The computer may not see the flash drive for many reasons. In this article we will try to understand the main ones.
And so... let's go.
1. Device malfunction
First, check the functionality of the flash drive itself. If one computer does not see it, try inserting it into another PC - if it works on it, you can proceed to step 2. By the way, pay attention to the LED (many flash drives have it). If it does not light up, this may indicate that the flash drive has burned out and become unusable.
2. USB ports not working
Try inserting another device into the USB to which you are connecting the flash drive and see if it works correctly. You can take another flash drive, printer, scanner, phone, etc. You can also try inserting a flash drive into a different slot.
On the system unit, in addition to the front panel, there are USB connectors on the rear wall. Try connecting your device to them.
3. Viruses / Antiviruses
Often the reason for the invisibility of a flash drive can be viruses. They can also block access to the flash drive if it is found to be potentially dangerous to the computer. With a certain degree of risk, you can try to disable the antivirus and insert a new flash drive.
In principle, if you have auto-run disabled (this option is disabled in) and you will not launch anything from a flash drive, then no viruses on such media should infect your PC. If, after disabling antiviruses, the flash drive begins to appear, copy the files you need from it and carefully check them with an antivirus program before opening it.
4. Bios Settings
It often happens that USB ports can be disabled in the bios settings. They do this for various reasons, but if the computer does not see the flash drive, then it is highly advisable to look into the bios. By the way, in this case, not only the flash drive, but also other media and devices will not be read or recognized!
When you turn on the computer, press the F2 or Del button (depending on the PC model) until you see a blue table with settings (This is Bios). Next, you need to find the USB settings here (often it will just say Configuration USB). Since there are a great many options for the bios menu, it is unlikely to be possible to clearly indicate the path. In principle, even though everything here is in English, everything is intuitive.
In my case, I first had to go to the tab Advanced. Next select USB Configuration .
After you change the settings, be sure to save them before restarting your computer. There are two ways to exit bios: with saving settings and without saving. In the menu on the right or below there will be buttons to exit, select the one with the inscription Save and Exit .
5. Assigning a letter to an already identified device
Very often, a flash drive inserted into a USB connector is assigned the letter of an existing drive in the Windows system. To fix this error, go to control Panel and open the tab administration .
Now in the left column you need to select the option disk management . Next, in the central part, you will see all the disks and media connected to the system. The flash drive will be marked as removable disk. Right-click on it and click on function replacing the drive letter . Change to the letter that you did not have in the system before (go to my computer - and you will immediately find out which letters are already occupied).
6. Outdated drivers
A common reason for the invisibility of a flash drive is the lack of the necessary driver in the system. If you have an old computer, then flash drives larger than 32GB cannot be read on such computers. Although why use flash drives of such sizes is still unclear (their reliability is still far from perfect).
This problem mainly applies to older operating systems. For example, Windows 95/98/ME simply do not see the NTFS file system. Therefore, the media on which this file system will be cannot be read in such an OS. To fix this, you will need to download special programs or drivers that will allow you to see such a flash drive.
8. Dirty USB input
This also happens, although rarely. Due to the fact that a flash drive is often carried in pockets, like a keychain on keys, etc., dust and plaque accumulate in its entrance. If you do not clean it, over time, on some models of flash drives, this can cause their poor readability: the flash drive will not be detected the first time, often freezing when working with it, etc.
Probably, many users have encountered the fact that Windows OS completely refuses to detect a connected USB drive and generally work with it. But there are several ways to solve this problem.
In general, there are many reasons for such an error. From banal driver obsolescence to physical failure of the flash drive. However, in 90% of cases, the problem can be solved programmatically, without resorting to the help of specialists and without purchasing a new drive.
To solve the problem, you will have to use the capabilities of the operating system itself or third-party applications. The main thing is the result. There is nothing complicated about this. You just need to follow the instructions carefully.
First you need to understand why the flash drive is not detected by the computer. This can be determined by the type of message that the system issues when connecting a USB drive. The reasons may be as follows.
- Viruses. The most common cause of an error when connecting a flash drive. If the drive is host to viruses, it will not work normally. The problem needs to be solved.
- Outdated or faulty drivers. In this case, the system will not be able to detect the device and an icon in the form of a yellow question mark will appear in the Device Manager. Solving the problem is very simple.
- Formatting failed. If the file system of the flash drive has been damaged (for example, due to improper removal), then Windows will not be able to see it and will offer to format the drive.
- The flash drive connects, but is not visible in Explorer. There could be several reasons for this. But the problem can be solved simply. In most cases. This is often due to some features of the drive's file system.
