expensive task, it is easier to buy a new one, of course, if important information was not recorded on the faulty one and you need to restore the data on the USB flash drive.

File system conflict

Quite often, the contents of a flash drive are not displayed due to a conflict between file systems on the computer and the removable media itself. For example, if the computer operates on the NTFS file system and FAT32 is used on the flash drive, a conflict situation is possible. Moreover, this problem is common not only in Windows, but also in Mac OS. For example, if you format a USB flash drive on your Mac device to ExFAT or the standard MacBook file system, then the USB flash drive is unlikely to be read on Windows devices.

The very first thing to do is find a computer that uses a different file system, open the USB flash drive and save the information that is important to you, because after formatting it will be lost.

To solve this problem, we need to carry out the process of formatting the flash drive. First you need to find out what file system is used on your computer. Go to "My Computer", right-click on the hard drive, open the submenu and select "Properties" in it.

In the window that opens, you will see information about the free and used amount of disk space, as well as find out which file system is used. In my case, the NTFS system is used.

After you know the file system of the computer, we need to format the flash drive to the same system. To do this, right-click on the flash drive and open the "Format" tab.

In the tab that opens, select the file system into which we will format, put a checkmark in front of the "Fast" attribute and click "Start".

A few words about why we are using the Fast attribute. First, the formatting of the flash drive will be much faster. But there is another side to the coin. If there were any documents on the flash drive, then only with a quick format can you recover this data using special utilities. If you have not checked the box, then the information that was on the flash drive will be lost for you forever.

The flash drive is not formatted

A fairly common problem is when you insert a USB flash drive into a computer (basically this is a new USB flash drive and its first use), and the operating system gives you a warning, which says that the removable drive needs to be formatted before use. And if the flash drive was used earlier and data is recorded on it, then you will not be able to access them. Moreover, the volume of the flash drive becomes 0, i.e. as if there is nothing at all, not even a drive.

If you have already used a USB flash drive and this is not its first connection, then try connecting it to another computer, perhaps the problem will go away and you can save the data. But in any case, the flash drive must be formatted. How to do this was discussed in detail in the section "Conflict of file systems".

But I want to draw your attention to two points. So that after formatting there are no problems with the file system (FS), find out which FS is used on the computer and install the same for the drive. And second, if the flash drive had the information you need, then be sure to use the "Fast" attribute, so the formatting of the flash drive will only go through the tables of contents, and the lost information can be returned using special utilities.

A problem with a partition or a USB flash drive is automatically assigned a busy letter

There are situations when the operating system incorrectly detects your removable media. It seems that everything is fine, the device connection is highlighted and the flash drive icon appears in the tray, but you cannot use it for its intended purpose.

The problem may be that the system has not assigned the partition a letter under which the removable drive will appear, or it has assigned it, but this letter is already taken, and this results in an address conflict.

The solution to this problem will be the forced assignment of the partition letter that we choose, everything happens in manual mode. So let's get started.

First of all, you need to hold down the "Win + R" key combination, a window with the name "Run" will open in front of you.

In the line we need to enter a simple command diskmgmt.msc , which will transfer us to the section for managing disks and drives.

In the opened storage media manager, we need to define our USB device. This can be done simply, disconnect the USB flash drive and reconnect it, the partition that first disappears and then appears is what we need.

In my case, the flash drive is a drive named "20151114_17", you can also identify it by a special icon. Now you need to click on it with the right mouse button, and in the menu that opens, select the "Change letter" item.

Now another additional window, smaller, will open in front of us. In it you need to click on the "Change" and "OK" button.

Now another auxiliary window will open, where you must select any letter of the English alphabet, and after clicking on the "Ok" button, the letter will be assigned to the section.

It is worth paying attention to one important point! When choosing the letter assigned to the partition of your flash drive, look at which letters are already used by the system. This is very important, because we can not fix the problem, but leave it. This will happen if, for example, you designate a flash drive partition through the letter “D”, which is already assigned to the local disk.

Power supply malfunction or excessive overcurrent of the USB port

This problem is very common nowadays. The fact is that the computer may simply not see the USB flash drive due to a faulty power supply. Let's figure it out in order, the power supply consumes electrical energy from the network, and then converts and distributes it to all nodes of the computer. It has a power limit, for example, a 400W power supply will not be able to give you 600W. This means that the consumption of the entire system must be balanced.

