Pen Drive acting weird

[billubakra]

Hi Guys,

We have a 7-8 year old pendrive. We have scanned it in different computers using different anti-viruses and it's clean everytime. Whenever we copy some data and try to open it in a different system "most" of the times and "many" of the folders show this kinda crap instead of the data that we have copied-

*oi64.tinypic.com/5oukn9.jpg

Now these files/folders cannot be deleted, they can be deleted only with a format. Any help?

Thanks

 

[Desmond]

I think formatting is the easiest solution to your problem. However, you have to make sure that there is no virus/worm on your machine as well, otherwise it would just reinfect your pen drive and all the formatting would be for nothing.

Therefore, I suggest that you try to format the pen drive and then scan your machine for malware.

 

[dashing.sujay]

Do they come after a format ?

 

[amit.tiger12]

Hi Guys,

We have a 7-8 year old pendrive. We have scanned it in different computers using different anti-viruses and it's clean everytime. Whenever we copy some data and try to open it in a different system "most" of the times and "many" of the folders show this kinda crap instead of the data that we have copied-

*oi64.tinypic.com/5oukn9.jpg

Now these files/folders cannot be deleted, they can be deleted only with a format. Any help?

Thanks

Either data is corrupted, or pen drive infected or source computer infected or file partition system problem (ntfs fat)

0. Try malwarebytes and 360 total security (or any other) search pen drive virus.
Checked the computer first for viruses then do this:
1. Run cmd - Navigate to Accessories>Command Prompt (Run this with Admin rights)
2. type attrib *.* X: -r -s -h /s /d (where X: is the drive, this is your flash drive letter)
3. you can invoke other commands by typing attrib /?

1. Does same data work on other pen drive if you made copy?

2. Why don't you ask source computer to send screenshot of file structure name extension so you can easily rename one by one. (In this case Data infected)

3. On source computer, that data works??

4. You can copy paste or cut paste data to computer and see if you can copy and access files from it. (In this case drive problem)

5. Or check pen drive properties and check disk for any errors.

6. Also check File partition system of pen drive and source computer.
TestDisk - Partition Recovery and File Undelet
Data Recovery Software Products and Downloads - Runtime Software Product

 

[dashing.sujay]

2. type attrib *.* X: -r -s -h /s /d (where X: is the drive, this is your flash drive letter)

What's the logic of this here ? The data on the drive has become gibberish and removing - -s file attributes will do nothing. You are in a confusion that something is changing the extension and attributes of the file after being copied but I've experienced this problem and this is not the case.

 

[amit.tiger12]

What's the logic of this here ? The data on the drive has become gibberish and removing - -s file attributes will do nothing. You are in a confusion that something is changing the extension and attributes of the file after being copied but I've experienced this problem and this is not the case.

Pen drive owner not mentioned data size, 5gb data on 8 gb drive..etc
I saw many infected pen drive hide data, so thought changing attributes will help him.

You experienced similar problem, did you find solution??
And what actually happened with data.

 

[billubakra]

I think formatting is the easiest solution to your problem. However, you have to make sure that there is no virus/worm on your machine as well, otherwise it would just reinfect your pen drive and all the formatting would be for nothing.

Therefore, I suggest that you try to format the pen drive and then scan your machine for malware.

Do they come after a format ?

Yes the problem is there after the format. Like I have mentioned scanned and tried to copy data to and from different pc's but still the result was the same. Any way to test whether the pen drive is fine or not?

Either data is corrupted, or pen drive infected or source computer infected or file partition system problem (ntfs fat)

0. Try malwarebytes and 360 total security (or any other) search pen drive virus.
Checked the computer first for viruses then do this:
1. Run cmd - Navigate to Accessories>Command Prompt (Run this with Admin rights)
2. type attrib *.* X: -r -s -h /s /d (where X: is the drive, this is your flash drive letter)
3. you can invoke other commands by typing attrib /?

1. Does same data work on other pen drive if you made copy? Will try that.

2. Why don't you ask source computer to send screenshot of file structure name extension so you can easily rename one by one. (In this case Data infected) Didn't get you.

3. On source computer, that data works?? After the pendrive is inserted to another system, no it does not work in the source computer.

4. You can copy paste or cut paste data to computer and see if you can copy and access files from it. (In this case drive problem) Copy from pd to computer?

5. Or check pen drive properties and check disk for any errors. Exactly, how and the best to do that?

6. Also check File partition system of pen drive and source computer. Why should this be an issue? The pendrive worked fine in the source computer before so why the partition issue now?
TestDisk - Partition Recovery and File Undelet
Data Recovery Software Products and Downloads - Runtime Software Product

 

[dashing.sujay]

Pen drive owner not mentioned data size, 5gb data on 8 gb drive..etc
I saw many infected pen drive hide data, so thought changing attributes will help him.

You experienced similar problem, did you find solution??
And what actually happened with data.