- Data error. This message when connecting the drive to a computer indicates problems with the file system. The solution to the problem should be based on formatting or changing the file system type.
- "Insert disk" message. If this message appears when you connect the drive to the computer, then the problem is with the USB drivers. You need to replace them or simply remove the device from the list in Device Manager.
If you have tried all possible software solutions for the error, but they did not help, then there is a high probability that the problem lies in the hardware of the drive. And the problem can only be solved by replacing the flash drive. Now let's turn to ways to correct the situation.
Virus removal
Viruses on a computer can damage not only the flash drive, but also the operating system itself. Therefore, you need to get rid of them. This can be done using antivirus programs. There are many of them, but not all are good.
The best products include Kaspersky Anti-Virus, NOD32 from ESET and the legendary Dr.Web. however, all of these programs have one drawback: they are paid. And the product from Kaspersky requires too many computer resources.
Dr.Web does not disinfect files, but deletes them. Therefore, it is best to use NOD32. This antivirus does not require much OS resources and works well. Let's consider removing viruses on a flash drive using this program.
The scan will begin immediately. The scan time depends on the size of the drive and the number of files on it. If the antivirus program finds any threat, it will inform the user with a corresponding message and try to eliminate it.
After the scan is completed, you need to disconnect the flash drive from the computer and connect it again. If it was a virus issue, then the drive should identify itself. If not, then you should move on to other ways to solve the problem.
Removing and installing drivers
Faulty drivers are another common reason why a flash drive may not be detected in the system. There are several options to solve this problem. The first is to simply remove the device.
When you connect the drive to your computer again, the system will detect it and install a new driver, which may work correctly. To do this, you need to perform the following steps.
Open the “Control Panel” and in it click on the “Device Manager” item.
In “Device Manager” we find “USB storage device”, right-click on it and select “Remove device”.
After that, reinsert the drive into the USB port. The operating system should automatically install the new device. And the newly installed driver should be functional.
If this does not happen, you should update the drivers manually. This can be done using the same “Device Manager”. You just need to launch it in an already known way. Next you need to do the following.
The OS will immediately begin searching for the necessary drivers on Microsoft servers. If they are there, they will be installed immediately. If the wizard does not find anything, then you should find them manually on the official website of the device manufacturer and install them manually.
After this, you should restart your computer or laptop and then connect the USB drive again. If everything is fine, then the problem is solved. If not, then you should use alternative ways to solve the problem.
Using the USB Troubleshooter
Windows 10 also has this option. This tool allows you to fix numerous errors that occur when connecting a drive. Of course, there is no talk of a physical malfunction of the storage medium.
First, you will have to download the utility from the official Microsoft website. It's free. No installation required. You just need to run the downloaded file. To check USB for errors you need to do the following.
It is worth noting that while fixing problems, you need to remove the drive from the USB port. After completing all the activities, it is advisable to restart the computer and only then reinsert the flash drive into the USB port.
In principle, this method helps to cope with problems with the drive’s file system. But if this does not happen, then you will have to do it manually. Windows has a standard utility for working with FS disks.
Using Disk Management
This tool allows you to fully configure your hard drive and USB drive partitions and ensure their proper operation. In Windows 10, the component received new functions and began to cope with its tasks even better.
Using Disk Management is very simple, since the program interface is not overloaded with unnecessary elements and is in Russian. Now let's talk about what needs to be done to fix the file system on the drive.
The formatting process will begin immediately. During this process, the file system of the drive will be completely corrected. After formatting is completed, it is recommended to remove the drive from the port and reinsert it.
It is worth noting that when formatting, all data that was on the flash drive will be deleted. It will be possible to restore them, but you shouldn’t count on much success. It's the same formatting. But the flash drive should start working normally.
Conclusion
So, we looked at possible options for fixing the error when connecting a USB drive to a computer. If none of them help, then the problem probably lies in the drive hardware.
Every day, more and more people use flash drives to transfer information: they are small, light and you can buy it with the required amount of memory. But what should you do if one day, after inserting it into a USB connector, the flash drive does not appear on the computer, and therefore you will not be able to work with it.
On a working flash drive, when you connect it to the computer, the indicator light starts blinking: green, blue, red. If it does not catch fire, then there may be several reasons why this is happening. Let's start dealing with them.
Select another port
You inserted the flash drive into the USB connector located on the front panel of the system unit. The thing is that the front USB ports are not always connected to the motherboard when assembling the computer. In this case, simply insert the flash drive into the ports located on the back of the system unit.
Connect directly
This is the use of a USB hub or extension cable. It is usually needed so as not to move the system unit each time to connect a flash drive. The USB extension cable has a USB plug - it connects to the rear USB port of the system unit, and a USB connector - the flash drive you are using is connected to it.
