Why does the computer not find the USB flash drive. Why does the computer not see the USB flash drive. What to do? How to enable USB ports

What if the computer does not see the USB flash drive? Removable drives and HDDs should be extremely easy to use. But sometimes it happens that after connecting an external USB device to personal computer with the operating room Windows system it is categorically not recognized. If the computer does not see the flash card, then this may be caused by problems with partitions on the removable drive, using the wrong file system, faulty connectors, outdated drivers, or other reasons.

Below in the text, as well as at the end of the article, you can watch a video why the computer does not see removable drive... Perhaps you will learn or understand more from it than from the article.

If the PC does not see the USB flash drive through "My Computer", then, in the worst case, this may mean that the removable drive is out of order and can no longer be recovered. Pocket sticks and large external HDD work in the same way, so the tips below are valid for both types of devices.

What if the laptop does not see the USB flash drive? First of all, you need to find out if the drive is displayed in the disk management manager. Windows Explorer should automatically detect the removable device when it is connected via USB port... Insert the disc into the slot. In some cases, to activate an external device, you must press a special button or lever on it. Heavy removable HDD, unlike flash drives, they can even be connected to the mains using a separate power cable, so the computer may not see external storage if it is off.

Now you need to open the disk management tool. To do this, press the key combination Win + R, enter diskmgmt.msc in the line that appears and confirm with Enter. Now we can see the external drive in the control window. It should appear here even if it has no partitions.

If you see a device here that is not readable, then you can immediately start formatting it so that windows explorer and various devices could access it. If the netbook did not detect the USB flash drive, then go to the next section, in which we will try to determine why the drive is not recognized.

Now we need to somehow get Windows Explorer to recognize external drive... It may not be recognized due to a hardware problem with the computer's USB port. Others possible reasons there may be incorrectly installed drivers or physical damage to the flash drive.

What to do when the computer does not see the USB flash drive? First, you need to disconnect the drive from one USB port and try connecting it to another. If the removable disk works in the new slot, it means that the problem was in the malfunction of the previous one. In case you are using a USB extension cable, try disconnecting it and connecting the USB flash drive to your computer directly. These cables sometimes cannot provide enough power for the removable device to operate.

Driver problems

If Windows 7 does not see the USB flash drive in the disk management tool, even after you plug it into a different connector on the laptop, then the malfunction may appear both in the USB flash drive itself and in the PC. If there is another computer nearby, then you need to try connecting the disk to it to see if it detects it. If the flash drive refused to work on several computers, then it, most likely, has outlived its own and must be disposed of. But before making such a sad conclusion, be sure to check if the removable device appears in the disk management window on other computers.

If the drive works on other PCs, or you do not have it at hand additional computers that can be used, you need to check the relevance installed drivers... This is done using the Device Manager. To open it, press the key combination Win + R, enter devmgmt.msc in the opened line and confirm with Enter.

In the list of devices that appears, you need to carefully check all disks for the presence of an icon in the form of a yellow exclamation mark. If such a symbol is found, then the problem is with the drivers. Right-click on the device with the yellow exclamation mark, select "Properties" and look at the error message. It should help you solve the problem as it can be copied to a string google search to find reviews from other users who are experiencing a similar problem.

Problems like this can be difficult to fix. If the computer does not see the drive relatively recently, then you can try running System Restore. But it is best to use the Update Driver button to install latest version necessary software... You can try to click "Roll back driver", in the hope that it previous version will be workable. It is also allowed to use the "Delete" button to external device disappeared from the system's field of view until the computer was restarted. It also happens that when re-launch Windows flash drive suddenly becomes working.

Partitioning and formatting

If your computer does not see your USB stick, you can use Disk Management to fix partition and file system problems. If you see that the disk is partitioned and full of unallocated space, then you can create a new compartment on it. Thanks to this, Windows and other operating systems will be able to work with the flash drive.

We right-click inside the unallocated space, select "New Simple Section" and follow the further instructions of the program. If the drive is divided into parts, but still does not appear, you need to check if a specific drive letter is assigned to it. This should normally happen automatically, but in some cases manual input may be required. We right-click on the partition of the removable disk, select "Change letter" and enter any free letter. For example, you can write "G:", and henceforth the drive on the computer will be called that way.

If the disk is partitioned, but XP does not see the flash drive, then it is not a fact that the partition was done using the correct file system. For example, a flash drive can be formatted using ext4 for Linux (Linux) or HFS Plus from Mac (Mac). In this case, Windows 10 does not see the USB flash drive, because it is not familiar with such a system. You need to reformat the drive using NTFS or FAT32. Thanks to this, Windows will be able to recognize the flash memory. To reconfigure a partition, right-click on it, click "Format" and select the desired file system.

Note that this will delete all files on the disk. It makes sense to first connect the USB flash drive to a Linux or Mac device in order to copy the data. If you cannot connect the removable disk to a device such as a DVD player or TV, the cause may be NTFS. The above technique only works with FAT32.

The computer does not see the USB flash drive. Technology cannot last forever. There may be several reasons:

1) the front connectors on the PC are not connected to the motherboard;

2) there is not enough power;

5) file system conflict;

6) hardware failure of the drive.

Almost all problems are "treated" with improvised means, namely the system utilities of the computer. Let's consider each breakdown in detail.

Reason 1: inactive slots and lack of power

If the computer is under warranty, feel free to complain to the seller about the poor-quality assembly. Alternatively, use the rear ports.

The second nuance is insufficient power supply to the connectors, because of which the flash drive "blinks", ie. is arbitrarily recognized / disappears.

Most likely, the assemblers are to blame, who cheated when connecting them to motherboard without fully sinking the cable into the corresponding groove.

In this case, you need to visit again service center either the seller. But if you have experience with building a PC, try doing it yourself.

If after all the manipulations absolutely nothing happens, the problem lies elsewhere.

Reason 2: drivers

Each flash drive initially stores a driver in memory, which is automatically installed when the device is connected.

But Windows can periodically crash, which is why the average user suffers. To correct the situation, the following set of manipulations will be required.

First, right-click on "My Computer" and go to "properties".

A list of several tabs will be displayed, among which you need to select "Hardware" and go to "Device Manager".

Scroll through the list until we find USB controllers.

We expand the list by clicking on the "+" and see full list devices that are connected or once connected through the required connector.

One of the components will change its name. This is our culprit who must be eliminated.

To do this, right-click on it, selecting "Delete". Confirm your intentions, then re-insert the USB stick. The driver will pick up automatically.

In the vast majority of cases, this helps.

Reason 3: viruses and trojans

Although the system requires you to check devices for spyware, few people do it, for which they pay the price of a system malfunction.

Everything is very simple: the virus replaces the "native" autorun driver with a modified one, which is fraught with the appearance of the inscription "Access denied."

Therefore, if the flash drive does not load , do the following.

Open "My Computer" and write the letter of the device in the address bar (everything is as in the screenshot, with the characters preserved). Letter index your drive may be different.

So you got inside. But now should be done hidden files visible to get to autorun.

To do this, select "Service", and from the drop-down list - "Folder options".

We are interested in the "View" tab. Scroll down the slider until we find the "Hide system files ..." setting.

We uncheck the box from this item, along the way switching the system to the ability to show hidden files.

The main work has been done. All you have to do is find an infected file named autorun.inf and mercilessly delete it.

Have you checked it? Fine. Reinsert the long-suffering device and continue working.

Reason 4: section conflict

Other incidents also happen. For example, let's say you inserted a drive into your computer. The system recognized him and issued the corresponding "tyn-dyn".

A characteristic icon has appeared on the taskbar at the bottom, but Windows for some reason refuses to assign a letter to the partition. How to deal with this?

First, click "Start" and go to "Control Panel".

In the left part of the window, for ease of use, select "Switch to Category View".

Although if it is already on, no manipulations need to be performed. We need to get to the "Administration".

Important: all manipulations need to be done only on behalf of the administrator. Otherwise, the system will not accept the changes.

Select "Computer Management" by double-clicking and moving on.

Before us is the “reverse side” of the system with different settings. In any case, do not engage in a gag if you do not understand it. Follow only our advice.

So, on the left, there are three main categories, of which we need the second, namely "Storage Devices".

A list of all logical drives that are in the system. Including our nameless flash drive.

We fix this jamb by pressing the right button on the drive. We select the item "Change letter ...".

Pops up small window, kindly offering to change the letter. Click on "Change".

A menu will appear with only one active element, which is what we need. Please note that not all letters are applicable to a USB flash drive, because:

1) A - floppy disc;

2) B - similarly;

3) C - systemic partition hard disk;

4) D - logical partition.

Let it be, for example, "G", on which we will stop. We save the changes and enjoy the result.

Reason 5: mechanical damage

Perhaps the saddest problem that exists. In this case software are unlikely to be saved.

