USB thumb drive disappeared

[disconap]

I have a 32gb Lexar Echo ZX USB thumb drive that I formatted for OSX and was using as an itunes video drive (for small video files to be streamed) on a 2010 Mac Mini running Lion. It worked fine for a couple days, then it just disappeared. I've tried removing and reinserting, insert via a hub, and inserting into a laptop running Snow Leopard, and nothing, it doesn't mount and disc utility doesn't see it. I inserted it into my friend's Windows XP netbook and the OS saw it right away, but of course it being formatted for Mac, it cannot read it. I'd like to (at the very least) be able to retrieve my files, but also be able to use it for its original purpose. Any idea how I can get OSX to identify and mount the drive?

 

[davidinva]

I would contact Lexar. No experience with them, but worth a shot.

 

[snberk103]

Try restarting your system. Many weird problems go away when you restart... It doesn't hurt anything to restart, and is the easiest thing to try. If this works, but the drive keeps disappearing, then you have useful info for when you contact Apple/Lexar.

Luck.

 

[vitzr]

It's not unusual or impossible for USB flash drives to fail. It's no different than any other component. Mass produced, some are bound to fail.

Unfortunately it sounds like this is the problem. If under warranty the manufacturers only responsibility is to replace it. Your data is gone.

Hopefully I'm wrong, yet I've had the very same thing happen to me with a brand new drive.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I have a 32gb Lexar Echo ZX USB thumb drive that I formatted for OSX and was using as an itunes video drive (for small video files to be streamed) on a 2010 Mac Mini running Lion. It worked fine for a couple days, then it just disappeared. I've tried removing and reinserting, insert via a hub, and inserting into a laptop running Snow Leopard, and nothing, it doesn't mount and disc utility doesn't see it. I inserted it into my friend's Windows XP netbook and the OS saw it right away, but of course it being formatted for Mac, it cannot read it. I'd like to (at the very least) be able to retrieve my files, but also be able to use it for its original purpose. Any idea how I can get OSX to identify and mount the drive?

It sounds to me like there is a problem between the drive and your Mac... the drive itself is probably fine, since Windows recognizes it. However, it may not be getting enough power to operate from the USB port you've plugged it into. The way to test this is to either plug it directly into your Mac's USB ports (NOT the ones on the keyboard, if it has any) or into a high-power hub - one that is plugged into a wall socket somewhere.

 

[disconap]

It sounds to me like there is a problem between the drive and your Mac... the drive itself is probably fine, since Windows recognizes it. However, it may not be getting enough power to operate from the USB port you've plugged it into. The way to test this is to either plug it directly into your Mac's USB ports (NOT the ones on the keyboard, if it has any) or into a high-power hub - one that is plugged into a wall socket somewhere.

Sorry, just noticed this response. The drive was recognized, but not mountable or formattable, by a windows machine. I returned it and it was replaced by Amazon, who said this happens about 1/3 of the time due to the size of the drive, those teeny tiny thumb drives are still in the "fresh from dev" stage and are hit and miss. My current one has been working for quite some time...

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Sorry, just noticed this response. The drive was recognized, but not mountable or formattable, by a windows machine. I returned it and it was replaced by Amazon, who said this happens about 1/3 of the time due to the size of the drive, those teeny tiny thumb drives are still in the "fresh from dev" stage and are hit and miss. My current one has been working for quite some time...

That's encouraging. At least you found the cause and got it corrected!