Question The incredible disappearing memory stick ?

[jhsachs]

I'm trying to move the entire Documents directory from an old computer to a new one. Today I spent a couple of hours copying it to a memory stick. Then I put the memory stick in the new computer. It beep-beeped to acknowledge that the device was detected, but didn't show the contents in File Explorer. I removed the memory stick, and the computer beep-beeped again to acknowledge its removal.

I tried this in a third computer, with the same result. I tried it in the original computer, which detected the stick's contents just fine.

I tried a different memory stick in the third computer, then in the second one. Both detected it.

What is happening here? Could there be something physically wrong with the first memory stick that prevents some computers from detecting it, but not others? Or could this be some kind of configuration problem?

 

[QyInvoLing]

What does you mean by mentioning "memory stick"? RAM , SSD, or portable storage device?

 

[CountMike]

I'm trying to move the entire Documents directory from an old computer to a new one. Today I spent a couple of hours copying it to a memory stick. Then I put the memory stick in the new computer. It beep-beeped to acknowledge that the device was detected, but didn't show the contents in File Explorer. I removed the memory stick, and the computer beep-beeped again to acknowledge its removal.

I tried this in a third computer, with the same result. I tried it in the original computer, which detected the stick's contents just fine.

I tried a different memory stick in the third computer, then in the second one. Both detected it.

What is happening here? Could there be something physically wrong with the first memory stick that prevents some computers from detecting it, but not others? Or could this be some kind of configuration problem?

USB "memory stick" ? How is it formatted ?

 

[evermorex76]

FYI: copying the folder over the network would be faster than most USB flash drives (not the newer SSD sticks).

If you look in Device Manager, is the stick listed there? If you look in Disk Management, is it listed there? It doesn't show the contents in File Explorer, but does the drive letter itself appear?

You didn't Bitlocker it, did you?

 

[Misgar]

Could there be something physically wrong with the first memory stick that prevents some computers from detecting it,

If your USB memory stick is larger than 32GB, it's probably formatted exFAT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExFAT

If your second and third computers are running an old operating system such as Windows XP, they might not support exFAT until you install the appropriate drivers.

If you want a list of all the USB drives you've attached to your PC, download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Nirsoft's USBDeview:
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

If it takes 2 hours to copy files, you've probably got an inexpensive stick with horribly slow write speeds less than 10MB/s, or you're using USB1 or USB2.

When a USB drive manufacturer isn't honest enough to list the Write speed of their drive (in addition to the Read speed) I continue searching.

Some (expensive) USB sticks can exceed 1000MB/s read and write. Overkill for most people, but it's magic watching files copy at hundreds of MB per second when you've half a Terabyte to transfer.

See if your USB flash drive is listed here:-
https://ssd-tester.com/usb_flash_drive_test.php

 

[USAFRet]

I'm trying to move the entire Documents directory from an old computer to a new one.

Try copying just the files inside, not the entire Documents folder.
This may be an issue of permissions from the old OS user and what you are now.

 

[evermorex76]

Try copying just the files inside, not the entire Documents folder.
This may be an issue of permissions from the old OS user and what you are now.

Oooh didn't think of that. The original description is vague about "didn't show the contents".

 

[jhsachs]

I'll respond to all of the questions at once.

By "memory stick," I mean a USB flash drive. Specifically, a Lexar Micron 32GB.

It is formatted FAT32.

I don't want to mess with connecting the old computer to a network because it's barely functional. I resurrected it just to recover files that inexplicably didn't get transferred to the new machine when I retired it. I want to keep this as simple as possible.

The USB drive has no protection or encryption of any sort.

On the target computer, Device Manager and Disk Manager both list it, and Disk Manager lists its properties correctly. File Explorer does not display a drive letter for it. I haven't checked these things on the third computer I mentioned.

The source computer runs Windows 7. The target computer and the third computer both run Windows 11.

It is indeed an old memory stick. The connector is USB 3.1; I'm not sure about the stick itself, but it's probably 2.0. I don't use USB drives much any more and this was the only free one I could find quickly. I could probably find a newer one if I rummage through drawers, but I didn't bother because this is a one-time job. I can't use an SD card because the source computer doesn't have a reader, so I'd have to buy an external reader, which I'd probably never use again.

The USB drive is not listed on the ssd-tester page... not surprising since it isn't SSD. I don't really care how fast it is, although I'll probably look for something newer if I have to do this over.