Such a problem may appear if you have recently replaced some important node in the system, let it be a processor. Now it consumes much more energy, in comparison with the past, which means that it simply does not reach somewhere, and in this case this “somewhere” is the USB network of the computer. Accordingly, the power consumption parameter must be calculated in advance, and if such a situation has already occurred, you will have to replace the power supply unit with a more powerful one.

Moreover, the problem may lie in a malfunction of the power supply, it can produce much lower power potential than it was stated and than it did before. You will not be able to solve such a problem, since you risk the performance of the entire computer. The only solution would be to replace the power supply.

There is one more feature of this issue. Recently, USB devices for computers have become very common, for example, now such devices are powered: a mat for heating a cup, a table lamp, a wireless mouse, a removable hard drive, and in addition, a smartphone is also charging. And you still want to connect a USB flash drive, but bad luck, the computer sees it. The fact is that there was an overcurrent on the USB ports. Those. all your devices already consume the maximum amount of current and you will not be able to connect another one. Therefore, in order to use a USB flash drive, you need to disconnect several devices from the USB ports of the computer and then the problem will disappear.

If the computer does not see the USB flash drive in Windows XP

There are many reasons why a flash drive may not be detected in Windows XP. Moreover, the problem may lie both in the operating system itself, and in the malfunction of the flash, and even in the computer hardware.

If the problem is related to the operating system, then it can be eliminated only by making additional changes in the settings; it is best to do this in manual mode, despite the abundance of special utilities that can help in this matter.

However, if the drive itself is faulty, then the only thing that is left for you is to try to save the data written on it. And then purchase a new and more reliable device.

If your computer cannot identify the USB flash drive, then it notifies the user with the following signals:

• Your flash drive is inserted, and you are trying to access the data on it, the message "Insert disc" pops up.
• The system notifies about the mandatory formatting of the drive for further use.
• Errors about the impossibility of accessing the data pop up.
• The system may freeze as soon as you plug the USB flash drive into the USB port of your computer.

In this section, we will consider all the most common reasons for the non-functionality of a flash drive in Windows XP and give practical recommendations for solving them. Carefully read the description of the problem, if it is not similar to yours or its solution did not help you, proceed to the next step until the problem goes away. The first thing to do is try to determine if the flash drive is working properly. This is indicated by a light indicator located on it. If you connected a drive and it blinks or is on, then the flash drive is working and the problem lies either in the system or in the hardware of the computer.

Try to change the port to which you connect the flash drive or even the computer, perhaps only the port or the entire system is faulty, and the flash drive will work properly on another PC. For example, if, when you connect a flash drive to a port, you observe a complete system freeze, this means that this port is faulty and it is better not to use it.

If you are using USB hubs or extension cords and the flash drive is not displayed, perhaps the problem lies in the device itself, and not the flash drive. If this turns out to be the case, you can take the hub to a service center or try to repair it yourself. To do this, you need a soldering iron, solder and a little experience, because most often you just need to solder one or two contacts and everything will work as expected.

Perhaps the problem lies in the lack of electrical current in the USB port system. To check this, you need to disconnect all USB devices on the computer (camera, printer, lamp, etc.), leave only the keyboard and mouse. If after such manipulations the flash drive is displayed in the system and you can access it, then the problem lies in a weak power supply. This problem can be solved only by replacing the power supply with a more powerful one, but the use of a USB hub with its own power source will help to delay the purchase of a power supply.

However, if the problem has not been resolved after disconnecting all other devices, the problem with a lack of power supply and an outdated USB port may still be relevant. In other words, on older laptops, you won't be able to open a 36GB or larger flash drive. It won't solve the problem, you can only buy a more modern laptop or computer.

A very common situation is when a user plugs a USB flash drive into the front port of a PC, but the system does not see it. This means that either the ports are not connected to the power supply on the motherboard, or too little power is allocated to them. You can connect the front panel yourself, using the instructions located above in the section of the same name.

Doesn't see the USB flash drive due to Windows XP errors. Troubleshooting

The flash drive may also not be detected due to operating system errors. For example, Windows XP SP2 lacks updates and software packages to keep USB devices working properly. Moreover, a situation is possible when only a few USB devices can work in one port.

The solution to this issue will be to upgrade the system to SP3 and install the necessary updates. Even a new user can do this, since we only need a couple of clicks, and the system will automatically download, install and launch the update. So, let's get started, we can move in two ways - this is the official download from Windows Update or installing SP3 from a disk or flash drive. The first step is to check which package you already have installed.

Click on the "My Computer" icon with the right mouse button and select "Properties". The following window will open in front of you, where information about your system will be indicated.

To install SP3, we need to allow the operating system to search and update the computer system. To do this, just go from Control Panel to Windows Update.

