That means a flash drive that should have cost you $50, actually cost you $100......and everybody else who went out and bought another one. Not to mention the wasted time,energy & resources that went into every one of those drives.

I agree that something needs to be done to find out why some of these USB flash drives fail, especially when many people are using them to back up their important files.

Karen

Yet another person pooched by SanDisk. I've got a large file on my thumb drive that I hkept on there assuming it was safe from corruption. Now I am being told that I need to reformat. I don't want to reformat if I should try some form of recovery first, and don't know how to go about recovering data off a thumb.

I will have access to a Win98 machine (non-networked) next weekend and hopefully will be able to deal with the issue down there.

What I need to know is how to go about recovering the data.

Thanks in advance.

I was able to "re-format" my Cruzer once using either the "usb-test-tool" or Computer Management/Disk Management Tool, if I remember correctly. But after a few uses it became titanium toast again and have not been able to resuscitate it since.
From what I have been reading around the net, you can't recover the data with this problem ? Hence my frustration with Sandisk who offer no solution to what I consider a serious issue....Losing your data!!
Any ideas what I could use my ex Titanium Cruzer for ?

If the 98 machine can't read it you are in trouble. You can attempt to use some data recovery software but I doubt it will work.

Format the thing in 98, and NEVER format it again. Its just solid state memory, it is completely unnecessary to format the drive in XP, simple deleting of the files is enough. Seems a lot of the problems with these drives occur when someone tries to format them.

if the drive is registering as a device yet doesn't appear in my computer under XP, go to disk management under control panel (under admin tools) and try to assign it a new driver letter after formatting it.

Other than that you are stuck.... if it won't format in 98 or be recognized at all, it's toast. NEVER store anything on a flash drive you cannot afford to lose.

I have had several of the Mini Cruzer's and 1 micro cruzer. Never had any problems with any of them. I still do not understand why so many people have to reformat these drives.

Sandisc cruzers are not a reliable brand.
I've seen hundreds of complaints here on techspot.

Yeah I know, so have I. I just dont understand why they always have to format a brnad new one.

Tedster's 10/21/05 input worked like a charm using Vista--OMG! Thanks.

My 4GB Cruzer was inoperable due to U3 complications since purchase and Sandisk's CS was hopeless and helpless after three tries ove a couple months. No U3 for me, but I'm happy not to have wasted the $$. I won't buy another flash drive from this company and I hope I never have problems with my Sansa or SD's...

I agree. It is not just the cost of the USB that is pissing me off (I have a $80 4gb Titanium), it is all the information that I have lost. Yesterday everything was working fine. I had it plugged into my computer at work, and safely removed it before pulling the drive out, everything by the book. I did not plug the drive into any other computer until I got to work and plugged it into the same USB slot in the same work computer and nothing. The little blue light flashes and the computer does not even recognize it is there (no errors or anything). I tried plugging it into another computer, I tried plugging into a Mac, same results. I work in an Info Tech field and I have a lot of valuable information that I store on that drive (I loved it untill now). Out of the 4 gig on the drive, I only had 1.3 gig remaining. I used the drive for e-mail, and for storing important and valuable info. I have put alot of time and energy into some of the files that I lost. I have back-up of some files, but not all. I can give a crap about the $80, the info that I lost is worth a hell of a lot more than that.

I agree, we should come up with some form of a lawsuit against Sandisk.

I have a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 2.0 GB. I read ALL of the advice that was given in ALL the threads and nothing seems to help me. Here is where I am, so please tell me what else I could do.

U3 has been removed and is no longer on the drive.

I have formatted the drive 10+ times in FAT32 as instructed.

My BIOS is fully updated and all USB ports are "Enabled."

I have changed the letter of all my drives multiple times in different combo's.

All my USB’s are 2.0, and fully functional (all my other USB stuff work in all of them).

I do not have any DVD or any other hardcore programs that might interfere with the flash drive.

My flash drive works on ALL XP computers at work, at school and even on my laptop.

I do not have access to WIN98, a computer with WIN98 and all the "HP Softpaq", and "X-format" links in ALL the threads for "drivers" are dead.


The problem I have is that I have tried EVERYTHING! And when I stick the Cruzer in my desktop, it lights up, stays lit and everything but my computer does not know it exists! Even when my comp is restarted with the drive plugged in, it never shows up in my computer, or in DiskManagement. Formatting was done on my work computers, where the drive actually showed itself.

How are you supposed to fix something that your computer does not know exists???? This question was asked multiple times on many threads but know one ever answers it!!!!!!

Thanks

Yea Yea I know "another SanDisk question" but.......


I have a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 2.0 GB. I read ALL of the advice that was given in ALL the threads (2 weeks to read) and nothing seems to help me. Here is where I am, so please tell me what else I could do.

U3 has been removed and is no longer on the drive.

I have formatted the drive 10+ times in FAT32 as instructed.

My BIOS is fully updated and all USB ports are "Enabled."

I have changed the letter of all my drives multiple times in different combo's.

All my USB’s are 2.0, and fully functional (all my other USB stuff work in all of them).

I do not have any DVD or any other hardcore programs that might interfere with the flash drive.

My flash drive works on ALL XP computers at work, at school and even on my laptop.

I do not have access to WIN98, a computer with WIN98 and all the "HP Softpaq", and "X-format" links in ALL the threads for "drivers" are dead.


The problem I have is that I have tried EVERYTHING! And when I stick the Cruzer in my desktop, it lights up, stays lit and everything but my computer does not know it exists! Even when my comp is restarted with the drive plugged in, it never shows up in my computer, or in DiskManagement. Nothing pops up, not even a sand timer. Formatting was done on my work computers, where the drive actually showed itself.

How are you supposed to fix something that your computer does not know exists???? This question was asked multiple times on many threads but no one "really" answers it!
Thanks

I tried the XP computer management route, but it wouldn't show up. That didn't surprise me because the little light on it wouldn't even come on. I tried it on another PC and a Mac too with no luck. I finally got it to work by inserting it into the USB port, gently wiggling it up and down as I pressed in on it. The light came on and I was able to copy all the files off of it. I'm guessing the contact got corroded or something like that. But at any rate, no lost data and the things are pretty cheap these days. So