SanDisk USB Flash Drive nightmare (I/O error)

[TruGreen]

OK, I've seen lots of threads on numerous boards regarding this issue, none of which have actually lead to a resolution.

I recently bought a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 1GB flash drive. It refuses to work on my computer. I've dealt with SanDisk's Tech Support -- absolutely no help. I've lost the receipt and packaging (I just moved in to a new apartment), so I have no chance of being able to return it.

Here's the scoop:

I plug it in, WinXP detects it just fine and that blasted U3 software (which I've since removed) loads up. I go to copy a file...system hang. I wait...and wait...and wait. Eventually, the light on the drive goes out with my PC still holding it's ****. I unplug the drive. Screen goes blank (except for bg pic) and after a few seconds my desktop comes just as it would after a typical XP explorer crash -- most of the open windows are now closed and there aren't too many icons in the tray.

Here's the kicker (well, a few actually), I have a SanDisk 256MB Cruzer Mini which works fine. I had a 1GB Cruzer Mini earlier this year (which I returned) which did the same thing the Cruzer Micro does now. I tried the thing on my gf's (who has a 2GB Cruzer Micro) computer and it works fine.

Recently, I've been getting an error when I try to transfer files stating "The request could not be processed because of an I/O device error." However, I am able to transfer files that are smaller than 1 MB.

I've tried this plastic perturbance in FAT and FAT32. No luck.

Just to avoid confusion, I have a 1GB SD card for my camera. Works fine. I even went out and bought one of those adapters that turns the card into a USB drive...still works fine.

Someone please help me out here.

AMD Athlon 3200+, MSI MB KT6 Delta series, VIA KT600 chipset. BIOS and drivers are all most recent.

P.S. Sorry about the novel, I was just trying to be thorough.

 

[nickhain]

Are you SURE you reformatted the Sandisk Cruzer Micro USB Drive to FAT32?

I have the exact same drive in the 2GB size. It was originally formatted to FAT and I was getting exactly the same problem as you when I attempted to write files to it..."i/o device error". Occasionally, I could write small files, but most writing caused the I/O error to occur.

I fixed the problem in the end by opening My Computer, right-clicking on E: (Removable Disk), selecting "Format...", leaving all options intact, except that I changed the File System dropdown to FAT32. I did not select the checkbox for "Quick Format".

And, lo and behold the thing started to work.

Good luck. Let me know if it works!

Nick

p.s. By chance you have Nero installed, the Nero program InCD is known in some cases to conflict with the SanDisk Cruzer, according to SanDisk support.

OK, I've seen lots of threads on numerous boards regarding this issue, none of which have actually lead to a resolution.

I recently bought a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 1GB flash drive. It refuses to work on my computer. I've dealt with SanDisk's Tech Support -- absolutely no help. I've lost the receipt and packaging (I just moved in to a new apartment), so I have no chance of being able to return it.

Here's the scoop:

I plug it in, WinXP detects it just fine and that blasted U3 software (which I've since removed) loads up. I go to copy a file...system hang. I wait...and wait...and wait. Eventually, the light on the drive goes out with my PC still holding it's ****. I unplug the drive. Screen goes blank (except for bg pic) and after a few seconds my desktop comes just as it would after a typical XP explorer crash -- most of the open windows are now closed and there aren't too many icons in the tray.

Here's the kicker (well, a few actually), I have a SanDisk 256MB Cruzer Mini which works fine. I had a 1GB Cruzer Mini earlier this year (which I returned) which did the same thing the Cruzer Micro does now. I tried the thing on my gf's (who has a 2GB Cruzer Micro) computer and it works fine.

Recently, I've been getting an error when I try to transfer files stating "The request could not be processed because of an I/O device error." However, I am able to transfer files that are smaller than 1 MB.

I've tried this plastic perturbance in FAT and FAT32. No luck.

Just to avoid confusion, I have a 1GB SD card for my camera. Works fine. I even went out and bought one of those adapters that turns the card into a USB drive...still works fine.

Someone please help me out here.

AMD Athlon 3200+, MSI MB KT6 Delta series, VIA KT600 chipset. BIOS and drivers are all most recent.

