The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    USB Flash Drives only detected when bent.

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Rahul, Jul 19, 2008.

  1. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,741
    Messages:
    6,252
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    216
    My brother had taken my USB flash drive to transfer some videos from his PC to our Xbox 360.

    He came back and told me it had fried, would not detect in the 360 nor our computers.

    I fiddled around and saw that now it can only be detected if when the drive is inserted, I push the case that sticks out from below upwards. When I let go and the drive is straight, the connection is lost again. Everything is in the drive still, seems just like its been damaged physically, I don't think my brother did anything. I wonder what happened.

    Any way to fix this? :confused:
     
    Rahul, Jul 19, 2008
    #1
  2. Lakjin

    Lakjin Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    313
    Messages:
    1,939
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    return it :D

    otherwise, i dont know
     
    Lakjin, Jul 19, 2008
    #2
  3. jisaac

    jisaac Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    306
    Messages:
    1,141
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    It probably means that the inside of the usb connector (on the flash drive) is somewhat damaged. if you look inside it you should see 4 metal strips... the only thing i can think of is that these connection strips have been bent slightly downwards, meaning that to make a connection the usb drive needs to be raised. Try raising the metal strips slightly.
     
    jisaac, Jul 19, 2008
    #3
  4. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,133
    Messages:
    6,399
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Strange, I thought that this thing has happened only with me.. :D
    I can't say if it is a software problem or a hardware problem, but my usb flash drive, also stopped working one fine day, and my gf kinda tilted it at about a 30* angle, upwards, and it started working at USB 1.1 speed.... :D
    Since I had already bought a new one, I just copied all the data from it onto the new one, with the drive still tilted....Its still lying around here, and works only if tilted upwards.. :D
    It could be some hardware fault, like Jisaac stated, but I doubt if this thing can be fixed....
    @rahulnirmal - If you have got a warranty for that flash drive, just backup the data, wipe it and send it back to the manufacturer....
     
    Andy, Jul 19, 2008
    #4