USB flash drive stopped working

[Razloki]

I've been using this usb on my Compaq Presario SR1215CL for a few months now. I was using it today when suddenly things werent saving to it. Instead of getting the usual message about it being full (which wouldnt have made sense because it wasn't even close to 1GB yet.) it said something about not having a valid argument to save. Then suddenly it couldnt find the destination folder to save the file to. So I safely removed the flashdrive and put it back in. I went on My Computer to open the contents and it says the disk in drive I is not formatted. Id been using the Flashdrive all day and suddenly it says its not formatted? I can't format it though, because that would erase everything and defeat  the point. I dont have them saved on the computer itself either. I've restarted my computer multiple times and it still refuses to work. Also, the flash drive I am using was supplied by my mother's job. She has no idea who made them and there is nothing on the flashdrive indicaing a company such as SanDisk or something. I have no idea what to do and these files are important. I would save the files to another computer and then come back and format the flashdrive and all that jazz, but I dont have the time or access to that.

Is there anything I can do?

[Big_Dave]

Reboot your PC with the USB drive not plugged in. The insert the USB drive.  After the Sandisk USB drive has been inserted, then open my Computer and if you see the device then right mouse click on it ---> properties ---> hardware  then find the Sandisk device in the list and double click on it and then go to driver and uninstall the driver. Then remove the USB device, reboot and then insert the USB device.  Windows should reinstall the driver. Now see if you can get at the data.

I have a Sandisk USB drive along with some others and at times they are a bit flaky.  Frequently the drivers keep getting reinstalled.

Be sure that any other USB devices are disconnected except the keyboard, mouse and monitor when doing the test.

[Razloki]

That did not work....

I uninstalled them bu tthey didnt even seem to uninstall. The computer recognizes the disk, it just says to format it...even though its BEEN working...

[Big_Dave]

Have you tried ports on both the front and back?

Perhaps you should try the USB flash drive on another PC to see if you can access the data. If you can then access the data, then copy it off the USB drive.  If you can't access the data then the USB drive may have a hardware issue.

Did anyone by chance not safely remove the USB drive while a write was in process?

[Razloki]

no. Ive been with it all day. it wasn't removed like that. Ive tried both back and front as well. And unfortunately I don't have access to a computer other than this one where i can save files and get back to them.

[Razloki]

Ive now tried the USB on a different computer. 2 different ones actually. The usb isn't even being recognized. the only way i can tell its even in is because the light is on, on the usb. At least on my computer, it was being recognized. Is there any other way to get the files off?

[Big_Dave]

Perhaps a local PC repair shop might be able to extract the data.

[Razloki]

That seems like the only solution. I'll take it to geek squad or something. Thank you.