Question Why USB-Stick suddenly asks to insert a disk?

[Peter Hartmann]

Hello.

I'm using an Intenso USB-Stick (128 GB) to store backups of my important data. Until very recently, everything worked perfectly fine.

Suddenly, though, it started that when I connect the USB-Stick, my Explorer will ask to insert a disk ?!?!

http://imgur.com/5LN7MSR

View: https://i.imgur.com/5LN7MSR.png

http://imgur.com/fjstHht

View: https://i.imgur.com/fjstHht.png


Sorry, screenshot is from German computer. It says "Insert a disk into the USB-Drive U:"

It makes no sense to me. How am I supposed to insert a "disk" when this is an USB-Stick with "built-in" non-ejectable FLASH media? So, what is this and how can I fix it?

Thank you!

(BTW: I tried on my Windows 11 PC as well as on my Notebook running Windows 10, both fully patched. Result is the same )

 

[Mandark]

Test the USB on another computer and see if it works. I think the USB stick has failed.

that isn’t the type of drive you want to store important data on. It would be much better on an external hard drive into separate places in one copy in the cloud for safety.

 

[Peter Hartmann]

Test the USB on another computer and see if it works.

Thank you for the suggestion. I tried on my Windows 11 PC as well as on my Notebook running Windows 10, both fully patched.

Wants me to "insert a disk" on both machines...

that isn’t the type of drive you want to store important data on. It would be much better on an external hard drive into separate places in one copy in the cloud for safety.

Sorry, but I really don't want to put my private data into "cloud", so I use USB media for backup.

Yes, I could use BoxCrypter, or something in the like. But yeah...

I'm not sure mechanical HDD is more "reliable" than USB-Stick (FLASH memory). So far, the USB-Stick worked fine for me.

Just this "Insert a disk into the USB-Drive U:" thing popped up recently.

(I think and hope that it is very unlikely that my internal SSD and the USB-Stick will fail at the same time)

 

[Mandark]

Mechanical hard drives are far more reliable than a USB drive. So you’re important files are gone because that usb failed

How do you feel about it now? How reliable are they now?

My recommendation is, don’t use them. You’d be better off, putting an SSD in an enclosure and using it externally, or even a regular hard drive in an enclosure. And you had better have more than two back ups, because all media fails eventually.

anyway, the data on your USB drive is gone

 

[Peter Hartmann]

Mechanical hard drives are far more reliable than a USB drive. So you’re important files are gone because that usb failed

How do you feel about it now? How reliable are they now?

Not good ?!

Anyway, I think any backup "media" can fail. But I still have the original (plus another copy on my Notebook). So it's not that "bad" actually.

My recommendation is, don’t use them. You’d be better off, putting an SSD in an enclosure and using it externally, or even a regular hard drive in an enclosure. And you had better have more than two back ups, because all media fails eventually.

How is USB-Stick different from SSD in an "enclosure"?

To my understanding, SSD uses FLASH memory just like USB-Stick or SD-Card. Only SSD's are more intended as "internal" drive. Probably faster too.

anyway, the data on your USB drive is gone

That's what I feared 😕

But the message "Insert a disk into the USB-Drive U:" doesn't really make sense to me. For USB-Stick, I mean. Is this a "known" behavior to indicate "broken" USB-Stick?

Could be something else that may be possible to fix ?!?!

 

[Mandark]

Yes SSD is a complete drive. Not just a stick of Flash memory. Also, the memory they use in USB drives is far inferior. It doesn’t have all the longevity of life

SSD drives have controller boards that know how to do wear leveling so that the drive doesn’t wear out and die after a few years

Also, hard drives, live much longer than a typical USB drive and always have

that is common for USB sticks to fail like that when the flash memory fails

 

[Peter Hartmann]

that is common for USB sticks to fail like that when the flash memory fails

Hmm, okay. They really should change this error message into a more meaningful text, then!

You think this one would be good as a replacement USB backup store:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Shield-Portable-SSD-MU-PE1T0S/dp/B09SBJJ4JW/