1GB USB Flash/ Recover Data

S

SmartDriver

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
175
I just realized that my USB drive is maybe 10 years old, how did i realized this? It now doesn't show up on My Computer and now my head starting to spin. The USB I have is a 1GB, Titanium Cruzer which I thought and kept telling myself that it's indestructible but I didn't think it was going to self destruct, oh man. I have a few folders that were important and I KNOW i know, I told myself, Titanium, it won't destruct my files! This is my first experience with data lost.

The light is on the USB constantly flashing blue when I plug it in, but cannot see it on My Computer. I'm thinking it might be dirty, for some reason, there is grease on the drive which I assume that the oils from opening and closing it, somehow leaked out and maybe leaked into the usb connector, but I don't want to take a chance to clean it myself and cause any further damage. Can anyone recommend me to a place to take it to that would have the knowledge to recover data from my usb drive? I'm located in Los Angeles, CA. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in Advance.
 
First, try another machine, one or more usb ports on that machine could be bad. If not, you can try testdisk which is included free on this boot cd http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/. There are also other excellent pay options such as getdataback from runtime.org which will show you what it can get back before you need to purchase anything. Last but not least you always have data recovery choices such as drivesavers. In any case, you can get 1GB USB drives for about a quarter at this point, and an 8GB for less than 10 bucks. Time to take your backups more seriously!
 
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Good heavens....

I would definitely take the advice just given to you and try it on another machine before you try any sort of destructive software on it. And good lord people, USB drives are not invincible! In fact one good static shock can send all that por... err.. study material you've been saving right to the recycle bin in the sky.

If you're going to keep your 'important data' on a thumbdrive - get TWO and keep one in the closet sealed up somewhere tight, only using it when you need to duplicate the first one. And then keep a copy of your data somewhere else.... offsite if possible.
 
I called drivesaversdatarecovery and they quoted me 5-7day turnaround would cost me 600-900. Am I at the correct website or is there another place I should look at?

mwroobel said:
First, try another machine, one or more usb ports on that machine could be bad. If not, you can try testdisk which is included free on this boot cd http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/. There are also other excellent pay options such as getdataback from runtime.org which will show you what it can get back before you need to purchase anything. Last but not least you always have data recovery choices such as drivesavers. In any case, you can get 1GB USB drives for about a quarter at this point, and an 8GB for less than 10 bucks. Time to take your backups more seriously!
Click to expand...
 
OK from searching the web and watching those youtube video on how to fix usb drives.

I figured that my USB is SANDISK and needs that U3 software that originally comes built into the USB to function properly but I've been using it without U3 software for like the last 9 years but it only stopped working yesterday. Anyways, I downloaded the U3 software from Sandisk and installed it. It gives me the option to back up my drive before installing the U3 software and all my data showed up!!!!!!!! TATA! But after saving 95% of the most important stuff. It has trouble recognizing again.
 
In terms of best to worst forms of data storage
Tapes < Hard drives (If not moved around) < CD/DVD (must be kept at room temperature or they go bad in a year < No backup, on your hard drive < USB

You can throw Cloud Backed Backup before or after Hard drive if not moved around if you're a fan of the cloud.

USB flash disk is probably one of the worst and most volatile places to keep anything in the forms of a backup, for more reasons than one.
 
Now for whatever reason, my 16GB Corsair Survivor is not reading. The blue LED is on constantly instead of blinking when it's reading. This happened after I was trying to plug and unplug my 1GB usb in the same USB slot, does my flash drives have a virus?
 
Try another machine, you could be having some kind of USB problem, maybe power related.
 
Today's Data lost is problem face of many people..Many software are available in the internet to data recovery from external drive or internal drive(hard disk)..Try it..

Thanks
 
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