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SanDisk USB drive does not read but will open only with device manager

I have a 119GB SanDisk USB drive that does not open on one computer and also doesnt show up at all on another laptop. If I open up device manager on either computer the USB will open automatically with no issue but the second i close both and Re-insert the flash drive and go back to "this PC" and select the usb drive it will not open and will be grayed out. same goes for the other laptop (except it just wont show up. it is also a really old laptop)

Dear leroy jenkins1!

Welcome to the Microsoft Community!

Based on your description, it sounds like your SanDisk USB drive may have some compatibility or driver issues. Here are some possible solutions that I hope will help you solve the problem:

First, it is recommended that you back up your data to a local hard drive when the USB can be used. After all, data is the most important and priceless.

1. Update or reinstall the driver

Even if the device manager shows that the driver is installed, reinstalling the driver may solve the problem:

Open the device manager.

Find your SanDisk USB drive, right-click and select "Uninstall device".

Disconnect the USB drive and reconnect it, Windows should automatically reinstall the driver.

2. Check Disk Management

Sometimes, the drive may not have a drive letter assigned or is not initialized:

Press the Windows + X keys and select "Disk Management".

Find your USB drive, right-click and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths".

If the drive is not initialized, right-click and select "Initialize Disk".

3. Use SanDisk repair tools

SanDisk provides some tools to fix common USB drive problems. You can download and run these tools from the official SanDisk website.

4. Format the USB Drive

If none of the above work, you may need to format the USB drive. Note that this will delete all data on the drive:

Open This PC or File Explorer.

Right-click the USB drive and select Format.

Select the appropriate file system (such as FAT32 or exFAT) and click Start.

5. Check for Hardware Issues

If you have other computers besides your current computer and your old computer, you can connect your USB there to see if it works. If the USB drive doesn't work on multiple computers, it may be a hardware issue. Try using the USB drive on another device or contact SanDisk Customer Support for further assistance.

I hope these suggestions help! If you have additional questions or need further support, please feel free to let me know.

Thank you for your patience and support!

Best regards

Yang.Z - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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Question Info

Last updated November 27, 2024 Views 111 Applies to: