Drive failure

My flash drive (San Disk Firebird 6Sp9) is no longer accessible (since this morning).  Whenever I try to access my data, I get “You need to format the disk before you can use it …”. My laptop (running windows 8.1) installed some updates when I shut down yesterday, and again when I booted up this morning, since then I have been unable to access my external drive.  I get the same error on other computers, one of which is running Windows 7. I have tried a recovery program, with no positive result. What else can I try?

I see the following event for Removable Disk (E:), Properties, Events

  • Header : SanDisk Firebird USB Device Properties:
  • Timestamp : 7/18/2015 10:29:02 AM
  • Description : Device Configured (disk.inf)
  • Information : Device USBSTOR\Disk&Ven_SanDisk&Prod_Firebird&Rev_1.07\0123456789ABCDEF&0 was configured. Driver Name: disk.inf
  • 2nd entry with similar description and Information “Device Started (disk)”

Device Manager-E:\

  • Level: Information
  • Source: UserPnP
  • Task Category: (7005)
  • Event 1 General Description: Driver Management concluded the process to install driver wpdfs.inf_amd64_0e729876a834cfea\wpdfs.inf for Device Instance ID SWD\WPDBUSENUM_??_USBSTOR#DISK&VEN_SANDISK&PROD_FIREBIRD&REV_1.07#0123456789ABCDEF&0#{53F56307-B6BF-11D0-94F2-00A0C91EFB8B} with the following status: 0x0.
  • Event 2 General Description : Driver Management has concluded the process to add Service WUDFWpdFs for Device Instance ID SWD\WPDBUSENUM_??_USBSTOR#DISK&VEN_SANDISK&PROD_FIREBIRD&REV_1.07#0123456789ABCDEF&0#{53F56307-B6BF-11D0-94F2-00A0C91EFB8B} with the following status: 0.
  •  

Device Manager-SanDisk Firebird USB Device

  • Level: Information
  • Source : Kernel-PnP
  • Task Category : 410
  • Event 1 General Description: Device USBSTOR\Disk&Ven_SanDisk&Prod_Firebird&Rev_1.07\0123456789ABCDEF&0 was started.

Driver Name: disk.inf

Class Guid: {4d36e967-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}

Service: disk

Lower Filters:

Upper Filters:

  • Event 2 General Description: Device USBSTOR\Disk&Ven_SanDisk&Prod_Firebird&Rev_1.07\0123456789ABCDEF&0 was configured.

Driver Name: disk.inf

Class Guid: {4d36e967-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}

Driver Date: 06/21/2006

Driver Version: 6.3.9600.16384

Driver Provider: Microsoft

Driver Section: disk_install.NT

Driver Rank: 0xFF0006

Matching Device Id: GenDisk

Outranked Drivers: disk.inf:GenDisk:00FF2002

Device Updated: false

What else can I try

I would try running a CHKDSK command on the drive,

CHKDSK x: /F

where x is the drive letter assigned to the flash drive.

Hi Ed,

The response to CHKDSK e: /F is:

The type of the file system is RAW.

CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives.

Is there an alternate command for RAW drives?

Thanks,

Diane

At this point if the files on the drive are important to you I recommend finding a professional service to try to recover them.  If the files are not important you can try reformating the drive or simply buying a new drive.

Sorry.