As soon as you do this, the system will start searching for updates, after which it will offer you to update everything at once or select only the ones you need. If you do not understand what update, what changes, then it is better to let the system update completely.

After downloading all the updates, the operating system will require you to restart your computer in order to apply the new settings. Click "OK" and wait patiently. That's all, now you can connect a USB flash drive and use it.

If you decide to choose the updates that should be installed, and not download them all automatically, then here is a guideline that will help you improve the perception of USB drives by the system.

Driver conflicts in Windows XP

There is also a driver conflict problem. The fact is that some already outdated drivers can cause errors at the system level, moreover, they can interfere with the normal operation of new drivers. A striking example of such a problem is a situation when a user inserts a USB flash drive into a computer, tries to access data on it, and the system immediately knocks out an error message asking to insert a disc. Or, the system simply freezes, and even assigning an already existing letter to a flash drive partition is real.

The reason for these errors is as follows. Let's say you have two flash drives, you connected one of them to the system. In automatic mode, all the necessary drivers for this device are immediately installed. You have done the necessary manipulations for writing or reading files and pulled out the drive. After that, you insert a second USB flash drive, which is completely functional, and one of the above errors pops up. This means that the system is trying to use the already installed driver from the first flash drive to run the second, but they are not compatible.

Reinstalling Windows XP USB Drivers

This problem can be easily fixed in several ways. Reinstalling drivers in automatic mode or manual. Let's analyze a little theory, a driver from one USB device can be mistakenly used by the system to start another USB device. To eliminate these problems, we need to first uninstall all existing drivers for USB drives, and then reinstall them.

Such a problem may display the message "USB device not recognized", or unexplained processes occur at the system level that block access to data or cause the system to freeze.

Delete via DriveCleanup

You can effectively remove all existing USB device drivers using the DriveCleanup utility. Its advantage is that it searches the entire system for installed drivers and only then removes them.

First of all, turn off the computer, disconnect all USB devices from it in order to avoid conflict situations while the program is running. We turn on the PC, go to the official website of the program and download the executable file. The utility is compatible with any version of Windows, including different bitness. When downloading, pay attention to the file version.

Automatic installation

You have removed all drivers from your computer. For the device to function normally, the operating system must have drivers for it. The automatic driver installation process is incredibly simple, you just need to plug a USB flash drive into the USB port, and then the installation will start immediately. A window will pop up that will display the progress of the installation; on some systems this may occur in a mode invisible to the user. Installation is complete within one to two minutes and you can use your device.

Manual installation

Manual installation means installing drivers not directly from the media itself. We can also install drivers for the flash drive from third-party Internet resources, but to avoid conflicts, we will install the drivers for the flash drive using another computer.

So, we take our problematic flash drive, insert it into another computer, where it is recognized. A prerequisite for this process is the coincidence of Windows versions on both computers. We use the search system and find two files.

By any means we transfer them to the problem computer, whether it is sending by mail or using another removable media. You need to place these files in a folder with the same path that was on the first computer and confirm the replacement when the corresponding window pops up. We reboot the computer and enjoy its performance with FLASH disks.

We have considered only the most common reasons why the flash drive is not displayed on the computer. In fact, there are many more of them. Moreover, there are problems that are expressed by other system messages, and their solution is already described in the paragraphs of the article.

The message "Insert disc" appears, even if the flash drive is already connected to the USB port

This system error occurs when drivers overlap and interfere with the normal functioning of USB devices. In order to fix this error, you need to remove all drivers for USB devices and reinstall them. This process is described step by step in this article.

Disk formatting message

This message appears if you are using a USB flash drive for the first time or a system failure has occurred in it. In addition to the message, you can make sure that it is not usable, because it does not display either free space or occupied space. The solution to this issue is described in detail in paragraphs 8 and 9.

Data error message

This problem pops up in 3 cases. This is a driver conflict, a file system conflict and a failure of the flash drive itself. It is solved by reinstalling the drivers, if it did not help, then quick formatting in order to preserve the possibility of data recovery on the USB flash drive. See above for step-by-step instructions.

Complete system freeze immediately after connecting the flash drive to the computer

This issue has already been discussed in the article, but I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this error can occur for two reasons:

1. Driver conflict.
2. Bad port.

It is easy to check what problem you have, insert the USB flash drive into another port, if the hang continues, then there is a problem with the drivers. Instructions and tips for reinstalling them have been given within this article.

Why the computer does not see the USB flash drive when the indicator on it is on

The contact on the flash drive, which is responsible for the transfer of information, may be damaged. It is possible that there is a conflict of drivers and the assignment of a busy letter for a partition. If the problem persists, after connecting the flash drive to another computer, try to check the availability of the partition. If everything is in order here, then reinstall the drivers and the flash drive will work.

Error 43 / Error 43

This error immediately stops reading information from a removable device, which means that we will not be able to access the data immediately. There are several problems that Error 43 can cause.

• The failure of the device itself is the first of them. Check on another computer to see if this situation occurs again.
• Driver Conflict - Solution described above.
• Updating the hardware configuration - you just need to roll back the driver version in the Task Manager.

conclusions

We got acquainted in detail with the reasons that can prevent the computer from reading the flash drive and the information on it. The described solutions with step-by-step instructions will definitely help you get rid of this problem. The unreadable flash drive can be a verdict only if the flash drive is faulty. In other situations, this is an easily reversible process. If you have any questions or you could not find a solution to your problem in the article - leave comments, we will try to clarify the situation together.

At one fine moment, when the user inserts his storage device into the USB port, the computer may not react in any way. Up to this point, everything was fine: the system calmly determined the storage medium and could work with it. But now everything is different and the computer flatly refuses to even show that a USB flash drive has been inserted into it. In such a situation, you should not panic, because everything can be fixed, the main thing is to know how to do it correctly so as not to completely ruin the drive.

In most cases, a banal reconnection helps. If you removed and reinserted your storage medium, but the problem persists, then our guide will help you.

It is very important to adhere to the order in which all actions will be described below. If you decide to use any method separately, this is unlikely to solve the problem. In the course of describing the methods, we will be able to check all possible reasons why the flash drive is not detected by the operating system.

Method 1: check the device itself and the computer

First you need to do the following:

1. Determine if the media itself is working. To do this, plug it into a USB port and see if the indicator light on it comes on. In some cases, a special sound is also used. In any case, there should be some kind of reaction on the flash drive.
2. Connect the drive to a different USB port. It is advisable to use the one that works for sure (this can be, for example, the connector that you use to connect a mouse or printer).
3. Take a close look at your USB stick. Perhaps there is some kind of debris or dust on it that prevents it from being detected by the computer.

Device problem

If your drive is detected (something glows or there is a characteristic sound), but nothing happens next, then the problem is in the ports or in the computer itself. But if the drive itself has no reaction to the connection, then the problem is in it.

To verify this, be sure to try connecting it to a different connector. First clean the dust thoroughly. To do this, use brushes and cotton wool with alcohol. Let the device dry and use it again.

Did the problem go away? Then the obstacle may be in the device itself, or rather, in its contacts. In this case, it can be taken for repair, but the restoration procedure is likely to be very expensive. It is often better to buy a new USB stick than to pay to repair an old one.


Port problem

If the drive has some kind of reaction to the connection, but the computer itself does not react in any way, the problem is in the USB ports. To verify this, do the following:

1. Try connecting it to another computer (very convenient if you have a PC and laptop).
2. Use the disk management tool on your computer. To do this, simultaneously press the buttons on the keyboard "Win" and "R"to launch a program execution window. Enter the command "Diskmgmt.msc"... Click on "Enter"... When the tool we need starts, try removing and reinserting your USB flash drive. If there is no response in disk management, then the problem is definitely in the ports. But if there is a reaction, everything is much easier. Then use method 2-7 of this manual to solve the problem.

So, if you were able to determine that the problem is in the ports, do this:

It is likely that after these steps, the flash drive will begin to appear on the computer, at least in the disk management tool. If this manual does not help and the media is still not readable, contact a specialist and have the computer repaired. It is quite possible that the problem is a complete malfunction of the ports and it would be better to simply replace them. It is worse if there is some kind of malfunction in the motherboard. But all this can be verified only with a more detailed analysis using special tools.

Method 2: use the Windows USB troubleshooter

So, everything is fine with USB ports, the flash drive has some kind of reaction when connected to a computer, and it appears in the disk management tool as an unknown device. But then nothing happens and the files, accordingly, cannot be viewed. In this case, use the standard Windows troubleshooter. The system will probably be able to independently determine what the problem is and how to solve it.

To do this, follow these steps:

Unfortunately, this program does not always allow you to correct errors. Therefore, if all else fails, try the following methods manually.

