PC not reading flash drive

slinga

I think I removed my flash drive from my PC usb slot before I should have and now the PC isn't reading the flash drive.

What should I do?

Thanks.

grumpycrab

Reboot PC, try again. Or try on a different device.

slinga

grumpycrab wrote: »

Reboot PC, try again. Or try on a different device.

Thanks but it's still not shown under Devices and drivers even after a reboot.

I want to use it with this PC as I want to download stuff from this PC onto the flash drive.

were

slinga wrote: »

Thanks but it's still not shown under Devices and drivers even after a reboot.

I want to use it with this PC as I want to download stuff from this PC onto the flash drive.

Need to divide the problem into segments, and eliminate the non problematic areas. As others have said to try it in another PC. If it does not work on another PC we know it is the stick. If the stick does work on another PC we know it is the PC or windows.

slinga

Well it's not recognized by my laptop although I do get the four notes 'generated by windows?' when I plug the USB in, and the similar but different four notes when I remove the USB..

But I can't open the USB to view the files inside.

The USB was working when I last used it a few weeks ago.

WAYT

Is it showing in the Disk Management console?

diskmgmt.msc in the Windows Search area

were

I believe you it worked 3 weeks ago, but lets talk about now. A choice of three main areas (1) the stick (2) windows (3) PC hardware. Easiest test is to put that stick in another PC/laptop.

debitcardmayhem

If you get to the stage of trying to recover anything on it then I could recommend TestDisk/Photorec http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

Robisere

Hindsight I know, but the easiest way to remove a USB stick, or indeed any similar device (e.g. an SD card) is right click on the device, click "Eject" and, when you get the message that it is safe to be ejected, remove it.

Do you have an anti virus programme? When you inserted the stick, did your AV scan it automatically?

Please follow the steps given by were.

slinga

WAYT wrote: »

Is it showing in the Disk Management console?

diskmgmt.msc in the Windows Search area

No.

I believe the problem is with the flash drive itself.

Anything I can do to sort it.

'Test Disc' looks a bit complicated for me.

slinga

So here's a funny thing.
The Flash Drive doesn't show up in Device Manager or the Disc Management console screen as suggested above.
I can't find out how to open it to view the files inside.

But if I run a scan on Malwarebytes after a few minutes the Flash drive appears in Device Manager and Disc Management console and I can read the files inside even play them.

I get the 'device is working properly' wherever I can check it.

But then if I eject the USB flash disc using the correct procedure and then take the drive out then plug it back in it does not appear in device manager or disc management console unless/until I run Malwarebytes again.

BTW no malware shown after running Malwaebytes.