Although, if you have the skill of soldering, or the breakdown is not so critical, you may be able to recover the patient, or at least dump the information to the PC hard drive.

Why doesn't the computer see the USB stick? 8 possible reasons!

The computer does not see the USB flash drive: what is the reason?

Usually, the suspects in this case are software malfunctions, wrong settings operating system, outdated drivers, malfunctions of computer USB ports, adapters or the drives themselves.

Depending on the reasons, in each case, the problem manifests itself in a different way. It happens that the computer does not react at all to the USB flash drive or HDD... In other situations, the sound of connecting a new device is heard, but the drive icon does not appear in the explorer. And sometimes the computer just freezes right after contact with the USB device.

What to do if a Windows computer does not see a USB flash drive or external hard drive

First, figure out what exactly the problem arises: with a computer, an adapter (if the connection is via a cable) or a drive. Try connecting your USB device through different ports. If it does not help and you are using the cable, try replacing it with a spare one. If unsuccessful, check if the drive opens on other computers.

If the device works on another PC or you have no way to check it

Connect a hard drive or flash drive to your computer and follow these steps in order. If the first does not help, move on to the next and so on.

If the other PC does not see the drive either, or all of the above tips did not help

In this case, the problem is most likely in the drive itself.

If you have a flash drive, not a hard drive, you can use special utilities to fix software errors. Such software can usually be found on the manufacturer's website. For example, JetFlash Online Recovery is for Transcend drives. And USB Flash Drive Online Recovery is for ADATA flash drives. But keep in mind that during the recovery process, these utilities erase all data from flash drives.

If none of the above helps, then it is probably a physical malfunction. hard disk or a flash drive. Then it is better to show the device to a specialist or return it to the store under warranty.

What to do if Mac does not see a USB flash drive or external hard drive

On Apple computers, the verification procedure is somewhat different, but it follows approximately the same algorithm. We will assume that you have already tried restarting your computer, disconnecting and connecting a USB flash drive, and also made sure that the connection is reliable. If this does not help, you need to do the following:

Open the built-in disk tool (Programs → Utilities → Disk utility») And check if the problematic flash drive is displayed there. If the drive is still visible, try it by pressing the "Erase" button and reconnect it. Keep in mind that all data from the flash drive will be permanently deleted.

Special program for Mac diagnostics provides detailed information about all software and hardware components of your computer, including USB devices. Open up Apple menu, then hold down the Option key and click System Information and navigate to the USB section in the menu that appears.

If the flash drive is there, then the problem lies in the software and you can try to restore the disk by referring to the manufacturer's recommendations. If there is no information about the flash drive, then the matter is in a physical malfunction, and you should contact a store or service center if the repair makes sense.

We often use flash media to quickly transfer information between computers. There are situations when the computer does not see the USB flash drive, which creates a lot of problems. Let's take a look at why your PC doesn't recognize the connected device, how to fix it, and how to recover data from a broken flash drive.

How does the problem appear?

The problem can occur in any of the versions of Windows. An error appears in one of the following images:

You connected the drive, but the computer shows no signs of a new device. This also happens after multiple reboots of the PC;
There is a sound from a connected drive, but desired folder not visible on PC;
The computer requires;
A window appears with a message about an error reading information;
The PC freezes immediately after connecting the flash drive;
There is a problem with the text "Device not recognized".

Note that only options are considered above when the flash drive itself is working, but is not recognized by the computer. Connect the drive to another PC or smartphone. If the problem lies precisely in the flash drive, it is necessary to repair it.

Reasons why the computer does not see the USB flash drive

Among the reasons for the appearance of a problem can be both OS malfunctions and hardware failures. First, we recommend trying to fix the problem with programmatic ways... Then you need to check the health of the hardware components of the PC and the operation of the flash drive on other computers.

Software reasons:

Overheating of the system.

The simplest and most common reason errors in the operation of the flash drive - this is a computer that gets very hot. If the USB port is located near a cooling system, a rise in temperature may force the port to shut down. Thus, the OS automatically protects the port from damage;

Inappropriate drivers.

The computer does not see the USB flash drive if there is no USB driver software or the program is incorrect. This situation is mainly faced by users who have recently reinstalled the OS and have not yet configured it to work;

The drive is not formatted.

The first connection of the flash drive to the computer may be accompanied by a message about the need to format the storage. This will erase all data and files. Without formatting, you will not be able to use the USB flash drive in this system, since its parameters are not compatible with the OS settings. To save the data you need, connect the drive to another PC.

Incorrect device detection.