Copying just the files inside -- that's what I did, one level down from Documents. Also there is some other stuff on the drive, so I'm copying into a folder, not directly into the root.

Regarding vagueness about "didn't show the contents": the target computer's File Explorer does not give any indication that the drive has been connected, even though Device Manager and Disk Manager recognize it. It's not just the directories that aren't visible.

 

[evermorex76]

On the target computer, Device Manager and Disk Manager both list it, and Disk Manager lists its properties correctly. File Explorer does not display a drive letter for it. I haven't checked these things on the third computer I mentioned.

In Disk Management, can you just assign a drive letter? I assume it doesn't show one. It could be some weirdness with the way Windows 7 formats the flash drive, so Windows 11 just doesn't want to pick them up and assign a letter.

If Disk Management DOES show a letter, maybe there is a conflict with something else, so you just need to change the drive letter. I've run into issues before with Windows thinking a drive letter was in use when it wasn't.

 

[jhsachs]

Disk Manager does not show a drive letter. When I clicked "Change drive letter and paths" in the context menu, it opened an error box that said "System cannot find the file specified."

Its description of the disk says "29.81 GB FAT32 / Healthy (Active, Primary Partition)."

 

[evermorex76]

Disk Manager does not show a drive letter. When I clicked "Change drive letter and paths" in the context menu, it opened an error box that said "System cannot find the file specified."

Its description of the disk says "29.81 GB FAT32 / Healthy (Active, Primary Partition)."

I'm leaning towards a problem with that drive. There should be no way for the hardware OR the OS to behave this way, but strange things happen. Try a chkdsk (or check the drive in the Properties) on the old machine just on the off chance it will find something. I'd just try it with a different flash drive, despite the time required.

Another possibility is using diskpart and the "clean" command to completely wipe the flash drive, then reformat it (and use NTFS).

 

[SyCoREAPER]

Let's put it this way, these files are important enough for you to want to keep. You're risking them on a $5 flash drive that clearly has a problem of some sort.

It's my opinion you just forget about this problematic drive and either gets a new one or as suggested above do a network transfer, be it LAN/Networked or Cloud.

Edit: Alternatively get a cheap USB dock or dongle and take the HDD/SSD out of the old computer and connect it to the new one.

Edit2; Or m.2 version of applicable exists as well.

 

[jhsachs]

You're right, the most practical solution is to use another drive. That's what I'm going to do.

It doesn't matter now, but I want to correct a misunderstanding. I'm not using this old USB drive because it's all I've got and I'm too cheap to buy a new one. I've got newer ones. I used this one because (1) it's the first one I found, (2) I didn't know there was going to be a problem, and (3) since this is a one-time thing, I didn't care if it was slow. When I couldn't read the drive I came here looking for advice, instead of just using another USB drive, because I didn't want to have to do another lengthy copy operation on the old machine... more because I don't trust the machine than because I don't want to take the time.

Disk-to-disk copy is my next fallback if copying to another USB drive somehow fails. I have the necessary hardware, and I've done it before. But I remember how hard it is to reassemble a laptop, even after as simple an operation as removing the hard drive, and I don't want to go through that again if I can help it.

 

[MJS WARLORD]

I dont know if this will work because i only used one drive a few times to share save game files with others i can trust.

Would it be possible for you to upload the items to on drive then log into the account with your other pc so you can download them to it. If you can it might take a while to do it but at least you will get them on your other pc.

 

[CountMike]

You're right, the most practical solution is to use another drive. That's what I'm going to do.

It doesn't matter now, but I want to correct a misunderstanding. I'm not using this old USB drive because it's all I've got and I'm too cheap to buy a new one. I've got newer ones. I used this one because (1) it's the first one I found, (2) I didn't know there was going to be a problem, and (3) since this is a one-time thing, I didn't care if it was slow. When I couldn't read the drive I came here looking for advice, instead of just using another USB drive, because I didn't want to have to do another lengthy copy operation on the old machine... more because I don't trust the machine than because I don't want to take the time.

Disk-to-disk copy is my next fallback if copying to another USB drive somehow fails. I have the necessary hardware, and I've done it before. But I remember how hard it is to reassemble a laptop, even after as simple an operation as removing the hard drive, and I don't want to go through that again if I can help it.

Use an SSD 2.5" or NVME in USB adapter, they are much more reliable than USB dongles specially in USB3.2 connection. Such combo NVMe + USB3.2(c) is almost as fast as any of them inside.