pendrive install ruined my usb key
Forum: USB booting
Topic: pendrive install ruined my usb key
started by: jallo
Posted by jallo on Dec. 11 2005,15:21
I booted from the live cd and Installed to USB Pendrive from Applications>Tools. The installation completed, then I tried to boot from the USB key, but it failed. Now, the USB is completely inaccessible.I've tried the suggestions on this forum and others from Google to recover the USB key to a readable state without success. fdisk, cfdisk and mount do not work. I also tried a number of Windows recovery and format utilites, but all of them fail. I have tried re-running the USB Pendrive install from the Live CD, but it also fails.
Posted by doobit on Dec. 11 2005,19:31
Sounds like hardware failure, but I doubt it had anything directly to do with any software, or attempt to install software. It was probably a coincidence that it failed at the time you were installing DSL.
Posted by faroutscience on Dec. 11 2005,21:41
I had the same thing happen with a cheap no-name 128MB Flash Drive I purchased at Wal-Mart for $13.The install seemed to go ok but when I tried to boot nothing happened. It doesn't show up at all in any version of Linux on either of two computers. It will show up on a WinXP computer but you can not access or reformat it.
It happened a couple of weeks ago. I just assumed it was cheap hardware.
Is it possible to overstress USB drives doing the install?
Jeff
PS. I have been reluctant to try an install to another pen drive.
Posted by palloco on Dec. 12 2005,09:53
Get the windows 98 driver and try it on a w98 computer
Posted by doobit on Dec. 13 2005,17:12
Jeff,Was this after you set up the USB drive for the correct geometry? Also, did you format it to FAT16? I've installed it a couple of times on two different USB drives now without any difficulty.
As an aside, which might be related, I've had some trouble getting Windows to repartition and reformat hard drives that were partitioned wtih cfdisk in Linux, even when I partitioned using the type settings for Windows FAT16. The solution was to again use cfdisk to destroy all the partitions and then repartition the resulting free space as Primary with a Windows recovery disk before installing Windows. Windows doesn't recognize Linux partitions, but does recognize free space.
Posted by faroutscience on Dec. 13 2005,21:08
I can't get any Linux based machine to even recognize that I have this USB key in the USB socket. WinXP Pro is the only thing that will acknowledge that it exists, but will still not access it.I think it was a defective unit or possibly very poor quality and the stress involved in trying to install DSL drove it over the edge. If I hadn't thrown the receipt away, I would take it back to Wal-Mart for a refund. As it is, I don't figure it a very big loss.
What I need to do, is order a key from the DSL store with DSL pre-installed.
Thanks, Jeff
Posted by cbagger01 on Dec. 13 2005,21:13
If you type:dmesg | grep scsi -A 3
does it show the key as a device?
Posted by faroutscience on Dec. 14 2005,02:30
// dmesg | grep scsi -A 3No response. I guess it is belly up. ;)
Thanks, Jeff
Posted by Patricio on Dec. 17 2005,18:57
Try to update the firmware in your damage pendrive
Posted by faroutscience on Dec. 18 2005,04:15
// Try to update the firmware in your damaged drive.
The pilot light comes on. A windows based system will see it but will not access it. Debian, DSL, & Mepis will not recognize it at all.
Jeff
Posted by win32guy on Dec. 26 2005,06:10
0key I have seen this also, but I have to assume that first the key is from what u say "burnt out" -- useless. I have destoryed my 256s0ny once 0thats another story.. l0l
but buy a good key. I have found the ones made buy memory co.
are okey. but dont go for the barganbarn ones
(less than a $0.50 a mb or so for smaller ones;).
========================================
FOR NEW USB KEY... TRY THIS
because some are loaded with
crapeware\shareware stuff from the getgo.
if in xp click diskmgmt.msc -n- system32 folder
right click on the -usb drive
goto format choose [FAT] -thats to say fat16
then choose [default]
then make sure UNchecked [quick] format -this performs a LL format.
ps this is given the current average size of usb drives 32mb <2gig.
Iam sure u know this stuff but hope it helps.
posted from :uknowtools
=======================================
Posted by faroutscience on Dec. 27 2005,01:50
Thanks win32guy.You are right, the key is purchasing a quality device to begin with and then making sure it is formatted correctly.
Jeff