This past week, including today, is most definitely to forget. A few moments ago, I insert my pen in one of the computers, to copy some files to it. Then, some error appeared saying that it couldn't locate the folders at the hard disk. So, I copy & paste again, but this time says that, in order to copy those files, I need to format my pen. Well, my pen is full of important data, and, of course, I didn't format it. I checked in other computer, and the same message appears, saying I need to format my pen. So, I believe that when I insert the pen in my USB hub, that, somehow, it went crazy and screwed the pen. I'm wondering if it, actually, killed the pen (including all data)? Would there be some way of having access to that data, for, at least, try to recover it?
Google gives these links. I see some listed as free. Sorry no experience with any of the free ones and little overall experience having to recover data from flash drives. Hopefully someone can point you in a helpful direction. Pen drives do wear out. Good luck.
Thank you. I need to start looking for flash drive, instead of usb drive. It gives more results, at least what really matters.
Know what you mean. Took me a long time to quit calling them "thumb" drives. Seems "flash" has become the most widely accepted name.
Well, I used PhotoRec (I once saw it mentioned at the Kaspersky's web site, to help recover encrypted files by ransomware. I totally forgot about it.). But, this program recovers data in a odd way, by giving them random names, all starting by ff, and then some numbers. It didn't recover all, but I did manage to recover the most important file I had in my pen, which now I printed it, just in case. Not much text in the file, but, still important. Anyway, I formatted the pen, and seems to work fine again. Ready for another one. lol
Glad to hear things worked out. At least you saved the important stuff. Had used and forgotten Photorec myself. The strange thing about flash drives is that you may be able to reformat your old one and continue to use it like nothing ever happened.
Uwe Sieber has some great info about using and troubleshooting flash drives: http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbstick_e.html