To eliminate a problem related to the device itself, connect the flash drive directly to the computer. If it works, then there is a problem with the USB extension cable. If not, then the device is in order, and we will figure it out further.
Disable unnecessary devices
Perhaps you have many different devices connected to your computer via USB ports: printer, scanner, mouse, keyboard, web camera, external hard drive. In this case, disconnect all devices, leaving only the keyboard, mouse and flash drive.
If the device works, it means that there is not enough power for the USB ports. The reason may be the low power of the power supply itself or the large volume of the flash drive itself. In this case, change the power supply to a more powerful one, or buy a USB extension cable with an additional power source.
Take it for repair
Unfortunately, flash drives also don’t last forever and can break. Usually they just burn out. In this case, you can either throw it away or try to extract all the important information from it. Also try to take her to specialists to resuscitate her, but, of course, you will have to pay for this. If, when you connect a flash drive to a computer, you hear a characteristic sound, then we’ll look into the other reasons.
Remove viruses
Computer viruses can also cause problems with a flash drive. In this case, you need to connect the flash drive to the computer and perform a full scan of disks and removable media using an antivirus program. If your antivirus detects anything, delete the malicious files.
Reinstall drivers
It may be that the computer simply does not see the drivers for the device, or they are out of date. In this case, you will have to remove the existing drivers for the flash drive and install new ones. To do this, go to “My Computer” and right-click on the free space. Next, select “Properties” from the context menu.
In the next window, go to the tab "Device Manager".
In the device manager we look for the item "USB Controllers" and click on the small arrow on the left. The list of devices expands. Now you need to insert the flash drive into the computer. After this, the device manager should update and another item will be added to the list. Select this item and right-click on it. Select “Delete” from the context menu. We did this in order to remove the drivers for the flash drive.
Now you need to remove the flash drive from the computer and insert it back. Drivers will update automatically.
Format
It may also be that the file system installed on the computer conflicts with the file system on the flash drive. This is due to the fact that the NTFS file system is usually installed on the computer, while the manufacturer sets the flash drive to FAT. This problem can be solved very easily: you need to format the flash drive to NTFS.
Open the “My Computer” folder and right-click on the flash drive, select from the list "Format".
In the next window, select the desired file system and click “Start”.
If the flash drive does not appear in the My Computer folder, then you can use the following programs to format it: HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool or Hard disk low level format tool. The program interface is clear, you just need to select the file system and format it. By following the links, you can download the programs.
Check if the USB port is working properly
The USB port itself may not be working. Just connect the flash drive to another port, and if it works, then to fix the USB port you need to take the system unit to the workshop.
I will end here. I hope the article will be useful to you. If I haven't described any reason, write in the comments.
Rate this article:Hello friends! in this article you will find out why the computer does not see the flash drive and what to do in such a situation. Today I will tell you how to deal with a common problem when the computer stops seeing the flash drive and does not display the contents.
We will also consider the option when the laptop does not see the flash drive after formatting. Let's go? I ask everyone in advance to like the article in order to help me develop this blog. Thank you!
The computer does not see the flash drive - what to do?
We have already talked about. But what can you do if the computer does not see the flash drive? We have tried to collect solutions that are truly useful and will help resolve this issue for you. If you have any additional questions, be sure to mention them in the comments.
Reasons for flash drive failure
First, let's look at the causes of the described problem, because, as you know, there is no smoke without fire. In our case, there may be many of these reasons, so it is worth paying attention only to the most important ones.
Often, the front panel is turned off on a personal computer, considering it unnecessary. And as a result, we get a number of non-working USB ports.
Not working flash drive. Everything in our world tends to break. For example, flash drives often simply burn out due to improper use or long service life.
This is the 21st century, the century of high technology, and there is simply nowhere without viruses. Transferring infected files from another PC can be fraught with the following things: in the first case, the flash drive itself will not be visible to the computer, and in the second, you will not see the files on the drive. Of course, your machine could also be an infected device, so I advise you to check everything for viruses.
Driver malfunction. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen.
File system conflict. It may be that the drive (flash drive) has a file system installed that is different from the computer, so they may conflict, and the flash drive is not visible on the computer.
Faulty USB port.
The computer does not see the flash drive? Solution!
The reasons why the computer does not see the USB flash drive have become more or less clear, but now let’s figure out how to solve our problem so that the computer finally starts seeing the flash drive.
Let's start with the non-working front panel. In this case, you need to know exactly where the cord is connected to the motherboard, otherwise even bigger problems cannot be avoided.