When you hear the sound of the connected device, but do not see it in the explorer, you can say that an error has occurred in system partitions and the name of the drive. This is the reason why the USB flash drive is not visible on the computer. The system simply assigned it an existing drive letter;

Conflict of the file system of the PC and the flash drive.

In this case, you can open the drive folder, but it will be empty. For example, if NTFS is configured on your computer, and FAT 32 on a flash drive, two devices will be able to configure the connection, but the user will not be able to view files or add them to the drive folder;

Infection of a flash drive with viruses.

According to statistics, over 70% of all malware are written specifically for installation and distribution via external USB gadgets. Perhaps, the built-in defender of the OS simply "does not pass" the flash drive so that the virus does not spread.

The USB port is disabled in the BIOS settings.

In this case, the user needs to log into the system menu and activate the port.

Hardware reasons:

The drive connector is dirty.

We often carry flash drives in bags, pockets. This can damage the device by third-party objects. Be sure to check if the USB connector on the flash drive is dusty. If necessary, it can be cleaned with a dry cotton swab.

The USB port is de-energized.

If you are using a desktop PC, the ports on the front of the case may be de-energized. This happens when, during the assembly stage, the front panel of the PC is not connected to the common system nutrition. You can fix the problem at any service center.

We also note the cases when the computer does not see the Micro SD flash drive. This happens when the connector is faulty (the adapter that connects the memory card and the USB port on the computer). Also, different file systems can cause the problem.

What to do: diagnose and fix

The solution to the problem must be started by working with the standard diagnostic utility. This utility is installed by default. Its main advantage is the ability to determine exactly why the computer does not see a USB flash drive or other connected device.

Follow the instructions:

Open the Action Center and click on the "Options" tile;

Then click on "Update and Security", and in a new tab go to "Troubleshooting";
On the right side of the screen, find the item "Hardware ..." and select it. The diagnostic utility will open, which in automatic mode will identify the problem and solve it.

To run the recovery tool in Windows 7, you must press the Win + R key combination and enter the command indicated in the figure in the Run window that opens. Click "OK" and the diagnostic utility will open in a new window.

Checking with Disk Management

Disk Management is a standard utility for analyzing and managing all disks in the system. If the diagnostic tool did not help, we recommend that you check if the system recognizes the connected USB flash drive at all.

The absence of a drive name in the list of drives indicates that it is faulty. Follow the instructions:

Connect the drive to your laptop;
Then click on Win + R and enter "diskmgmt.msc" in the text box;
In the Disk Management window, look at each item in the list. Also, it is recommended to reconnect the drive. Watch to see if it appears on the list. It may be that the computer recognizes the USB flash drive, but due to the similarity in the names of the sections, it disappears.

To forcibly open a folder with the contents of a drive, select it in the list and click on the disk partition at the bottom of the window. Also check if the section is healthy. Its status is displayed at the bottom of the window. To troubleshoot problems, right-click on the disk and select "Fix".

Forced renaming of a partition to Flash USB

If you saw that the letter of the flash drive matches already installed disk, you can be sure that the computer will not see the USB flash drive.

The user can independently assign another free letter to the device. To do this, in the "Disk Management" window, right-click on the name of the drive and click on "Change letter or path ...".

In the window that opens, click on the letter, and then on "Change". Enter any other letter of the Latin alphabet that is not used by existing devices. Save the changes and reconnect the USB flash drive to your computer. Everything should work fine.

If the computer does not see the micro flash drive (Micro SD) even after changing the Disk Management settings, we recommend that you restart your computer and proceed to the next solutions.

The flash drive is not recognized after the update

If the system has problems with connected USB devices after switching to a new Windows version or after installing the next update package, we recommend that you uninstall all USB drivers and reinstall them through the Device Manager.

If the computer does not see the SD USB stick, the USB-connected smartphone must be used command line to uninstall USB port drivers. This will erase from the system even those drivers that were manually installed from untrusted sources. Follow the instructions:

Disconnect all USB storage devices from the PC (including webcam, flash drives, smartphone, card readers). The mouse and keyboard can be left on;
Reboot your computer;
Download the DriveCleanup program (a utility that can search for and remove all USB hardware drivers through the command line). Link: http://drivecleanup.ru.uptodown.com/windows/download;
Install the utility;
Run Command Prompt on your computer. To do this, press Win + R and enter the cmd command;

In the new window, enter the command drivecleanup.exe and press Enter to execute it;
Next, the removal of absolutely all drivers and related entries in the registry will begin. Wait for the process to complete and close the Command Prompt window.

Note that the drivers are removed for all USB devices at once, so after the operation is completed, the connected mouse or keyboard may stop working. To further control the computer, use the touchpad or reconnect the USB mouse. Its drivers will be installed automatically.

Now go to Device Manager. To do this, right-click on the "Start" menu icon and select the appropriate item:

In the new window, find the field with the name of your computer (usually, top line list). Right-click on it and select "Update configuration" in the list of actions that opens. Thus, new "correct" drivers will be installed for all types of devices at once. An internet connection is required to complete this step.

Now restart your computer and check if the flash drive is still visible on the computer. In 95% of cases, this solution helps fix all types of software errors.

Fixing Registry Entries

Another solution is to use third party program USBOblivion for automatic search and editing erroneous registry entries that are related to USB operation. These errors sometimes occur during the transition to new version OS.

Follow the instructions:

Download the USBOblivion utility from the developer's site https://www.cherubicsoft.com/projects/usboblivion and install it on your computer;
Disconnect all previously connected flash drives;
Run the application and check the boxes for "Real Cleanup" and "Save Undo File";
Click on the "Clear" button.

All keys with information about USB devices will be deleted. You can now reconnect your drives. They will work in standard mode, and new correct entries will be created in the registry.

BIOS check

It happens that the computer does not see any

If one of the lines named "USB Controller" is set to Disabled, change it to Enabled. Save your settings, close the system menu and restart your computer. The port will now work.

Now you know what to do if the computer does not see the USB flash drive. Write what method helped you solve the problem and whether you managed to recover the files on the drive.

Sometimes at the most inopportune moment, when it is urgently necessary to throw information from a flash drive to a PC, the computer refuses see a new device... It is about reasons for We will try to describe this problem and options for solving it in detail in our article.

Hardware faults

So, if your the computer does not seeUSBUSB stick, then the first thing to do when a problem is found is to check the operability of the flash drive and USB-connector. A properly working device connected to a working port will have a steady blinking indicator light. If the indicator blinks, and the computer still does not recognize the USB flash drive, then the problem should be looked for in operating system.

Lack of nutrition

Quite often, a flash drive does not function when connected to a port located on front panel of the unit... It happens that such connectors are simply not connected to the main power supply, and sometimes they receive insufficient power. In this situation, you should try to plug the device into an available port on the back board of the computer.

The flash drive may not work when there is a lack of power supply. This happens when there is an excessive current overload in the USB ports or USB hub, or when the power supply is malfunctioning. In addition, it happens that the computer does not see the USB flash drive because it is too large, but as a rule this is rare.

USB stick malfunction

If, after completing all the previous steps, the computer is still does not see the flash drive, then the reason may be precisely in the device itself. Should try connect it to another computer... If the USB memory does not work on other PCs, then we can confidently say that it is faulty. It should be referred to a competent specialist for diagnosis.

It is possible to fix a USB flash drive, however, very often repairs are more expensive than the cost price. Therefore, it is worth repairing the device when urgently needed. In other cases, it is cheaper to buy a new drive.

BIOS settings

The problem is sometimes hidden in the settings of the current operating system. For example, the computer does not recognize the USB flash drive if not activated USB support via BIOS. When the BIOS is configured, a message may appear stating “ USB device not recognized". This may be due to the reasons discussed below.

A busy letter is automatically assigned to the USB flash drive

A very common problem when the system assigns an already occupied drive letter to a device. You can troubleshoot in this way:

It happens that the computer does not see the USB flash drive because the required ones are missing or out of date. In this case, updating the drivers will help. motherboard... Her model name can be viewed through Everest program... The driver should download from the official website of the developer.

USB driver missing

Sometimes the computer does not special driver and it is for this reason the computer does not see the USB flash drive wherever we put it. You need to check this guess in this way:

We go through Control Panel on the menu Device Manager;
In the proposed list of devices, you need to find USB controllers... One or more USB devices, in the absence of a driver, will glow with a yellow question mark;
The malfunctioning device should be removed and reinstalled.

Viruses in the system

Sometimes viruses in the operating system affect the correct functioning of the flash drive. In this case, you need to scan your computer. antivirus program and .

Incompatible file systems

Another reason why the computer does not see the USB flash drive may be that the computer does not work read filesystem... This most often occurs when a file FAT system... You need to try to execute devices on the system NTFS or FAT32.

As you can see, incorrect work USB flash drives can be caused by hardware or software problems. That is why, in each individual case, it is required to sort out different variants reasons.