Memory Stick 4GB - Is info lost?

Mr_Warren_2

Hi all, i was transfering pictures etc from an old PC (am giving it to a family that needs it more than i do) and in the process of transfering data, i kicked the stick and i am no longer getting the PC to talk to it.

It contains important information on my younger daughter's Uni work etc. She is going to kill me.....Is there any way to recover files?

HELP....:eek:

Strider590

Either broke your USB port (try another on)
Or broke the USB stick, in which case it needs to be taken apart for repair so that the data can be removed.

Mr_Warren_2

I have tried all other USB ports from the old PC and other PC too. What's the likely repair/recover cost?

billy.thomas

Quite often they're not worth repairing now i'm afraid - New 4 gig sticks can be picked up for about a tenner now.

Billy

wallbash

Reading the OP , its the information on the stick which is required , the stick itself is irrelevant.

Turin_Turambar

Does it still feel the same? Does the end "wobble" this could indicate that end has snap away from the circuit board.

Ask your daughter if she has a back up, even if she just has print outs she can retrieve her work by scanning it and running some OCR software on it to recover the text in to msword

macman

If you are just copying the files over, the originals are still on the older PC? Just transfer with a new flash drive.

Strider590

I don't know what version of windows was on the other PC's.....

USB sticks won't work on 3.1 (lol), 95, 98, ME, NT or 2000 sp1-sp3

If physically damaged, it should be possible to repair at least temporarily.

Mr_Warren_2

You know what guys??? the best i tried to explain the more tangents were taken by helpful hands. So i explain again:

Take daughter's stick which has IMPORTANT work. Transfer pictures on said stick, kick stick accidently and result is that stick cannot be read by any other laptop/PC in house.

Can i recover files from stick? if yes how? and how much?

Cheers

macman

I'm with you now. You would need to use a professional data recovery company, impossible to say how much. You can't repair a USB drive, it either works or it doesn't. So you would have to send it away for them to see if they can extract the data. Normally this is done on hard drives and the prices start at a couple of hundred pounds upwards.
Does your daughter not have the original files that she copied to the flash drive though?

jaymeekae

Data is almost never completely lost. Google "data recovery" and find a company that deals in USB sticks. It will probably be around £100.

Does the computer react at all when you plug the USB stick in? You said it won't "talk to" the computer. Is it recognising that something has been plugged in at all?

Can you see a physical problem with the stick? Is he metal part bent or wobbly?

edit: you could also try taking it to a shop like Maplin and see if they have any suggestions. You might need to be persistent and ask around until you get a staff member who is knowledgeable but I have found Maplin staff to be excellent.