Method 3: update your drivers

There are two methods for performing this action: through the Windows Device Manager and through additional software. To use the former, do the following:

Method 4: Check the USB flash drive and computer for viruses

This method is relevant for those cases when the drive is detected by the computer, but still does not open. Instead, an error appears. It, for example, may contain "Access denied" or something like that. Also, the media can be opened, but there will be no files on it. If this is not the case in your case, just check your computer for viruses and, if nothing is found, skip this method and move on to the next.

Use your antivirus to make sure your computer is free of viruses. If you have a weak antivirus program, use one of the special virus removal utilities. One of the best is Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool. In the event that no virus is detected, do this:

Method 5: Change the name of the removable media on the system

It is possible that there is a conflict because of the names of several drives in the system. In simpler terms, this means that the system already has a drive with a name, under which your USB drive should be identified. However, it will still be detected in the disk management program. How to run it, we considered above, in the first way. So open Disk Management and follow these steps:

Method 6: Format the storage medium

In some cases, when you try to open the drive, a warning appears stating that the drive must be formatted before use. Then it will be most effective to do it. Just press the button "Format Disk"to start the process of erasing all data.


Even if the above warning does not appear, it is still better to format the USB stick.

To check the file system, in "Computer", on the hard disk, right-click.

In the window that opens, go to the tab "General" and pay attention to the inscription "File system"... It is very important that the USB stick is formatted on the same system.

If the drive still doesn't display anything, all you have to do is use one of the recovery tools.

Method 7: Recover your drive

You can accomplish this task using a standard Windows tool. To do this, do the following:

In addition, there are dedicated recovery software for removable media from brands such as Transcend, Kingston, Silicon Power, SanDisk, Verbatim, and A-Data. For devices from other manufacturers, please refer to method 5 in the Kingston recovery instructions. It describes how to use the flashboot iFlash service. It allows you to find special programs for flash drives of various companies.

Are you inserting a USB flash drive into a USB port on your computer, and he cannot recognize it? The situation is probably familiar to everyone, and, in fact, is rather unpleasant. There are several options for solving this problem, and we will tell you about all.

Is the USB port faulty?

It may not be the drive that is faulty, but the USB port itself. You can check this, by connecting the USB flash drive to another port of the computer or laptop... It is unlikely that multiple ports on your PC will be faulty at once.

Before putting an end to the flash drive, you need to figure out if the USB port is working properly

Another way to check ports is connecting another USB device... Connect any such gadget (it can be another flash drive, smartphone, camera, etc.) and check if it works. If yes, then uSB port is not damaged... It also verifies that the USB port driver is working properly.

Is the USB flash drive recognized but not displayed?

If the USB ports are ok, but the drive is still not recognized, you can check is the letter of the flash drive's name used by another device?... To do this, follow these steps:

• Right click on "Computer" and select the item from the menu "Control".
• A window will open "Computer Management"... In the menu on the left, select "Disk Management"... If a USB drive is listed here, the computer recognizes it, but simply does not display it on the desktop.
• To access the data, you need to change drive name (letter)as it is probably already in use. Right click on the name of the USB device and select the sub-item "Change drive letter or path".
• In the window that opens, click the button "Change", after which in the new window on the right you can assign a new letter.
• Confirm selection by pressing the button "OK"... The computer should now see the USB stick.

Select the sub-item "Change drive letter or path"

If, after completing all the described actions, you still do not get the result, then most likely the flash drive is faulty. We will show you soon how to save data written to such a USB drive.

What if the computer does not see the USB flash drive? Removable drives and HDDs should be extremely easy to use. But sometimes it happens that after connecting an external USB device to a personal computer with Windows operating system, it is categorically not recognized. If the computer does not see the flash card, then this may be caused by problems with partitions on the removable drive, using the wrong file system, faulty connectors, outdated drivers, or other reasons.

Below in the text, as well as at the end of the article, you can watch a video why the computer does not see the removable disk. Perhaps you will learn or understand more from it than from the article.

If the PC does not see the USB flash drive through "My Computer", then, in the worst case, this may mean that the removable drive is out of order and can no longer be recovered. Pocket sticks and large external HDDs work in the same way, so the tips below apply to both.

What if the laptop does not see the USB flash drive? The first step is to find out if the drive is displayed in the Disk Management Manager. Windows Explorer should automatically detect the removable device when it is connected via the USB port. Insert the disc into the slot. In some cases, to activate an external device, you must press a special button or lever on it. Heavy removable HDDs, unlike flash drives, can even be connected to the mains using a separate power cable, so the computer may not see the external drive if it is turned off.

Now you need to open the disk management tool. To do this, press the key combination Win + R, enter diskmgmt.msc in the line that appears and confirm with Enter. Now we can see the external drive in the control window. It should appear here even if it has no partitions.

