DISKPART does not show USB disk

  • Thread starter Thread starter black_13
  • Start date Start date
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black_13

I have been trying to format an 8 GB usb stick with diskpart.
but so far i have not had success.
when i run the following
diskpart>
diskpart>list disk
the only disks list are the hard drives I have running on my computer
however when i list the volumes present this is what I get:
DISKPART> list volume

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status
Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- ---------
--------
Volume 0 D VX2PVOL_EN CDFS DVD-ROM 587 MB
Volume 1 E DVD-ROM 0 B
Volume 2 H DVD-ROM 0 B
Volume 3 G DVD-ROM 0 B
Volume 4 C NTFS Partition 149 GB Healthy
System
Volume 5 F HW_ENG NTFS Partition 373 GB Healthy
Volume 6 Z NEW VOLUME FAT32 Removeable 7872 MB

what am i doing wrong or is the usb stick damaged.
thanks
black_13
 
You won't be able to do that with the XP version of Diskpart, it doesn't
see flash drives as disks. You can do it with Vista Diskpart.

John
 
Windows 2000 and higher doesn't support partitioning
'removable' drives. Even multiple partition exist
on a 'removable' drive, Windows will see first one only.

You need one of the very rare USB flash drives which
have not set the 'removable media bit' (RMB) in their
device descriptor. Windows then handles them as 'Local
drive' as known from USB harddrives.
I'm searching for such a piece since years for testing
but so far I haven't found one.


Uwe
 
Windows 2000 and higher doesn't support partitioning
'removable' drives. Even if multiple partitions exist
on a 'removable' drive, Windows will see first one only.
Click to expand...
You need one of the very rare USB flash drives
which have not set the 'removable media bit' (RMB)
in their device descriptor. Windows then handles them
as 'Local drive' as known from USB harddrives.
I'm searching for such a piece since years for testing
but so far I haven't found one.
Click to expand...

All my Lexar "Jump Drive Secure" (older "fat" style)
do exactly that; example of this (now obsolete) style:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000290ZFY
http://reviews.cnet.com/4505-3240_7-30477654.html

There is now a new style; I don't know whether they act the same:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BMRO10
http://reviews.cnet.com/4505-3240_7-32467611.html

--
 
John said:
All my Lexar "Jump Drive Secure" (older "fat" style)
do exactly that; example of this (now obsolete) style:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000290ZFY
http://reviews.cnet.com/4505-3240_7-30477654.html

There is now a new style; I don't know whether they act the same:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BMRO10
http://reviews.cnet.com/4505-3240_7-32467611.html
Click to expand...


Thanks for the information! I have a drive that
look exactely as the one form link 1 but it's
'removable'. It's USB1 only event it definitely
should be USB2, probably a China fake from the
early days of USB2...
I'll try to find such a drive at eBay. I remember
in a posting in the Lexar forum where users complained
about XP creating the 'System Volume Information'
folder on Lexar drives. Lexar's solution was to
set the RMB bit in future drives...

With product name and picture I hope I'll find one :-)


Thanks and Greetings from Germany

Uwe
 
I have a [Lexar Jump] drive that look exactely as the one from link 1
but it's 'removable'. It's USB1 only event it definitely should be USB2,
probably a China fake from the early days of USB2...
Click to expand...

My first-purchased (model JDS-128-40-520B) is I think USB 1.1
(as is the "520C" series as well, I believe);
a later model, where printing "Lexar Jump Drive" was turned sideways,
(JDS256-40-520J) is I think USB 2.0
I'll try to find such a drive at eBay. I remember
in a posting in the Lexar forum where users complained
about XP creating the 'System Volume Information'
folder on Lexar drives. Lexar's solution was to
set the RMB bit in future drives...
Click to expand...

Does that also influence creation of "Recycler"?

While using Win2000, I also had lots of trouble
with drives refusing to be "removed safely,"
even after waiting an extremely long time,
then pulling them, only to get a flurry of
"delayed write failed" messages -- is that
also a potential consequence of the same status,
rather than "removable"? (write cache disabled
by default on XP?)

The only thing I always wanted (but never got)
on USB flash sticks is a "write protect" switch;
now I don't buy USB sticks any more, but instead
buy small SD readers that recognize the "read protect"
slider on an SD card, which finally adds that feature
(besides making it possible to carry a pocketful
of "drives" that each is just a tiny card,
and only enough adapters to handle the maximum number
that I ever want to use at the same time).

Your "ListUSBdrives" program helped me diagnose
that those adapters may have identical serial numbers,
which originally caused a problem on Win2000,
for which you also provided the solution, thanks.

--
 
John said:
I have a [Lexar Jump] drive that look exactely as the one from link 1
but it's 'removable'. It's USB1 only event it definitely should be USB2,
probably a China fake from the early days of USB2...
Click to expand...

My first-purchased (model JDS-128-40-520B) is I think USB 1.1
(as is the "520C" series as well, I believe);
a later model, where printing "Lexar Jump Drive" was turned sideways,
(JDS256-40-520J) is I think USB 2.0
I'll try to find such a drive at eBay. I remember
in a posting in the Lexar forum where users complained
about XP creating the 'System Volume Information'
folder on Lexar drives. Lexar's solution was to
set the RMB bit in future drives...
Click to expand...

Does that also influence creation of "Recycler"?
Click to expand...

Yes, on 'Removable' drives (mouted to a drive letter)
XP does not enable the Recycler function. Files are
deleted immediately.
While using Win2000, I also had lots of trouble
with drives refusing to be "removed safely,"
even after waiting an extremely long time,
then pulling them, only to get a flurry of
"delayed write failed" messages -- is that
also a potential consequence of the same status,
rather than "removable"? (write cache disabled
by default on XP?)
Click to expand...

Under 2000 'Removeable' drives had a write cache enabled
while since XP there is (nearly) no write cache.
Under Win2000 problems with the 'save removal' are quite
unusual, maybe caused by 3rd party software as anti
virus or anti anything software.
The only thing I always wanted (but never got)
on USB flash sticks is a "write protect" switch;
Click to expand...

Under XP there is a registry switch for that but it's
a global setting from all (removable?) USB drives.


Greetings from Germany

Uwe
 
Under XP there is a registry switch for "write protect"
but it's a global setting from all (removable?) USB drives.
Click to expand...

Evidently so, and probably whether "removable" or not:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/registry-hack-to-disable-writing-to-usb-drives/

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies]
"WriteProtect"=dword:00000001

The following further elaborates:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/guidance/serversecurity/tcg/tcgch10n.mspx

"StorageDevicePolicies\WriteProtect...
When the WriteProtect value is set to 1, Windows XP with SP2
will block writes to USB block storage devices...
However, there are many other ways that a skilled attacker
can steal data with a USB device. For example, a USB device can be programmed
to enumerate as a non-block storage device (like a printer or CD-ROM device),
which will bypass this control."

Someone asks below an as yet unanswered question
about whether this same setting blocks a USB floppy:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...34d9d34-dc1b-465a-a5e4-e77e7320e869&sloc=&p=1

--
 
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