HELP! Usb drive not readable by ibook g4...need to recover files

[tarheel23]

I would really appreciate any help I can get from this. I had just opened up a word file from a usb drive this morning to type notes for class. When I tried to save it, it wouldnt save because it can't read my usb drive anymore. I tried ejecting it, and whenever I reinsert the usb drive it says: "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer"

The usb drive has all my notes from this semester of classes. I really need them or I am completely screwed. Is there any way to recover these files? I've been searching among the forums and online and I can't find anything. My IT dept at school doesnt know what to do.

I have no clue what format it was in...I've always used it in my iBook G4 w/ tiger. It's a generic USB drive. If anyone could help, I would really really appreciate it. I really need these book notes and class notes that were on the disk....I have finals in about a month.

 

[soberbrain]

Have you restarted your iBook?

Also, try repairing disk permissions thru Disk Utility on your iBook hard drive.

 

[tarheel23]

I tried that already. No luck. It's a USB flash drive to clarify. I can't afford to bring it to a tech repair store. This is so stressful.

 

[soberbrain]

Have you tried it on another USB port or computer?

 

[tarheel23]

Yeah... I tried it on a Macbook w/ Leopard and a PC running windows XP. It doesn't mount on either of those platforms.