I would advise you to contact a service center, where competent specialists would quickly and efficiently solve the problem.
Non-working flash drive. A burnt-out flash drive will have to be replaced with a new one.
Malicious programs or utilities. As you may have guessed, the solution to this problem is to scan all disks on your PC with an antivirus program.
Driver malfunction. This problem is not solved as easily as the previous ones, but if you approach its solution headlong, then everything will turn out to be much simpler.
What do we need?
Update the USB port driver through Device Manager. You know how to find the latter from my previous articles.
When you insert a flash drive into one of them, you may notice a slight flicker in one of the list lines. This is what we need to delete by clicking on the appropriate button.
After removing the driver, you will need to install a new one. To do this, insert the flash drive into the same port to which you performed the previous manipulations. That's all, all USB port software is updated.
Point by point, we approached the problem associated with file system conflicts. It can be solved very simply. Format the flash drive, changing the type file system to a similar one installed on your computer. File system name Can find out as follows: My computer - Disk C (right-click on the icon). The properties that appear will show all the necessary information.
The last problem is the easiest to solve. If one of the ports is faulty, then try inserting the flash drive into another; if the others are faulty, there is only one way out - send the PC for repair.
So, I described the solution to our problem for a desktop PC, but users with laptops were unhappy. Don’t worry, because in your situation everything is a little simpler, since there are correspondingly fewer reasons and problems. And they are exactly like this:
- The flash drive is broken
- Malicious code
- Drivers are not working properly
- File system conflict
- Non-working USB port
Conclusions
You already know well how to deal with them, so go ahead! That's all I have for today! I hope now you know why the computer does not see the flash drive and what to do about this problem. If you found the article useful, like it. Also, don’t forget to ask your questions and suggestions in the comments. Peace and goodness to everyone!
Hello!
A flash drive is currently one of the most popular types of storage media (except for the ability to share files over the network).
In fact, a USB flash drive has a lot of advantages: it is mobile (can be put in any pocket), universal (connects to any PC, laptop, gadget), copying/reading information from it is quite fast, etc.
But one small thing happens to them" problem“- sometimes the computer refuses to recognize and see it. There are quite a few reasons for the invisibility of a flash drive, in this article I want to give the most basic ones that I most often encounter in my work.
Also from the article you will learn what can be done to restore the functionality of your device (you shouldn’t always immediately throw it away and run to buy a new one?! 👣).
Help!
If you want to buy flash drives at bargain prices, I recommend using Chinese online stores:
Reasons for the invisibility of a flash drive
10 Main reasons and their solutions...
Problem #1: the flash drive is not formatted
This reason is the most common! The fact is that after purchasing a flash drive, you need to format it (very often new flash drives and disks are not formatted at all and therefore they are not visible in “My Computer/This Computer”...).
Solution
It is most likely pointless to go into “My Computer”, because... in some cases you won’t see a flash drive there.
Therefore you need to open "Disk Management" . To do this, press the button combination Win+R (The Run window should appear) , enter the command diskmgmt.msc and press Enter (screenshot below).
Remark! If your flash drive is not visible in Disk Management, go to the 3rd problem.
Find your flash drive in the list (guide by its size and name, for example, "Kingston...8 GB") , then click on it right mouse button and in the context menu that appears, select - " Format... " (example in the screenshot below) .
Actually, that's all. By the way, I recommend choosing NTFS as the file system (because on FAT 32, which is often the default on flash drives, it is impossible to copy and place files whose size exceeds 4 GB).
Problem #2: incorrect auto-installation of drive/flash drive letter
When you connect any disk drive, flash drive, floppy disk, etc. to your computer - it automatically assigns a unique drive letter to your drive, e.g. "System drive C:\" or "Local drive F:\", etc.
Everything would be fine, but sometimes the auto-installation of the letter fails and assigns a non-unique letter to your connected drive. As a result, the drive is not visible...
To solve this, you just need to try changing the letter (this is done quickly and very often solves the lion's share of problems).
Solution
You also need to go to "Disk Management" (how this is done is described above), then select your “invisible” drive, click on it right mouse button and select the function " Change drive letter or drive path ".
Help!
By the way, in some cases, Windows may not assign a drive letter to all connected drives at all. To fix this, use the following recommendations:
Problem #3: Outdated or broken drivers
A very, very common problem is outdated drivers (also sometimes drivers can fail and conflict with each other). It is worth noting that on older computers another problem is possible - the inability to see a flash drive whose size is more than 32 GB.
This can be solved in the following way: first remove the old drivers, then install new ones.