P.S. Sorry about the novel, I was just trying to be thorough.

 

[picco]

I have bought a SanDisk Cruzer 8GB pendrive and have the same problems: malfunctioning and strange errors.

Before buying this Sandisk unit I bought another Sandisk Cruzer Titanium and I had to return it as it was not working (it was having a capacity of 16MB instead of 8GB). I promised to myself not to buy SanDisk anymore but I did the mistake again.

This latest SanDisk unit has the right capacity but while copying files it hangs (error more or less as error described in the main post - sometimes it say that it is not allowed to copy files to the unit as if it goes in read only mode). If I unplug and plug my Sandisk pendrive again the error/malfunctioning goes to the point that it just crashes my Windows XP.

I contacted SanDisk technical support but they are just idiots.
I thought SanDisk was top quality, it is just good marketing of a very bad product. In my experience of tens of different pendrives I have never experienced any problem.

Advice: stay away from SanDisk stuff! you will end up loosing your data!

 

[fightflashfraud]

Hi I have a number of sandisk cruzer drives I use with my students and have never had a problem. It may be a fake - there a lot of them around. There are several blogs about this issue on wordpress.com

 

[Guest]

you might have the fake and thats why they work lol... cause I have a 4gb scandisk that is doing the same thing and I bought it from walmart

 

[Guest]

I have bought a SanDisk Cruzer 1GB. It works for 3 weeks. One day I plug it to my PC and I surprised that I can read but I can't write!!
I contact SanDisk support, they said "return it back and take a new one". Unfortunately I have a vary secure information for one of my clients
I think SanDisk has bug in Cruzer model.

 

[thennakoon]

i have problom my USB 2 GB flash driveri canot copy and pest and format some masseg will come i/o draivas error please help how to pix that problom

 

[rader11]

you might have the fake and thats why they work lol... cause I have a 4gb scandisk that is doing the same thing and I bought it from walmart

omfg i bought a 8 gb cruzer and i bought it from walmart. ever since i plug it in, it crashes immediately. the bsod comes up, but no words. just random lines. it also makes a buzzing noise. there are no viruses on my computer. its wierd.

 

[bestname]

Secure Digital (SD) and than there is -Scure Digital high-capacity- Does it say SDHC its not fake most old computers don't come with new cad readers that read sdhc cards thats anything 4gb and above even some 2gb are hc. The SDHC specification was completed in June 2006, but by that time, non-standard high-capacity (>1GB) SD cards (based on the older 1.x specification) were already on the market. The two types of storage cards were not interchangeable, creating some confusion among customers. SD and SDHC cards and devices have compatibility issues. Than there is the SDXC Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) format was unveiled at CES 2009 (January 7-10, 2009). The maximum capacity defined for SDXC cards is 2 TB (2048 GB). The older SDHC cards also have a maximum capacity of 2 TB based on the card data structures, but this is artificially limited to 32 GB by the SD 2.0 specification. I wouldn't even get into how that works. Yeah there is many types of SD cards out there pleas look at what you buy.

 

[Trill14n]

I am having the same issue. However, my cruzer will work on my computer with Windows XP. I have checked my drivers and ensured they are all up to date. The cruzer worked before my Windows Vista comptuer had been reformatted.

I just found the solution that worked for me was to download the driver for the cruzer from http://www.sandisk.com/sandisk-support/driver-download-wizard. I hope this helps someone else.

OK, I've seen lots of threads on numerous boards regarding this issue, none of which have actually lead to a resolution.

I recently bought a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 1GB flash drive. It refuses to work on my computer. I've dealt with SanDisk's Tech Support -- absolutely no help. I've lost the receipt and packaging (I just moved in to a new apartment), so I have no chance of being able to return it.

Here's the scoop:

I plug it in, WinXP detects it just fine and that blasted U3 software (which I've since removed) loads up. I go to copy a file...system hang. I wait...and wait...and wait. Eventually, the light on the drive goes out with my PC still holding it's ****. I unplug the drive. Screen goes blank (except for bg pic) and after a few seconds my desktop comes just as it would after a typical XP explorer crash -- most of the open windows are now closed and there aren't too many icons in the tray.

