Win does not see the USB stick. The computer does not see the USB flash drive - the reasons and solutions to the problem. The USB flash drive itself does not work

When you connect an external USB drive or flash drive, it will immediately appear in Explorer (my computer) and will be displayed as a local drive. However, sometimes when you connect a USB flash drive to your computer, the drive may not appear in "my computer", this also applies to SD and microSD memory cards. If your flash drive doesn't show up in File Explorer, you can try the solutions below to re-enable your external drive in File Explorer. Before testing these solutions, I recommend unplugging your USB flash drive, restarting your computer once, and then plugging the USB flash drive back in to see if it appears in This PC.

Adding a drive letter to an external drive

Press the Win + R key combination and enter diskmgmt.msc to enter disk management.

In the "Disk Management" section, check if your external drive (flash drive) has a letter. If there is a drive letter, it will appear next to the drive name as shown in the image below. If there is no letter, you will need to follow these steps.

• Right-click on the flash drive that you want to see in my computer explorer, and then click " Change drive letter or path".

Click the button Add to... Clicking the Add button will open the Add Drive Letter or Path dialog box. As you can see in the image below, Windows 10 automatically assigns the drive letter of the selected stick, but you can choose your own by clicking the down arrow next to the drive letter. Click OK to complete the process.

Display blank drives in My Computer

The parameter in the properties of the folder can restore the display of the flash drive to "my computer". This option is used to hide empty disks in the explorer.

• Open "My Computer". Click Filethen Parameters.

Go to the tab View and uncheck Hide empty drives... Click apply if the flash drive does not appear even after the above solutions, try connecting it to another computer and check if it shows up there.

Which result in the USB stick not being recognized. From damaged USB ports to USB formatting issues, the list of possible scenarios is varied. It should also be noted that the user must ensure that the cause has been analyzed and that the problem has been correctly identified before attempting any of the methods below.

The list of reasons that lead to the fact that the flash drive cannot be read and which users encounter most often includes the following 5 scenarios:

1. USB ports are not working.
2. You need to update your USB drivers.
3. The operating system (OS) is not updated.
4. The USB stick is defective.
5. The USB firmware is damaged.

You can find more than one USB recognition software on the Internet that ensures that data is retrieved, but these programs are best not used as they can threaten security, possibly compromising the data.

Below are some of the factors that can lead to USB stick recognition problems. It should be noted that these problems need to be addressed as soon as possible:

1. USB formatting problem. This is the most common type of problem where the user cannot format the drive before first use. The error message states that formatting could not be completed.
2. Driver problem. USB drivers are not available or need to be updated.
3. Hard drive problems. If the hard drive of the OS and associated system is not working properly, it is most likely a problem with the hard drive.
4. OS related issues: An OS that is not updated in a timely manner also leads to these issues. The only solution is to update the components.
5. Port related problems. It can be either hardware or software. If the ports do not recognize USB, professional help is recommended.

USB formatting problem is the most common type of problem

4 ways to fix the problem with a flash drive not recognizing Windows

Method 1: Scan for USB Issues

Step 1. Insert the USB stick into the USB port.

Step 2.Make sure the flash drive appears in the "My Computer" section. Then, by clicking the right mouse button, open the "Properties" section.

Step 3. Enter the "Service" section.

Step 4. Then you need to click the Check Now button for a new menu to appear. Both options must be selected here, and the start button must be pressed to scan the device and fix the problem (in some it may just be "Check", then you must click "Check" and then "Check and repair the disk").

Method 2. Reformatting USB

Follow this process:

Step 1. Right-click on the USB stick under My Computer to select the Format option.

Step 2. Now, to solve the problem, you need to format the flash drive using NTFS instead of FAT32 or vice versa:

On a note! All information from the flash drive will be deleted!

Method 3. Updating drivers

The process looks like this:

Step 1.You need to open the "Run" window (Win + R) and then enter devmgmt.msc as in the screenshot below:

Step 2. After that, you will be taken to Device Manager (you can also open it through the built-in Windows search, you just need to enter "Device Manager" in the search field, and Windows will return the desired result).

