Community Forums

Sepisllib · 04-29-2012, 06:40 AM

recovery software to use.

I googled and found a lot of various software available - some free, some charge, some a combination.

I do have a number of files on the thumb drive I would like to recover, not absolutely mandatory but it would save a bit of work for me.

I think I managed to pull the drive out before it was safe to do so --- now all I get is a blank screen.

The drive it a Version G 512 MB

Input, thoughts, experience???

God Bless

Bill

Larry & Rita · 04-29-2012, 10:04 AM

I don't think thumb drives have a memory retention, like your computer, sometimes you can open the history or trash and retrieve the lost stuff, but a thumb drive is built for transportation and when you erase or (pull it out) blank is all you have.

Sepisllib · 04-29-2012, 10:48 AM

I was advised that what likely happened was I erased the startup file - but the saved files are all still there.

God Bless

Bill

MattC · 04-29-2012, 10:53 AM

Bill,

My Condolences ..

I have had some success with:
Free Download hard drive data recovery software tools for FAT & NTFS Drive Recovery - EaseUS.
There is a free version available that you can try.
It is very clear that it will make no changes to the storage device until you ask it to.

Good Luck

Matt

a k · 04-29-2012, 10:57 AM

How old is the thumb drive? 512MB is 6 years ago.

daveshan · 04-29-2012, 10:58 AM

Bill, lack of or corrupted data on the thumb drive should not give you a blank screen. If anything you'll get a "no drive found". Try rebooting the computer and sticking it back in the USB slot.

I've had a couple of SD cards and thumb drives go bad over the years, resulting in "not found".

Never had one fail from early pull out unless the computer was still writing to it, in which case the file being written was corrupted. Even then the rest of the drive was visible.

sdennislee · 04-29-2012, 11:13 AM

Depending on how bad you want the data back there are companies that recover data. They are not cheap but they are successful. We've used them at work to recover critical data.

I've had limited success with some of the programs you find and download online but worth a try.

YC1 · 04-29-2012, 11:29 AM

As mentioned, reboot the computer with the stick in another usb slot. Inspect the thumbdrive very carefully to see if you damaged any contacts. I got a piece of metal gum wrapper in the end of one once. Excellent recover tools are PC Tools.

Sepisllib · 04-29-2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YC1

As mentioned, reboot the computer with the stick in another usb slot. Inspect the thumbdrive very carefully to see if you damaged any contacts. I got a piece of metal gum wrapper in the end of one once. Excellent recover tools are PC Tools.

Thank you for this HUGE bit of information.

No - I did not have a piece of gum wrapper in mine, however what I did notice (upon inspection by magnifying glass) was that the 2 inside contacts were slid back about 1/8 of an inch.

I used a large safety pin and threaded it through the two little slots and pushed them gently and apparently it was just far enough.

I was able to open all the files ---- I did a blanket copy to a folder on my hard drive.

Yes - in answer to someone, my little thumb drive is getting long in tooth and I need to just toss it.

For now - I have rescued my files ------ thanks to your input and a little attention.

Problem solved

God Bless

Bill

Wayne M · 04-29-2012, 02:33 PM

Just for giggles. Whenever I buy a thumb drive that has startup files on it, I format the thumb drive with whichever platform I'm going to use and it just becomes another piece of hardware. There is no need for the proprietary startup software. JMHO

Sepisllib · 04-29-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Just for giggles. Whenever I buy a thumb drive that has startup files on it, I format the thumb drive with whichever platform I'm going to use and it just becomes another piece of hardware. There is no need for the proprietary startup software. JMHO

Not quite sure what that means - but I just buy the darned things and plug them in and use them. I use Explorer to set up a folder inside the thumb drive should I have a need and go from there.

The one in question had was about 1/3 full and I had at least 30 folders.

I now have the entire contents copied to a folder on my "D" drive, and just now finished up copying everything over to a new 2gb thumb drive - if it serves me as well then likely I won't be around by the time it crashes...

God Bless

Bill

Wayne M · 04-29-2012, 02:54 PM

Bill,
Just for explanation, there are thumb drives out there that have manufacturer's software installed that is "supposed" to help people in their day to day lives. With the smaller drives, and 512mb was a small drive, that proprietary software takes up some space. The thumb drive is nothing more than a piece of hardware. The good ones come already formatted and will work in any platform, Windows, MAC, etc. Those that have the proprietary software can just be formatted using the tools built into a computer. Some formatting are accessed through the control panel, some with a right click, and platforms can have their own ability to access the formatting feature to format a device.

Yep! If you didn't eject the old one properly, ans especially if it may have been doing something that the operating system was involved in, when it was pulled out it may have corrupted it.

If you just plugged in your new 2Gb thumb drive and it did not load any drivers, then it is one of the types that does not have mfg's software on it. (Maybe some ads?)

Happy trails. Just some information.

YC1 · 04-29-2012, 03:01 PM

Now the lesson has been learned I suggest you copy all those folders into one folder called "thumbdrive contentents" or such and copy that onto a DVD or CD if enough space then store that off site.

troyrice76 · 04-29-2012, 03:20 PM

Try a software called Ontrack. There is free version you can run to see what files it can find. Unless the device won't show up there should be data there. It is harder to erase data then you think.