Windows XP can't see USB flash drive?

[travbrad]

I'm having a very strange problem with my 2nd PC right now. For some reason my flash drive isn't showing up in My Computer/Windows Explorer. The strange thing is I can see it in Disk Management (under control panel>computer management).

So I tried assigning it a new drive letter, but it still doesn't show up in My Computer. I can actually access the files on the flash drive if I Right Click > Open from disk management, but if I Right Click > Explore it doesn't open. I can also access it from a command prompt after assigning it a drive letter. Also when I assign it a drive letter (say P), then remove it from the computer, and put it back in. I have to reassign it a new drive letter to access it, because P is no longer available. :confused:

Any ideas on what the problem could be? I'm not having problems with any other USB devices, and I reinstalled the USB drivers just to be sure. The flash drive works fine on other PCs, plus I tested 2 different drives so I know it's not a bad flash drive... I'm running Service Pack 3 with all the latest updates btw, if that makes any difference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

[bigdogchris]

I've had problems where USB flash devices, not necessary thumb drives, will not be detected in XP under a Limited Account. Is the account limit?

[SC385]

Is the flash drive formated in fat, fat32, ntfs, or that new format that Vista uses? The new format does not work with XP.

[travbrad]

The only account on the computer is the admin account, so that can't be the problem.

It's formatted in FAT, as I still don't have Vista on either computer. Both my PCs are running XP SP3, one sees it fine, one doesn't. Hmm...I might just have to reinstall Windows.

[SmokeRngs]

If something has gotten messed up with regards to your USB controllers, you might want to remove them from device manager, reboot and let Windows reinstall them. That would be what I would try before reinstalling.

http://www.hardfolding.com/fhtag.php/mem/207/1/2.png (http://www.hardfolding.com/fh_stats/?pz=102&tnum=33&id=207) http://www.hardfolding.com/w_tag.php/mem/67729/1/2.png (http://www.hardfolding.com/?p=2611&tid=33&id=67729)

[travbrad]

I already tried that (a few times actually), but thanks for trying to help. I guess I'll just be reinstalling tomorrow. My 2nd PC doesn't have a ton of software on it anyway, so it's not a huge hassle. Windows works in mysterious ways... ;)

[timberdoodle]

I've had the same problem on my desktop. Just kept changing drive letters though like you're doing.