Step 3. You need to find "Universal Serial Bus controllers" as in the picture below:

Step 4. When you have found the controllers you need, you need to right-click on them and select the option to update drivers, then "Search automatically for updated drivers."

Method 4. OS update

To update your OS, follow these steps:

Step 1. Go to Control Panel\u003e System and Security.

Step 2. Now you need to make sure the "Check for Updates" option is selected.

The OS will be updated.

Then you need to restart your system to make sure the problem is fixed.

Software to recover lost data on hard drive

After the problem with USB recognition is resolved, it is recommended to save all important data to make sure the problem never recurs. You also need to check that all folders are saved and that nothing is missing. Wondershare Data Recovery Tool is the most advanced and modern tool specially designed to solve file loss problem. It is better to download it from the official site.

Note! Free only 100 megabytes of lost data.

Recovering files from Wondershare Data Recovery takes place in 3 steps:

Step 1. First you need to choose what types of files you want to recover.

Step 2. Then you need to select the device from which you want to restore these same files.

Step 3... You also need to choose the location where these files will be restored.

It will not be difficult, and the intuitive and simple interface will only help you with this.

Video - USB flash drive is not detected - problem solution

A USB stick is a compact and convenient file storage device. Like any equipment, it is susceptible to failures and breakdowns - both hardware and software. If the computer does not see the USB flash drive, you can usually cope with the problem yourself. Let's list the possible reasons why the USB drive is not displayed or not readable, and the ways to solve them as soon as possible.

When the flash drive is not detected, it is convenient to carry out the initial diagnostics using a utility from Microsoft. It will not solve all possible problems, but it can eliminate common mistakes.

Download from the official site and run if your drive is not recognized. The utility is suitable for Windows 7 - 10.

USB ports

If the utility has not found out why the computer does not see the inserted USB flash drive, proceed to self-check. Start with USB ports - they may be faulty or not enabled. If you inserted a drive into the port on the front of the system unit, move it back or try an adjacent slot. Along the way, check the contacts of the USB-connector of the flash drive - the code gets small debris on them, the device cannot be read on the computer. Clean the dust with a toothpick, wipe the contacts with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

If the laptop does not see the USB flash drive, the reason may be insufficient power supply. When too much equipment is connected via USB to the PC - a mouse, keyboard, removable hard drive, smartphone on recharging - there is not enough power for everything, and the system does not recognize the next device. In this case, just disconnect unnecessary devices and reinsert the drive.

If the computer does not recognize the USB flash drive and other USB devices in any of the ports, USB is disabled in the BIOS settings. To access their change, restart the PC, at the beginning of the boot press the keys to enter the BIOS.

The required combination will be written on the screen, usually F2. In the BIOS go to the “Advanced” tab, click on “USB Configuration”. In the item "USB Controller" set the value "Enables". Press F10 to save settings and exit.

Viruses

When the flash drive is detected, but not readable, it is worth checking it for viruses. If you recently inserted the drive into someone else's computer or laptop, a virus could host it. Then the system will connect your USB-device, and when you try to copy files, it will display an error "Application not found" or "Access denied."

In order for the antivirus to gain full access to the drive, check if there is an autorun file replaced by a virus. To do this, open the flash drive in "Explorer", the option to show "Hidden items" must be enabled for all items to be visible.

The option is enabled on the top panel of the "Explorer" or in the folder options. If you find a viral autorun.inf file, delete it immediately, then run an antivirus scan.

Drivers

If your computer has stopped seeing the USB flash drive, but in other PCs it is perfectly detected - deal with the drivers. Open the "Device Manager" through the properties of the "My Computer" shortcut. In the list of USB controllers, find the USB flash drive - if there is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark next to it, right-click on the name and select "Remove device". Remove the drive from the computer connector and insert, the drivers will be reinstalled.

If this could not, download and install new USB drivers from the website of the computer or laptop motherboard manufacturer. If you do not see a USB device in the manager, take it out and insert it again, while the list will disappear and the required line will appear.

