Another flashdrive problem...

[Loiseau]

I used my PNY 128MB flashdrive to take some files with me on a recent visit to France (where I have a second PC).  Like my UK machine, it's only running W98 so I also took the driver, necessary for those using W98, which I had already downloaded from the PNY website and had installed on my UK machine.

Loaded the driver;  the French PC (don't be misled here, it's actually a UK-bought PC) recognised the new hardware ok; I copied the files I wanted from the flashdrive to the French PC.  Perfect.
Then I started to copy some files that I wanted to take home *from* the French PC to the flashdrive.  Seemed fine. 

But a bit later on - maybe I made a slightly clumsy manoeuvre while dragging files to the flash drive (shown as "removable drive E") - the whole computer screen suddenly went blue, and some disaster message came up.  I am afraid I can't remember the words, but the gist was that it couldn't go on copying, and I should press any key to return to Windows.
It was one of those vicious circles, where you can't actually get it to do anything else useful, so I rebooted the computer (still with the flashdrive plugged in).  Opened up all right.  But when I looked in Windows Explorer for the flashdrive, thinking that a reboot would have fixed the problem, that "removable drive E" was no longer shown.

I unplugged the flashdrive from the USB port, and plugged it in again . . . and the screen instantly went bright blue again; same scenario!
I went through the rebooting process again, and then moved the flashdrive into the *other* USB port. Same scenario...

I notice a new folder has appeared in the Windows Explorer "tree" entitled "Recycled"; it doesn't show as a normal yellow folder icon, but the sort of icon bearing a little Windows logo on it when your computer reckons it hasn't got the software to open that file.  I clicked on it nonetheless and found loads of files, which seem to be the ones I had been trying to copy onto the flashdrive.

Apart from that, the French PC was working OK on all other applications.

I am now back in the UK, bearing the flashdrive, but don't dare to plug it into my UK PC again in case it does the same thing.

Can anybody explain what went wrong?  Will it recur now I am back on the other PC (on which it was working perfectly before, by the way). Is it a fault with the flashdrive itself?  Should I take it back to the shop where I bought it?  Or is it "operator trouble"? 

Thanks in advance!

Angela

[George]

"But a bit later on - maybe I made a slightly clumsy manoeuvre while dragging files to the flash drive (shown as "removable drive E") - the whole computer screen suddenly went blue, and some disaster message came up.  I am afraid I can't remember the words, but the gist was that it couldn't go on copying, and I should press any key to return to Windows.
It was one of those vicious circles, where you can't actually get it to do anything else useful, so I rebooted the computer (still with the flashdrive plugged in).  Opened up all right.  But when I looked in Windows Explorer for the flashdrive, thinking that a reboot would have fixed the problem, that "removable drive E" was no longer shown."

Angela
When system crashes occur, any drivers you have just installed may not be present after a reboot as Windows tries to recover itself, which probably accounts for why the USB drive wasn't present.
The Recycled bin is a "normal" feature for Windows, my guess is that it was there, but maybe not noticed or may have been in a different area of the tree originally? either way it sounds like it was working as files were dumped to it.

Something caused a crash during the copying process, perhaps a memory fault, a driver problem, perhaps the version of 98 may be slightly different eg B instead of C. or may be another issue, it may also be something to do with a firewall or anti virus software.  Tricky to pin down now, but the fact is that the USB stick should not itself be the problem.  If it were me, I would try it on my own pc, but understand your reluctance.  So if your supplier is convenient and willing to give it a go then let him. 

 

 

 

[Loiseau]

Hi George,

Sorry I didn't thank you for your interesting reply. 

As you probably guessed, I have so far wimped out of trying the flashdrive on my UK PC (not the one where the problem occurred), as I am in the middle of a project on it and didn't want to "rock the boat".  How pathetic is that?

I'll let you know what transpires when I summon up the courage to give it a go...

Many thanks again

Angela

[George]

"I'll let you know what transpires when I summon up the courage to give it a go..."

Angela
Your web site has been of great assistance to me these past few years and realising how concerned you are, would be happy to try it for you. Just PM or email me and I will let you have my postal address in UK.  I will though be in France until Easter weekend.