How to Fix an Unrecognized USB Disk

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Plug the USB drive into another USB port.

   There could be a hardware problem with that particular USB port, so try plugging it into another USB port on your computer.
   
   Avoid using a USB hub to connect the drive; connect it directly to your computer.
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   Step 2: Connect the drive to another computer.

   If the USB drive works on another computer but doesn't work in any of your USB ports, then there is something wrong with your computer's hardware or USB drivers.
   
   Click here for details on installing a USB expansion card.
   
   Click here for instructions on updating your USB drivers.
   
   Click here if you want to access a Mac-formatted drive on your Windows computer. , You can access this from the Control Panel, but the easiest way to open it is by pressing ⊞ Win+R and typing diskmgmt.msc. , The easiest way to tell which drive is your USB drive is to look at the size.
   
   Your USB drive will typically be much smaller than your hard drives.
   
   If your USB drive isn't listed in Disk Management, then there is likely a hardware problem with either the USB drive or your USB port.
   
   Click here for detailed instructions on repairing a physically broken USB drive. , In the lower frame of the Disk Management window, you will see all of your connected drives listed with their partitions to the right of each drive.
   
   Your USB drive's partition should say Healthy.If the partition is Healthy but it is not recognized, click here.
   
   If the partition is Unallocated, click here. , If your drive is healthy but is not being recognized in Windows, it may not have a drive letter assigned to it.
   
   All connected drives need drive letters so that the system can read and write on the drive. ,, You won't be able to select letters that already have drives assigned.
   
   Avoid choosing drive "A" or "B".
   
   If you still can't access the drive after assigning a drive letter, click here. , If your drive's partition is unallocated or still can't be seen even after assigning a letter, formatting the drive may be your only option to get it working.
   
   Formatting the drive will erase all information on it, so you may want to run a file recovery program on the unaccessible drive first to try to save important files. ,, While FAT32 is a little older, it provides the most compatibility with virtually any device that supports USB drives.
   
   If you're only planning on using the drive with Windows computer, select "NTFS" as the file system. , This will make the format process take longer, but can help repair errors in the drive. , You should be able to access the drive on any computer if the format is successful.
   
   If the format process fails then the USB drive is likely broken. , This is a free utility that allows you to browse through the USB's HFS+ file system (Mac OS Extended file system).
   
   This is a Mac-specific file system that can only be accessed normally by a Mac.
   
   HFSExplorer allows you to browse the files on the drive with a Windows computer. , Start the program after it finishes installing. ,, You will only be able to load the USB drive if it is formatted with HFS or HFS+. , After the USB drive is loaded, you should be able to see all of the directories and files on it.
   
   Select the files that you want to copy to your computer. , You will be prompted to choose a location on your computer to save the files to.
   
   Once you've chosen a location, extract the files. , This may take a while depending on the size of the files.
   
   Once the extraction is complete, you'll be able to access the files from the location you specified.
   
   Many Mac files require Mac programs to open them.
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   Step 3: Open the Disk Management tool.

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   Step 4: Locate your USB drive.

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   Step 5: Check the partition on your USB drive.

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   Step 6: Right-click on the USB drive's partition in Disk Management.

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   Step 7: Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths" and click .Add....

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   Step 8: Select "Assign the following drive letter" and select a letter from the drop-down menu.

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   Step 9: Right-click on the USB drive's partition in Disk Management.

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    Step 10: Select "Format" from the right-click menu.

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    Step 11: Select "FAT32" as the file system.

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    Step 12: Uncheck the "Perform a quick format" box.

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    Step 13: Click .OK and wait for the format to complete.

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    Step 14: Download HFSExplorer.

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    Step 15: Run the setup file and follow the prompts.

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    Step 16: Click the File menu and select "Load file system from device".

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    Step 17: Select the USB drive from the list of connected drive.

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    Step 18: Select the files you want to copy.

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    Step 19: Click the "Extract" button.

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    Step 20: Wait for the extraction to complete.

Detailed Guide

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