Sometimes there is a driver conflict - when the system tries to use a driver for another similar storage device for your drive, so the computer does not see the USB flash drive in any way. What can you do in such a situation? Remove information about previously connected USB devices from the OS. Programs and DriveCleanup that are compatible with Windows 7 - 10 can do this.

USBOblivion will clean the registry and remove the USB mount points. After it finishes its work, restart your computer and check if the system can recognize the flash drive.

Section conflict

Sometimes the computer detects the USB flash drive, but incorrectly. At the same time, you hear the usual sound of turning on the USB drive, an alert pops up and an icon appears in the tray, but you cannot use the device. The computer does not recognize removable media because the OS assigned it the wrong partition letter, already occupied by other hardware. There is an address conflict and the flash drive does not work.

What to do in such a situation? If the computer does not see the USB flash drive, open the Disk Management utility. To quickly find it, hold down Win + R and type diskmgmt.msc. In the list of disks, pay attention to the "Status" parameter for the required device. If there is "Good", right-click on it, in the menu click on "Make the partition active" - \u200b\u200bif the item is available.

To give the partition the correct character, select Change Drive Letter .... In a new window, allow access to the device and click "Change". From the list of letters of the English alphabet, specify any one to assign to a section. Just make sure what letters are already used for naming devices and do not use the first A, B, C, D, by default they are for floppy disks and hard disk partitions.

If the "Status" field reads "Unknown", then the flash drive stopped working due to damage. Try to recover your data to save it.

Formatting

When you turn on a new removable media in your PC, the system prompts you to format it. At the same time, the volume of the device is displayed as 0 MB, as if Windows 10 or 7 does not see the USB flash drive.

The formatting procedure comes in handy in case of file system conflicts. If the computer is using FAT32 and the USB device is NTFS, it will be difficult to read the files. If the drive already contains data, find a PC with a similar file system and copy all the information to it.

Open File Explorer on your computer. Right-click on the flash drive, in the menu go to "Format". In the new window, set the desired file system, check the "Fast" checkbox below - this will not only speed up the process, but also help then restore data if you could not copy it. Reconnect and test the device after formatting.

Features of Windows XP

If Windows XP is installed on the PC, sometimes the flash drive is not recognized due to the lack of updates. SP2 lacks components for USB devices to work correctly, so please upgrade to SP3 and install the latest patches from Microsoft.

Open the properties of the "My Computer" icon, if you see Service Pack 2 in the information about the OS - enable automatic updates. Run Windows Update, wait for the installation of new system components.

Conclusion

We figured out what to do if your computer or laptop does not see the USB flash drive. There may be several reasons for the problem, sequentially check the most common ones from our list in order to eliminate them and use the drive.

You connect the USB flash drive to the laptop, but nothing happens - the drive is not displayed in the system, and it is impossible to work with the data stored on it. A very unpleasant situation requiring immediate resolution.

Identifying the cause

The first step is to understand what is not working: the USB port of the laptop or the flash drive. To check, you can use another USB flash drive - if the laptop detects it, then the problem lies in the drive. If the laptop does not find any media, then you will have to check several system parameters, the failure of which could lead to such an unpleasant result.

Checking media through "Disk Management"

Let's check if the laptop detects the USB flash drive connected to it using the Disk Management system utility:

1. Using the Win + R shortcut, launch the Run menu.
2. Enter "diskmgmt.msc" in the window and click "OK".
3. See if your removable disk is in the list of connected drives.

Perfectly:

• the connected flash drive is detected;
• all partitions of the drive have the "Good" status.

In this case, just right-click on the removable media and select the option "Make the partition active". Additionally, you may need to assign a letter to the USB flash drive - if this was not done automatically by the system.

The status "Not initialized" or "Unknown" instead of "Good" indicates that the flash drive is faulty; you need to think about restoring the data that was stored on it.

Reset BIOS settings

Sometimes the laptop does not see the USB flash drive due to a BIOS settings failure. You can fix this by resetting the settings to the factory state or manually enabling the USB controller in the BIOS.

After rebooting again, check if the flash drive is detected. If resetting the BISO settings did not help, proceed to the next solution to the problem.

