Dead USB stick - but need the data

brankholm

My Kingston Data Traveller has stopped responding - totally.
I't s not even showing up when put into the USB slot.
Have tried 2 desktop & 1 laptop - previously worked in all 3. Have tried removing usb drivers and reinstalling. Still nothing. It is completely dead. however I would really like to get the information from it. Is this possible? Does anyone know how I can get the data or if I need a specialist?

busenbust

Given the fragility of those usb sticks, probably highly unlikely that you will recover any data IME; not what you wish to hear I realize...and the fact that you have indeed tried other machines also.

shiftyk

Could be that the fragility is in the connection between the usb connection and the actual data housing. Depending on how old it is you can get Kingston to try and retrieve the data for you and replace the stick. Go to the Kingston.com website and service center option.

busenbust

And welcome to MSE shifty :hello:

brankholm

Thanks all. USB was only bought in September. Emailed Kingston customer services yesterday but no reply yet - perhaps I'm being too impatient.

Tried it in a Linux machine today as well but still nothing.

totalsolutions

Crack it open (carefully) and take a peek inside. Just four connections you will see, maybe some have come free?

gaming_guy

brankholm wrote: »

Tried it in a Linux machine today as well but still nothing.

Is it picked up when you run lsusb from the terminal?

Lil306

totalsolutions wrote: »

Crack it open (carefully) and take a peek inside. Just four connections you will see, maybe some have come free?

I'd second this

If you're willing to take it apart you will probably find a couple of solders broken. I've seen this happen a few times when people yank the USB out of the slot when pulling it slightly upwards / downloads at the same time. Eventually breaks internal. Not acusing just something I've found

If it's broken, you can probably use some pliers and gently squeeze the ends back onto the motherboard as a temporary fix to allow you to migrate data.

brankholm

Thanks all.
I'm not too techie so would be nervous about opening it up (I'd probably do more hard than good :-) ).
Spoke to Kinston - they claim to have a 50% success rate for recovery . Not sure if they are being cautious or not. They say they do not employ experts in recovery & I send it to them at my own risk. On the plus side - its free.
I called a couple of data recoverty experts & the minimum charge would be about £100.
Now having a think about whether I can:
A) afford to pay the £100 for 95% guarantee of recovery, or
risk it with Kingston
C) afford NOT to pay & have to redo months of work.

Decisions, decisions.

macman

£100 as opposed to months of redoing work would seem a bargain-what hourly rate do you value yourself at?
You probably don't need me to tell you this now, but I'll say it anyway-memory sticks are not a safe way of storing crucial data, they're too fragile and too easy to lose. Back up to a secure medium-an external USB drive or DVD/CD.

Oneday77

macman wrote: »

£100 as opposed to months of redoing work would seem a bargain-what hourly rate do you value yourself at?
You probably don't need me to tell you this now, but I'll say it anyway-memory sticks are not a safe way of storing crucial data, they're too fragile and too easy to lose. Back up to a secure medium-an external USB drive or DVD/CD.

Personally I would trust a USB Stick a lot more than an external hard drive or a scratchable disc.
If you show it some care then they are reliable, if you don't the other backup options are even more prone to damage.

A trick to try is get a usb extension lead, plug the USB stick in, then get some decent tape like electrical tape and apply it to the top of the usb stick and pull it tight and stick the other end to the extension lead. If there is a loose connection this forcing the stick towards its contacts might allow you to get the data off. If one way doesn't work try the reverse.
Oh yeah does it have a lock switch, some pen drives with locks just disable the whole device.