Solution
First of all, open the device manager, where you can see all the devices connected to the computer. To do this, open, then switch the view to "Large icons" and select "from the list" device Manager " (example in the screenshot below).
Help! Alternative ways to open Device Manager -
Oh, pay attention!
Devices that do not have drivers will display a yellow exclamation mark. In general, it is not advisable for you to have such devices marked with exclamation marks (or red crosses).
After uninstalling, click the "" button - it is located at the top of the Device Manager window. After which, your manager window will blink a couple of times, and the drivers will be reinstalled...
Problem #4: the front panel of the system unit is not connected
Very often, the USB ports on the front panel of the system unit are not connected to the motherboard (apparently, they forget to connect this socket when assembling the PC). In this case, you simply insert the flash drive into a port to nowhere...
Solution
- Quite simple: connect the flash drive to the back of the system unit - it always has 2÷4 USB ports. At the very least, it is recommended to do this simply for testing - to confirm that the USB ports on the front panel are not working.
- Try connecting the front panel to the mat. board If you have never had such experience before, I do not recommend getting into the system unit; it is better to use the services of service centers.
Problem #5: viruses on a PC or flash drive
Settings for enabling USB ports are usually located in the "Advanced" tab. On opposite point USB Controller need to convert the value to Enabled(i.e. enabled, see screenshot below). Then save the settings and exit (usually F10 key).
You can also simply reset the BIOS settings to optimal ones (USB ports are always included in them. At least I have never seen the opposite...).
Problem #8: File system error
In cases of file system failure - when you connect a flash drive, you will most likely see a message that the flash drive is not formatted, that it has a RAW file system and Windows will prompt you to do something with it 😊.
In some cases, formatting a flash drive cannot be completed due to some errors...
In general, the problem with the file system is quite “big”, and its solution is not always simple and quick (especially if the flash drive has the necessary data).
Solution
If the data on the flash drive is needed- I don’t recommend formatting it. In general, I advise you not to do anything with it, but take it to a service center. If you want to do everything yourself, then first try to remove your data from it using recovery utilities: Recuva, R.Saver, Easy Recovery Professional, etc.
Help!
How to recover photos from a MicroSD memory card or USB flash drive -
If the data on the flash drive is not needed (or you have already copied it): I recommend trying to format the flash drive using one special. utilities - HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool.
HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool
A simple utility for low-level formatting of disks and flash drives. In a number of cases, it helps to bring drives back to life, for which there was practically no hope left. By the way, it even formats those disks that Windows does not see or gives reading/formatting errors.
The utility works quite simply: after launching, it will present you with a list of all connected drives to the system, you select the one you need and format it. After formatting, the disk (or flash drive) starts working as it should!
Formatting a flash drive
Help!
How to format a flash drive (FAT32, exFAT, NTFS) -
Problem #9: USB port malfunction
It also happens that the USB port becomes unusable. Most often this happens due to frequent and careless use of it: for example, many people sharply pull the flash drive (or USB cable), over time the USB port begins to fit poorly to the inserted flash drive (i.e. there is no contact between the flash drive and the port). As a result, the flash drive is invisible.
Note. By the way, the USB port may not work stably: i.e. you will first see the flash drive, and after you start copying information onto it (or reading it) - you may see an error, or the connection will simply disappear...
Solution
- Try connecting the flash drive to another USB port, or to another computer/laptop. If the problem is related to the USB port, you will immediately notice the difference...
- I also recommend paying attention to dirt in the USB port. Often, over time, a layer of dust, plaque, etc. accumulates, which leads to poor contact. If there is a lot of dirt, try removing it with an old toothbrush dipped in alcohol. (perform the operation with the PC turned off!) , and then reinsert the flash drive.
Problem #10: USB flash drive malfunction (for example, after being dropped)
This is perhaps the worst thing that could happen to the drive, especially if it contains important data. Most often, the user guesses that the flash drive may have become unusable, because... before this:
- the drive fell to the floor;
- was dropped into water;
- accidentally touched or hit by any object;
- The drive shows deep scratches, chips or cracks.
In general, when you insert a flash drive into a USB port, the LED on it should light up (most flash drives have one). The characteristic sound of connecting the device should “ring” on the PC. If all this is missing, especially when connecting a flash drive to different devices, then this is a bad sign; most likely there is a problem with the flash drive itself.
Solution
- Buy a new flash drive (banal and simple 😉, especially since the prices for them are now quite affordable (and they generally cost “pennies”));
- Try taking it to a service center, maybe the technician will be able to resolder the contacts and it will work again (but I would recommend this method only for). After repairing the drive: using it for important data is not justified!