Removing old USB drivers

Windows installs drivers for the USB flash drive the first time it is connected to the computer. However, after removing the drive, the installed software does not disappear anywhere. Furthermore, sometimes old drivers interfere with the correct operation of other removable media... To eliminate this effect, you need to update the software of the USB device:

After removing the device, you need to disconnect the flash card, and then plug it back in - the old drivers will be removed, and the problem with detecting the flash drive should be resolved.

Every day, more and more people use flash drives to transfer information: they are small, lightweight and you can buy it with the required amount of memory. But what to do if one fine day, after inserting it into the USB connector, the flash drive is not displayed on the computer, and accordingly you cannot work with it.

On a working USB flash drive, when it is connected to a computer, a light indicator starts blinking: green, blue, red. If it does not catch fire, then there may be several reasons why this is happening. Let's start dealing with them.

Choose another port

You inserted the USB flash drive into the USB connector located on the front panel of the system unit. This is because the front USB ports don't always plug into the motherboard when assembling a computer. In this case, just insert the USB stick into the ports on the back of the system unit.

Connect directly

This is using a USB hub or extension cable. It is usually needed in order not to move the system unit every time to connect a flash drive. The USB extension cable has a USB plug - it connects to the rear USB port of the system unit, and a USB connector - a USB flash drive is connected to it.

To eliminate the problem associated with the device itself, connect the USB flash drive directly to the computer. If it works, then there is a problem with the USB extension cable. If not, then the device is in order, but we are investigating further.

Disable unnecessary devices

Perhaps you have many different devices connected to your computer via USB ports: printer, scanner, mouse, keyboard, web-camera, external hard drive. In this case, turn off all devices, leaving only the keyboard, mouse and USB flash drive.

If the device works, it means that there is not enough power for the USB ports. The reason may be the low power of the power supply itself or the large volume of the flash drive itself. In this case, change the power supply to a more powerful one, or buy a USB extension cable with an additional power supply.

Take for repair

Unfortunately, flash drives are also not eternal, and can break. They usually just burn out. In this case, you can either throw it away, or try to extract all the important information from it. Also try to take it to specialists in order to revive, but, of course, you will have to pay for this. If, when connecting a flash drive to a computer, you hear a characteristic sound, then we will deal with the rest of the reasons.

Remove viruses

Because of computer viruses with a USB flash drive, there can also be problems. In this case, you need to connect the USB flash drive to the computer and perform a full scan for disks and removable media using an anti-virus program. If the antivirus detects anything, delete the malicious files.

Reinstall drivers

It may be that the computer simply does not see the drivers for the device, or they are outdated. In this case, you will have to remove the existing drivers for the flash drive and install new ones. To do this, go to "My Computer" and right-click on the free space. Then select "Properties" from the context menu.

In the next window go to the tab "Device Manager".

In the device manager, we are looking for the item "USB Controllers" and click on the small arrow on the left. The list of devices expands. Now you need to insert the USB flash drive into your computer. After that, the device manager should be updated and another item will be added to the list. Select this item and right-click on it. Select "Delete" from the context menu. We did this in order to remove the drivers for the flash drive.

Now you need to remove the USB flash drive from the computer and insert it back. The drivers will update automatically.

Format

It may also be that the file system installed on the computer conflicts with the file system on the USB flash drive. This is due to the fact that the NTFS file system is usually installed on the computer, and the manufacturer installs FAT on the USB flash drive. This problem is solved very easily: you need to format the USB flash drive to NTFS.

Open the folder "My Computer" and right-click on the flash drive, select from the list "Format".

In the next window, select the desired file system and click "Start".

If the flash drive is not displayed in the "My Computer" folder, then you can use the following programs for formatting: HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool or Hard disk low lewel format tool. The program interface is straightforward, you just need to select the file system and format. Following the links, you can download the programs.

Check if the USB port is working

Probably not working USB port itself. Just plug the flash drive into another port, and if it works, then to fix the USB port you need to carry the system unit to the workshop.

I will end on this. I hope this article will be useful to you. If I have not described some reason, write in the comments.

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