Question:

“Could an expert advise on the recovery of a Transcend JetFlash 790 flash drive? It’s a recent purchase, only three days old, and was subjected to a ‘Quick size test (destructive)’ via FakeFlashTest, which resulted in a failure message indicating duplicate or bad blocks. Despite not having any physical damage, the drive now appears hidden in Windows Explorer and prompts for disk insertion when accessed. Previous attempts to use ‘JetFlash Online Recovery’ were unsuccessful, displaying a repeated error message. What steps can be taken to resolve this issue?”

Answer:

When faced with a non-responsive Transcend JetFlash 790 flash drive, especially after a failed ‘Quick size test (destructive)’ from FakeFlashTest, it’s essential to approach the situation methodically. Here’s a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and potentially recover your flash drive:

The error message indicating “duplicate or bad blocks” suggests that there may be physical damage to the NAND memory chips or an issue with the drive’s firmware. Although the drive is new and physically undamaged, manufacturing defects can occur.

Step 2: Attempt Basic Troubleshooting

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Reconnect the Drive

: Disconnect and reconnect the flash drive to your computer.

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Try Different Ports

: Use different USB ports to rule out port malfunction.

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Use Another Computer

: Connect the drive to a different computer to check if the issue is system-specific.

Step 3: Reformat the Drive

If the drive is detected by the system:

• Open Disk Management (by typing ‘diskmgmt.msc’ in the Run dialog).
• Locate the drive, right-click, and select ‘Format’.
• Choose ‘NTFS’ or ‘FAT32’ as the file system and perform a quick format.

Step 4: Use Diskpart Utility

If the drive is not visible in Windows Explorer but appears in Disk Management:

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Type ‘diskpart’ and press Enter.
• Type ‘list disk’ and identify your flash drive by its size.
• Type ‘select disk X’ (replace X with the correct disk number).
• Type ‘clean’ to remove all partitions.
• Return to Disk Management to create a new volume and format the drive.

Step 5: Seek Professional Software

If the above steps fail, consider using professional data recovery software that can deal with bad sectors and attempt a recovery.

Step 6: Contact Customer Support

As a last resort, reach out to Transcend’s customer support. Since the drive is only three days old, it should be under warranty, and you may be eligible for a replacement.

Preventive Measures for the Future

• Always safely eject your flash drive before removing it.
• Avoid running destructive tests unless absolutely necessary.
• Keep regular backups of your data.

In

conclusion, while the ‘JetFlash Online Recovery’ tool failed to resolve the issue, the steps outlined above offer a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and fixing flash drive problems. If all else fails, seeking a replacement from the manufacturer may be the best course of action. Remember, flash drives are delicate devices, and even new ones can sometimes fail unexpectedly. Regular backups are crucial to prevent data loss.