usb memory stick disaster please help

sad_dog_lady

my son has all his art work for college on his memory stick and todays its not doing anything, the pc's dont register it even entering drives, we tried re booting machines with it in situ but nothing is working , please please can anyone help my son out.
thanks in advance

amarg

You could try this- http://dottech.org/freewaresr/8643

Might be worth a try

OneADay

If its not registering, it could be the stick has been damaged or that the USB port on the pc is failing or the usb cable.

Easy way to test - try a different pc and /or usb ports with different cables.

If that does not work, its likely to be damaged - in which case its highly likely you won't get anything back although sometimes you can get a non windows machine to recognize a device which windows fails to do.

busenbust

If it does not register in another machine then regretfully I would say the usb stick is 'dead'. Another nasty lesson in backup.

Similar thread here, if it is of any help.

Backbiter

It's highly unlikely to be of help, but a while ago my USB stick wouldn't load on any PC at all. I carry it around in my pocket without a cap, and somehow a tiny piece of lead of a pencil had broken off and lodged in the USB socket, right at the bottom. This prevented it going into the port properly. I fished it out with a needle and it worked perfectly.

diable

Clean the contacts and make sure the end isn't loose as sometimes the solder joints perish in the stick. Try it is a USB port and if it can't be picked up by Windows then tilt it slightly one way then the other but not too much as you don't want to damage the USB port on the PC.

Oh and remember always back up and email yourself the most important stuff so you have it on line.

sad_dog_lady

THANKS ALL, we cleaned it and hey presto.... all backed up on two sticks and two machines and a disk now ...phew thanks again all of you

busenbust

sad_dog_lady wrote: »

THANKS ALL, we cleaned it and hey presto.... all backed up on two sticks and two machines and a disk now ...phew thanks again all of you

Superb, and well done!:T:T:T

magpiecottage

I had problems with a USB stick last year - couldn't read it in XP on the desktop or the Vista Laptop but the Netbook running Linpus managed to so it might be worth booting up from a Linux CD and seeing if you can find and copy it.

AxelF

Hi, I have a related problem - have cleverley managed to store all the work for a course on a USB stick Ive not backed up for a couple of months. Am now getting the USB device not recognized balloon on all pc's I've tried it in. After having a read of various forums it looks like one of these specialist recovery companies is the only option - it's a case of £150-£170 to recover months of work being the price of stupidity... Anyway, I'm after a recommendation really - I want to make sure that if I'm handing it over I want the best possible chance of getting my data back. Has anyone had any personal experience with any of these companies? Most say no joy - no fee, but I'd sooner end up having to pay because they've been successful! Thanks in advance

Axel