In my case, the drive was beyond recovery.

Yes the problem is there after the format. Like I have mentioned scanned and tried to copy data to and from different pc's but still the result was the same. Any way to test whether the pen drive is fine or not?

You may try formatting with third party tools or OEM provided tool, if any. Also, you may also try filling 0's.

If these do not help, may be your drive is gone.

BTW did you try clean command from diskpart ?

 

[billubakra]

In my case, the drive was beyond recovery.



You may try formatting with third party tools or OEM provided tool, if any. Also, you may also try filling 0's.

If these do not help, may be your drive is gone.

BTW did you try clean command from diskpart ?

Can you please suggest some third party tools? And IDK that OEM has provided any tool for this. Regarding zero fills, most of the links mentioned in that site are not working. What's that clean command, didn't get it.

 

[dashing.sujay]

Can you please suggest some third party tools? And IDK that OEM has provided any tool for this. Regarding zero fills, most of the links mentioned in that site are not working. What's that clean command, didn't get it.

Did you check the link I gave in the post ?

---

Open cmd

diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
assign

 

[amit.tiger12]

For checking disk..
Right click on pendrive > properties > tools > error checking > check now > tick on both "Automatically fix file system errors" and "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors".

This will solve problem.

If you use recovery software..
On FAT file system you can't recover exact folder name file name with exact directory/structure, while on NTFS system you can recover files folder with exact name and directory..
How much and what you recover it will depend on recovery software.

 

[billubakra]

Did you check the link I gave in the post ?

I did brother.

Open cmd
diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
assign


Unfortunately the system with xp is only listing the internal hdd's after entering list disk.

For checking disk..
Right click on pendrive > properties > tools > error checking > check now > tick on both "Automatically fix file system errors" and "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors".
This will solve problem.
PD is clean.

If you use recovery software..
On FAT file system you can't recover exact folder name file name with exact directory/structure, while on NTFS system you can recover files folder with exact name and directory..
How much and what you recover it will depend on recovery software.
Now why would I use a recovery software? I do not want to recover anything.

Is there any reliable software that can tell about the overall health of the pd, hdd's etc.?

 

[amit.tiger12]

Did you check the link I gave in the post ?

I did brother.

Open cmd
diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
assign


Unfortunately the system with xp is only listing the internal hdd's after entering list disk.

For checking disk..
Right click on pendrive > properties > tools > error checking > check now > tick on both "Automatically fix file system errors" and "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors".
This will solve problem.
PD is clean.

If you use recovery software..
On FAT file system you can't recover exact folder name file name with exact directory/structure, while on NTFS system you can recover files folder with exact name and directory..
How much and what you recover it will depend on recovery software.
Now why would I use a recovery software? I do not want to recover anything.

Is there any reliable software that can tell about the overall health of the pd, hdd's etc.?

Recovery info in case you decide to format again.
Disk doctor. Stellar phoenix

 

[billubakra]

Recovery info in case you decide to format again.
Disk doctor. Stellar phoenix

Well for recovery Recuva helped me at one time. So, if I have to recover it will be on the top of my list. Disk doctor and Stellar also helps in recovering and not in accessing the health of a drive.

 

[amit.tiger12]

Well for recovery Recuva helped me at one time. So, if I have to recover it will be on the top of my list. Disk doctor and Stellar also helps in recovering and not in accessing the health of a drive.

Stellar has option for checking disk health.
Wondershare and easeus also does good job in recovery

For pendrive health.
1. Check flash
2. RMPrepUSB
3. H2testw

 

[amit.tiger12]

did you checked for malware?

 

[billubakra]

You have a 7-8 year old pendrive and you are worried cause it's acting weird??!!! I think you are the one who is acting weird here.

Just kidding
Listen, a friend came to me with his pendrive with a similar problem (not exactly the same, but similar) and with SafeBytes the pendrive is cleaned and working just fine now

Well old is gold. Also why don't you gift me a new one Age should not have an impact on storage devices AFAIK. Tried Malwarebytes, it was clean. Will try SafeBytes too.

did you checked for malware?

Yes. It is clean.

 

[swatkat]

Well old is gold. Also why don't you gift me a new one Age should not have an impact on storage devices AFAIK. Tried Malwarebytes, it was clean. Will try SafeBytes too.

Yes, age may not have any impact. But, number of write and erases on drive can impact device health. Flash memory devices have a fixed write and erase cycles, after which they tend to go bad (ex: 1,00,000 erase-write cycles).

USB flash drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
Flash memory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
How long Can a USB Flash Drive Last

 

[amit.tiger12]

I am using 1gb memory card from 9-10 years.. works fine.. using for repair boot CD..

 

[amit.tiger12]

What type of files were there on computer. Doc pdf??
Exact size you remember, for file on computer?
How much space occupied by pen drive now??
Try opening pen drive files with 7zip or winzip or notpad++.