If you see a device here that is not readable, then you can immediately start formatting it so that Windows Explorer and various devices can access it. If the netbook did not detect the USB flash drive, then go to the next section, in which we will try to determine why the drive is not recognized.

Now we need to somehow get Windows Explorer to recognize the external drive. It may not be recognized due to a hardware problem with the computer's USB port. Other possible reasons may be incorrectly installed drivers or physical damage to the flash drive.

What to do when the computer does not see the USB flash drive? First, you need to disconnect the drive from one USB port and try connecting it to another. If the removable disk works in the new slot, it means that the problem was a malfunction of the previous one. In case you are using a USB extension cable, try disconnecting it and connecting the USB flash drive to your computer directly. These cables sometimes cannot provide enough power for the removable device to operate.

Driver problems

If Windows 7 does not see the USB flash drive in the disk management tool, even after you plug it into a different connector on the laptop, then the malfunction may appear both in the USB flash drive itself and in the PC. If there is another computer nearby, then you need to try connecting the disk to it to see if it detects it. If the flash drive refused to work on several computers, then it, most likely, has outlived its own and must be recycled. But before making such a sad conclusion, you definitely need to check if the removable device appears in the disk management window on other computers.

If the drive works on other PCs, or if you do not have additional PCs at hand to use, you need to check that the installed drivers are up to date. This is done using the Device Manager. To open it, press the key combination Win + R, enter devmgmt.msc in the opened line and confirm with Enter.

In the list of devices that appears, you need to carefully check all disks for the presence of an icon in the form of a yellow exclamation mark. If such a symbol is found, then the problem is with the drivers. Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark, select "Properties" and look at the error message. It should help you fix the problem as it can be copied into the Google search bar to find reviews from other users who have encountered a similar problem.

Problems like this can be difficult to fix. If the computer does not see the drive relatively recently, then you can try running System Restore. However, it is best to use the Update Driver button to install the latest required software. You can try to click "Roll back driver", in the hope that its previous version will work. It is also allowed to use the "Delete" button so that the external device disappears from the system's field of view before restarting the computer. It also happens that when you restart Windows, the flash drive suddenly becomes working.

Partitioning and formatting

If your computer does not see your USB stick, you can use Disk Management to fix problems with partitions and file system. If you see that the disk is partitioned and full of unallocated space, then you can create a new compartment on it. Thanks to this, Windows and other operating systems will be able to work with the flash drive.

We right-click inside the unallocated space, select "New Simple Section" and follow the further instructions of the program. If the drive is divided into parts, but still does not appear, you need to check if a specific drive letter is assigned to it. This should normally happen automatically, but in some cases manual input may be required. Right click on the removable disk partition, select "Change letter" and enter any free letter. For example, you can write "G:", and henceforth the drive on the computer will be called that way.

If the disk is partitioned, but XP does not see the USB flash drive, then it is not a fact that the partition was done using the correct file system. For example, a flash drive can be formatted using ext4 for Linux (Linux) or HFS Plus from Mac (Mac). In this case, Windows 10 does not see the flash drive, because it is not familiar with such a system. You need to reformat the drive using NTFS or FAT32. Thanks to this, Windows will be able to recognize the flash memory. To reconfigure a partition, right-click on it, click "Format" and select the desired file system.

Note that this will delete all files on the disk. It makes sense to first connect the USB flash drive to a Linux or Mac device to copy the data. If you cannot connect the removable disk to a device such as a DVD player or TV, the cause may be NTFS. The above technique only works with FAT32.

And allows you to quickly save important files and text documents. However, sometimes users are faced with the fact that the flash drive is not displayed on the computer. What to do in this situation? With what problems of this kind can be connected?

It should be borne in mind that sometimes the computer stops seeing removable media, even if there were no problems with it before. In some situations, the PC does not display the contents of the folders, and sometimes it does not "see" at all that the device is connected. Finding themselves in such a situation, each user asks himself a completely natural question: "Why is not a flash drive displayed on my computer?" Some people start to panic, worried that all the saved data will now be lost. But do not despair prematurely. First you need to calmly deal with the causes of the problem. There may be several of them.

Lack of power or socket problems

Usually, stationary system units have several ports for connecting USB-drives. Some of them are located on the front of the "system unit", and they often stop working correctly.

In this case, try inserting the USB flash drive into the connector on the back of the computer. If there are no corresponding ports, then you need to check the headphone outlet, which is usually also located on the front of the system unit. If the soundtrack does not play, then the problem is a mechanical failure of the connectors. Another explanation is that they were not originally connected to the PC motherboard. Developers very often make this mistake in the production of "systems".

In addition, if the computer is via USB, then this may indicate that too little power is supplied to the connector, which is why the media is constantly turned on and off. This is due to the mistakes of the developers, who do not always place the cables as tightly as possible in the desired grooves.

If the flash drive is not displayed in the My Computer folder for these reasons, then it will be difficult to cope with the problem on your own. It is much easier to contact a service center or return a defective system unit to the seller.

If the problem is not related to a lack of power or incorrect operation of the connectors, then it is worth considering other reasons for the non-working removable media.

Drivers

Each flash drive has software installed by default, which should be automatically activated when the device is connected to a PC. However, Windows 7 does not always install the driver correctly. Hence the most common reason why a flash drive is not displayed in My Computer.

To fix this problem, you need to go to the "Device Manager". This can be done in two ways:

• Right-click on the inscription "My Computer" and select the line "Properties". On the left in the window that opens, there will be a list of available directories. From it you need to select "Device Manager".
• Left-click on "Start" and enter the name of the required directory in the search.

If everything is done correctly, a new window will open with a list of all connected devices and a report on their work. Find “USB controllers” in this list. There will be a "+" sign next to the label. You need to click on it and see if there is an exclamation mark in front of any of the devices.

If any of the drivers does not work correctly, then you need to right-click on it and select "Update". After that, the system will try to find the required software on its own.

If this does not happen and the computer, then the necessary drivers can be installed manually. To do this, go to the website of the manufacturer of the removable drive and download the current version of the software. After that, you can either run the file directly from the downloads folder, or re-go to the "Device Manager" and specify there the path to the folder in which the necessary drivers are located.

If the computer has stopped seeing the USB flash drive, you can use other ways to solve this problem.

Windows troubleshooters

This method is not suitable in cases where the device is not detected by the system at all. If the computer sees the USB flash drive, but does not open the files stored on it, then in this case "Windows" itself will help to solve the problem.

To use standard troubleshooting tools, you must unplug the USB stick and reinsert it. After that, the system usually notifies that it was not possible to install the software for the device and suggests trying to solve the problem.

If such a function is not available on the computer, do not despair. To do this, go to the official Microsoft website and download the necessary utility. After that, launch it and press the "Next" button. The program will independently start diagnosing and correcting possible malfunctions. As a result, the utility will report the verdict and offer several solutions to the problem to choose from. The user only needs to follow the recommendations of the program.

In some cases, the standard troubleshooting tools will issue a report indicating that no problems were found. This means that the utility's functionality was not enough to work. It can also be a sign that the problem lies in the removable drive itself.

Sometimes the flash drive does not appear in the My Computer folder for a number of other reasons.

Viruses

Virus and spyware can also interfere with the correct operation of the system. In this case, errors like "Access Denied" appear on the screen most often. This means that viruses and Trojans have damaged the original device driver and replaced several files on it.

To solve this problem, you need to go to "Computer" and enter the name of the flash drive (usually some Latin letter) in the address bar, followed by the characters ": \\". Next, you need to press Enter. The next step will most likely open an empty folder. To make its files visible, just go to the autorun directory. To do this, select "Service" and go to "Properties", after which a new window will open.

In it you need to find the "View" tab and scroll the slider to the very bottom. Having found "Hide files", you need to uncheck that option and activate the visibility of hidden files. After that, it is enough to confirm the operation, and all the necessary files should be displayed in the folder of the flash drive. However, this is not all. The fact is that after these manipulations, the flash drive is not displayed in the "My Computer" folder anyway, this is due to the fact that the virus-infected file has not yet been deleted.

To get rid of it, you need to find a document called autorun.inf and delete it. After that, all that remains is to scan the system for possible malware. It is possible that there may be residual virus files on your computer.

If all else fails and the flash drive is not visible to the phone and computer, then you can try to do more complex manipulations.

You can also try disconnecting all devices from your computer and restarting your PC. After that, you need to scan it for viruses, turn off and turn on the device again and only then connect the USB flash drive. The fact is that the virus may not be on the PC itself, but on some additional device connected to it, so they need to be disabled.

Formatting media

If the device is not visible not only on the PC, but also on the smartphone, then the problems can be more serious. As a rule, in this case, a message appears on the monitor stating that the installed disk needs to be formatted. Starting to fulfill the system requirements, you need to understand that this operation will destroy absolutely all data from removable media. But along with the necessary documents, malicious or incorrect software will also be removed.

