Broken USB stick?

grimm2005

Hey,

I have a 16gb HP USB stick (this very one in fact: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055920923) and I can no longer write to or from it. I can copy and view the files on the stick no problem. I have tried formatting it but it keeps telling me windows could not format the drive, I tried using diskpart to format also and it cited an I/O device error (same when I try to delete/put on files). Earlier on I created a folder on the stick and it was full of gibberish files which according to windows is 49gb. It was working fine this morning so i'm not sure what happened. Is there any sort of disk formatting utilities or programs that may be able to help or am I clutching at straws here?

Thanks

SoundWave

you could try the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool..

bonzodog2

Consider how lucky you are not to have lost some irreplaceable data. Such devices should only be treated as temporary storage. IMHO.

Clareman

Most of these devices have a 1 year warranty so get on HP and get a replacement, sounds like the controller is gone on it, there maybe a way of getting the information off it but that would be difficult.

By the way, the sympthoms that you are describing would suggest water damage, you might want to be adament that it was never in the washing machine or exposed to excessive mositure in anyway

grimm2005

SoundWave wrote: »

you could try the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool..

Doesn't work, gives me a "Device media is write-protected" error

bonzodog2 wrote:

Consider how lucky you are not to have lost some irreplaceable data. Such devices should only be treated as temporary storage. IMHO.

I know but it's very frustrating considering I've barely had it a few months

Clareman wrote:

Most of these devices have a 1 year warranty so get on HP and get a replacement, sounds like the controller is gone on it, there maybe a way of getting the information off it but that would be difficult.

By the way, the sympthoms that you are describing would suggest water damage, you might want to be adament that it was never in the washing machine or exposed to excessive mositure in anyway

I'm pretty sure I don't have the original reciept so i'm not sure if i'll be able to get a replacement
As for getting information off it, that's not an issue as i can copy the files on it onto my computer, i just can't edit or remove them or put more files onto it.
Alost definite if would not be water damage. The stick is on my keyring which always site on my desk or is in my jeans pocket and dampness from the rain seems very unlikely as it would never soak inside the jeans.
Thanks for the suggestions though

btw, it's this stick: http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/13188462/Hewlett-Packard-16GB-V135W-USB-Flash-Drive/Product.html That suggests it has a 2year warranty, but i'm guessing unless i can find the original receipt i have nothing to fall back on?

Clareman

If there's a serial number on it you might get lucky, check the support sites and you'll find out, I'd a lexar drive drive before and they swapped it no problem

akamossie

delete partition from the disk management and then format.

if its protected maybe there is a switch or software installed for it which keep it protected!!!