Windows doesn't recognise my USB key anymore (it used to work)

Question

I use my friend's USB flash drive (Corsair flash voyager 16gb) to transfer files from my laptop to my desktop computer.

However, since a couple of days my laptop stopped recognizing the USB key.. while there is still no problems with all other computers.

I use Windows 7 64 bits if that can help.

I tried uninstalling the driver, rebooting and all those kind of tricks, but it won't work.

When I connect it and open the "My computer" window, I see "Removable Disk (G:)" for a moment, then it disappears... then it reappears again and it keeps doing that periodically. I can't even right click then hit "Properties" because it disappears.

As I recall, it DOES work on every other computers, I think it has to do with the driver but what can I do?

Solution

I had the same and solved this by:

• downloading the 64 bit USBDeview
• run as administrator and removed all occurrences of my USB (you'll need to know its Device Description)
• plug in the USB; possibly in an other port to force Windows to reinitialise it

This worked for me!

Comments

[haimg]

If your laptop has more than one USB port, try in a different one. Seems like a loose connector to me.

[dominicbri7]

I tried on every USB port possible, it wouldn't change a thing. Also, other USB devices (like mice) are working normally. I will try to do every windows update possible, as well with my "Vaio care center" to see if there are more sony updates available. No offense but I don't think it'll work (but I sure do hope it would!)

[dominicbri7]

Hmm I didn't think of that, I'll try next time I get my hands on that same USB drive

[Billy Bob]

If you don't know the device's name, sort by Device Type and uninstall the drivers for everything called 'Mass Storage' (with the offending USB key unplugged). Plug it back in and it should detect it.