To activate this process, just click on "Format" and wait for the system to clear the USB flash drive.

To start the formatting process manually, just perform the following manipulations:

• Go to "Properties" by right-clicking on "My Computer".
• In the drop-down menu activate the formatting function.
• Choose a file system that will fully match your PC.
• Check the boxes next to "Fast". In this case, the files may be saved, but the "broken" folders will not disappear with them.
• Click "Start".

There are other reasons for the fact that the flash drive is not displayed in the "My Computer" folder.

Section conflict

This happens when, for some reason, the system cannot recognize the name of the flash drive. The fact is that several disks can be installed on a computer. If the user assigned one of them the name "K", and at the same time the same index is set by default on the removable medium, then this will lead to a failure. The solution to this problem is very simple.

To do this, go to the "Control Panel" and make a selection by category (it will be more convenient). After that, you need to find the administration panel and select "Computer Management". In this case, all manipulations must be carried out exclusively on behalf of the administrator. Otherwise, all operations will be in vain, since the system will not accept the changes made.

There are 3 categories in the admin panel. From them you need to select "Storage devices". After opening a new window, a list of all disks registered in the system will be displayed on the right. This list will also include an unnamed device - this is a USB flash drive, whose name "did not please" the OS.

To fix this small oversight, it is enough to assign a new index to the drive. To do this, you need to click on an unnamed flash drive with the right mouse button and select "Change letter".

After that, a new window will appear on the laptop's monitor, and the system will offer to change the letter. It is not recommended to use the letter "A" for a flash drive, as it only applies to floppy disks. For the same reason, you should not use the "B" symbol. Index "C" is usually assigned to the main system partition of the hard drive. The letter "D" is responsible for the second logical partition, so it doesn't work either.

All other symbols can be safely used for the drive.

Continuing to understand why the flash drive is not visible on the computer and how to solve this problem, it is worth considering a few more options.

Extension cord replacement

All kinds of splitters are often used for USB ports. Such wires very often fail. The same thing happens to them that constantly happens with headphones - the contacts come off or break, which makes it impossible to use the accessory correctly.

This can happen if too many devices were connected to the PC at the same time. In this case, it is recommended to try connecting the flash drive directly to the computer. If it works correctly, then it's all about the extension cord. It is also worth trying to use the splitter with another device to check if it works.

However, sometimes it happens that even after all these manipulations, the computer does not see the USB flash drive. What to do in this situation? Don't despair. It is possible that the slots for removable drives are simply disabled.

How to enable USB ports

Sometimes sellers, for unknown reasons, disconnect the connectors using the "fine" system settings. Perhaps this is done so that buyers turn to them for paid services. However, you can handle everything yourself.

To do this, you need to go into the BIOS. After that, you need to go to the section responsible for the controllers and activate the connectors, if they are actually disabled. As a rule, the required settings are located in the Advanced section. To enable the controllers, just use the arrows on the keyboard to select Enable opposite the USB Controllers line. Then just press F10 to save the changes. After that, all that remains is to boot the computer in normal mode.

There is also a simpler explanation for why a Windows computer does not see a USB flash drive.

Mechanical damage

The miniature device could fall to the floor or into the water. Its fragile parts are very easily damaged from impact.

To check the performance of a USB flash drive, just insert it into the appropriate slot on the PC. If the indicator light on the drive does not light up and the computer does not emit a characteristic "you-dyk", then the accessory may be damaged.

In this case, it will be very difficult to "reanimate" the flash drive yourself. Of course, you can try to take it to a service center, where a specialist can recover the data. That is why it is better not to store information on only one miniature media. Also, experts recommend saving important data not on flash drives, but on removable hard drives. They break much less often and last longer.

Specialized programs

If the user has purchased a flash drive from popular manufacturers Kingston, Verbatium and others, then it is worth familiarizing yourself with the software that these companies offer. If you look at their official sites, then you can find specialized utilities there that will help you quickly restore the device's operation. You can also search the Internet for anything else from other manufacturers.

However, you should not download such programs from sites that are not related to the company that manufactures flash drives. In this case, it is possible to get the dangerous malware onto your computer.

Knowing why the computer does not see the USB flash drive, what to do and how to solve this problem, you can try to figure it out on your own. However, in the future, it is worth making it a rule to use several drives at once. This is the only way to be sure that important data and files will not be lost at the most unexpected moment. It is also advisable to promptly clean the PC registry and check it for viruses. Some of them can be found in system files. Therefore, do not forget about OS security.