Need help - USB Flashdrive cant be formatted anymore

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web1000

Guys,

I have s 256 MB Sharkoon flash USB stick ... it used to work well until
one time I unplugged it from 98SE while it was still writing ... ever
since it cant be accessed and also cant be formatted anymore... Tried
with XP as well .. no luck...

Is there anything that can be done to revive the thing? Or is that the
end ?

Matt
 
Guys,

I have s 256 MB Sharkoon flash USB stick ... it used to work well until
one time I unplugged it from 98SE while it was still writing ... ever
since it cant be accessed and also cant be formatted anymore... Tried
with XP as well .. no luck...

Is there anything that can be done to revive the thing? Or is that the
end ?

Matt
Click to expand...


Hello, Matt:

Your "Sharkoon" is toast, sorry to say. In the future, never unplug any
device, while it's busy.

Good luck!


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
agh :(

but how can it be totally destroyed ?

Matt
Click to expand...


Hello, Matt:

It's been rendered useless, because it's a sensitive, "solid state"
device -- and hence, rather susceptible to electrical damage. Such
dangers aren't limited to this type of hardware (i.e., solid state),
either.

Here's a simple rule of thumb: When in doubt, don't. Don't risk
ruining >any< component, that is, by plugging/unplugging it, unless
you're absolutely sure that it's safe to do so.

Lesson learned, my friend? :-P


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Bullshit, USB devices simply do NOT self-destruct when hot-plugged.

First, wipe the disk with mbrwiz - mbr.bigr.net, then format again.
 
this one was writing while something locked up and after 2h I had it
and unplugged it ..
 
If the device failed while accessing it, you will see an error in event viewer.
If so, I expect it did die, but unplugging it was not the cause.
 
Previously John Turco said:
Hello, Matt:
Click to expand...
Your "Sharkoon" is toast, sorry to say. In the future, never unplug any
device, while it's busy.
Click to expand...

Actually USB is designed for hot plug/unplug. Both electonically
and mechanically (the ground contacts make contact earlier on plugging
and stay connected longer on unplugging). Any electrical damage
resulting from hot (un-)plugging means the device is out of spec.

I guess this device is badly designed and you are right, however
stupid that is for an USB device.

Arno
 
Previously Odie Ferrous said:
If it's a Maxtor in a OneTouch case - I beg to differ.
Click to expand...

I would add that a cleanly designed USB-spec compatible USB device
does not suffer permanent damage on hot plugging/unplugging at any
time and in any operational state. Data may be destroyed to some
degree, as obviously a write back from a buffer or the like cannot
finish without power, but that shoul be it.

However with the amount of bad engineering out there today I
am not surprised that some devices can be damaged or destroyed
in this manner.

Arno
 
Previously said:
this one was writing while something locked up and after 2h I had it
and unplugged it ..
Click to expand...

Interessting. So it may actually have died before and the unplugging
did not necessarily contribute.

Arno
 
Arno said:
Actually USB is designed for hot plug/unplug. Both electonically
and mechanically (the ground contacts make contact earlier on plugging
and stay connected longer on unplugging). Any electrical damage
resulting from hot (un-)plugging means the device is out of spec.

I guess this device is badly designed and you are right, however
stupid that is for an USB device.

Arno
Click to expand...


Hello, Arno:

You're correct, too, of course. I only use CompactFlash cards,
personally, and they're definitely >not< supposed to be removed from
their "readers," unless they're idle. Matt has a "key drive" (also
known by various other names), which connects directly to the USB port,
itself.

Nonetheless, I still consider my general advice (concerning caution) to
be valid, despite Eric Gisin's rude comments, in another reply. <g>


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
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