Here's the kicker (well, a few actually), I have a SanDisk 256MB Cruzer Mini which works fine. I had a 1GB Cruzer Mini earlier this year (which I returned) which did the same thing the Cruzer Micro does now. I tried the thing on my gf's (who has a 2GB Cruzer Micro) computer and it works fine.

Recently, I've been getting an error when I try to transfer files stating "The request could not be processed because of an I/O device error." However, I am able to transfer files that are smaller than 1 MB.

I've tried this plastic perturbance in FAT and FAT32. No luck.

Just to avoid confusion, I have a 1GB SD card for my camera. Works fine. I even went out and bought one of those adapters that turns the card into a USB drive...still works fine.

Someone please help me out here.

AMD Athlon 3200+, MSI MB KT6 Delta series, VIA KT600 chipset. BIOS and drivers are all most recent.

P.S. Sorry about the novel, I was just trying to be thorough.

 

[jasonmadruga84]

SOLUTION:

This worked for my SanDisk Cruzer 2 GB factory with u3 installed.
Upon getting the drive I performed a format within Windows and soon after had problems.

*This solution does not backup or restore data on the drive*

1) Clean and create a partition using DiskPart

*Open Run Command and type CMD
*Type DISKPART
*Type LIST DISK... Note your USB drive # from the options
*Type SELECT DISK #, replacing your disk with the #
*Type CLEAN... It may tell you there is an error, continue on...
*Type CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
*Type SELECT PARTITION 1
*Type ACTIVE

That's all for DiskPart...

2) Continue with an install of the U3 Platform to continue the solution, and either keep it or remove it like I did.

*Using Safely Remove Hardware, remove the USB drive and plug it back in. This is to ensure the computer recognizes the changes that have taken place.
*When the prompt to format comes up, format the drive, you should now see a know capacity. You may again might want to disconnect and reconnect the USB drive.
*When that is done, go to:
http://www.sandisk.com/sandisk-support/driver-download-wizard
to download the U3 Lauchpad Installer for your drive.
After that is done open the Launchpad Installer...

As you can see, I can now either keep Launchpad or remove it as I have done...
I've now got a USB drive with a single drive letter.

Hope this helps you too!

 

[Guest]

I have bought a SanDisk Cruzer 1GB. It works for 3 weeks. One day I plug it to my PC and I surprised that I can read but I can't write!!
I contact SanDisk support, they said "return it back and take a new one". Unfortunately I have a vary secure information for one of my clients
I think SanDisk has bug in Cruzer model.

 

[iiiears]

u3.sandisk.com/launchpadremoval.htm
See Also Linux U3 removal too - (Source Code shows you the magic.)
Change the CD device size create a read only portable bootable usb drive for removing windows viruses. Neat!

I read they don't make them any more so stock up!

Have a great day!
10 08 2011

 

[eman_26]

sandisk products are garbage--

they cant make it simple -- plug in - get asked for a password - and then save or download.

no.. the sandisk comes with literally dozens of their files already on the flashdrive -- its confusing - you have to store youstuff in a "vault" -
and then its read only - to work on it - you must drag it out of the vault.
and then when you are finished- -- drag it back into the vault.

the kicker is ...... half the time you lose all the work you did on your document when you THINK you saved it on the flashdrive.

i threw away a 40$ 32G cruzer -- because i lost very important documents that i tried to save..


i would NEVER EVER buy another sandisk product.

 

[dapidc]

OK, I've seen lots of threads on numerous boards regarding this issue, none of which have actually lead to a resolution.

I really hope I had read your posting three weeks ago. I just bought first SanDisk flash drive (I used other brand, usually).

From the first night ( I received it around 8pm ), it shows strange symptoms. From 'only getting a drive letter, but no disk inserted', to sudden stop in between copy process, and vanishing drive, etc.

I still have the receipt, but I had lost the packaging.

And you know what? They (SanDisk) actually know about the problems, saying they are still working on it. So count it, how many years have they fool their customer...

This is the very last time I ever want to buy SanDisk product.