Ultra Backup 8GB

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Help please. I have an Ultra Backup 8GB Cruzer and hadn’t used it for ages. I needed to get access to some stuff stored on it and a screen opened to say I needed to format it before using it. Obviously I didn’t, but then found that Windows 7 didn’t support the U3 Start-up launch anymore. After Googling like crazy I sussed out removing the U3 Launchpad but I still cannot open the usb. It is recognised as a portable drive :M but when I open it it says files are lsuid and Windows cannot open them. I’ve checked out and downloaded various data recovery programs but still cannot understand how to access the files.

The iCare Data Recovery seems to be the only one that recognises that anything is on the usb at all but I don’t want to spend 69 dollars on something I might not be able to use ie: it doesn’t rescue the files.

Why has this happened to what is essentially a memory usb stick? I bought this specifically because I could password protect it. The data on it is sensitive and I cannot afford to lose it.

I am pulling my hair out! Come on Sandisk…you must have something we can download from yourselves to get access to hardware we’ve bought from you in good faith. Thank you to anyone who can help.

Very best regards… Peter 

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  1. You do not need to delete U3.  I use U3 with Windows 10, 8.1 and 7.  You just need to run the LaunchU3.exe in Compatibility Mode.  Vista SP2 mode works.

  2. Removing U3 causes the data drive to be reformated, which deletes all data files in addition to the U3 ones.

But the format is a Quick Format which means the files are still there and can be recovered.  Search the forum here for free ones that I have mentioned previously.

  1. Usually when Windows requires a format I try different USB ports and to run a CHKDSK on the drive.  Sometimes rebooting the machine then inserting the USB drive works.  Some apps I run apparently conflict with the U3 app. 

Good luck.

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Thank you so much Ed_P.

Please give me time to digest your info. and I’ll let you know how I get on. Very worried about the default format after removing U3 but optimistic about you saying the data will still be there…somewhere.

I searched for programs to find data only to discover that at the end, when they dangle the carrot in front of you, they want a payment to complete the recovery. I will search your previous posts for your recommendations.

I am a bit “Janet & John” when it comes to the technical stuff. 

Thank you again.

Peter…

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My post in this thread is one of what I was referring to:

http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/All-SanDisk-USB-Flash-Drives/repair-files-after-removing-cruzer-edge-USB-from-computer-during/m-p/232150

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Ed_P   Thank you again for your interest in helping me. I’m afraid I think I have inadverently deleted all the files. I removed the U3 LaunchPad because various SanDisk help topics said that’s what I needed to do to use the USB as a normal memory stick.

Nowhere did I read that by removing U3 would delete the contents. I have spent a good few hours this afternoon trying evrything/anything to resolve this and have just read something that said I should “unlock” files before removing U3. I guess that means using my password. I didn’t get the chance to “unlock” the USB because U3 wasn’t supported by Windows 7 and I simply did not know that I, maybe, could have run it using an earlier version as you said.

I bought the USB purely for it’s password protection feature. I stored very, very important files on it. It appears they are now lost. The iData Recovery program seems to only find some sort of 8mb temp file and I’m not going to spend 69 dollars to even see what that might be.

I am very, very disappointed with SanDisk. Even angry I’m afraid.

One last throw of the dice…can U3 be re-installed so that I could maybe start from scratch?

I am pretty desperate now, I can’t begin to explain how important the files were.

Thank you…

Very best regards.

Peter

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help topics said that’s what I needed to do to use the USB as a normal memory stick.

And that is true.

Nowhere did I read that by removing U3 would delete the contents.

The remove app prompts you to confirm the delete and that it will format the drive.  Formatting means all files on a drive will be deleted.  USB drives, hard drives, same effect.

read something that said I should “unlock” files before removing U3.

No idea what unlocking files means.

because U3 wasn’t supported by Windows 7

I believe I have mentioned that I use my U3 drives on Windows 10 and Windows 7.  However there have been ocassions when it didn’t work but I found that rebooting and retrying it has always worked.

 The iData Recovery program seems to only find some sort of 8mb temp file and I’m not going to spend 69 dollars to even see what that might be.

Good decision.  Did you try any of the free to use apps that I linked to?

can U3 be re-installed so that I could maybe start from scratch?

If you can find a place to download it.  But reinstalling it won’t bring your files back, starting from scratch means starting like it was new. No files.

I can’t begin to explain how important the files were.

We’ve all been there, that’s why I’m a big advocate of making backups.  I’m also a big advocate of ensuring backups can be restored which alludes to a problem I am having.

As said before the removal of U3 does a QUICK format of the drive which means the files were still on the drive, they’re just not accessible via standard Windows apps.  U3 never encrypted the files, and this was the big problem with U3 security, the files could be accessed, if you knew how, when U3 was removed.  So long as you don’t, and haven’t, written to the drive since you removed U3 the files should be still there and accessible using the free recovery apps I liked to.  I have no idea what iData Recovery and any other apps you have tried may have done to the drive so you may have indeed lost them.

I do hope things work out for you Peter.