[SOLVED] USB Stick broken?

GPGAgent · 01-18-2021, 09:43 AM

I have a 128Gb USB stick that doesn't mount when I stick it into any usb port
I'm fairly sure it's destined for the bin, but just in case maybe someone can suggest how to rescue it.
Here I've plugged in the 128Gb stick and a KINGSTON 64Gb stick.

Code:

jonke@charlie:~$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0   512M  0 part /boot/efi
├─sda2   8:2    0     1K  0 part 
└─sda5   8:5    0 232.4G  0 part /
sdb      8:16   0   1.8T  0 disk 
├─sdb1   8:17   0   512M  0 part 
├─sdb2   8:18   0     1K  0 part 
└─sdb5   8:21   0   1.8T  0 part /media/jonke/6e725920-1c32-4931-bab9-fc8c12d01128
sdc      8:32   1  57.6G  0 disk 
└─sdc1   8:33   1  57.6G  0 part /media/jonke/KINGSTON
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom  
jonke@charlie:~$ lsblk

and here I've unplugged the 64Gb stick

Code:

jonke@charlie:~$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0   512M  0 part /boot/efi
├─sda2   8:2    0     1K  0 part 
└─sda5   8:5    0 232.4G  0 part /
sdb      8:16   0   1.8T  0 disk 
├─sdb1   8:17   0   512M  0 part 
├─sdb2   8:18   0     1K  0 part 
└─sdb5   8:21   0   1.8T  0 part /media/jonke/6e725920-1c32-4931-bab9-fc8c12d01128
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom  
jonke@charlie:~$

gparted doesn't see it either.
Any advice folks?

michaelk · 01-18-2021, 11:42 AM

Look at the output of dmesg command after you plug in the 128GB drive.
Does the output show it being recognized in any manner?

Do you remember what filesystem type the drive is using?

I assume this drive has been previously used so it could of failed. However, have you used this drive previously on the same computer? Have you changed anything recently?

business_kid · 01-18-2021, 12:22 PM

Plug it out, then insert it, give it 5 seconds and run

Code:

sudo dmesg |tail -n 20

in a terminal. Post that, and we'll see what's going on.

GPGAgent · 01-18-2021, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk

Look at the output of dmesg command after you plug in the 128GB drive.
Does the output show it being recognized in any manner?

Do you remember what filesystem type the drive is using?

I assume this drive has been previously used so it could of failed. However, have you used this drive previously on the same computer? Have you changed anything recently?

Okay - dmesg does see it (must learn more about dmesg)

Code:

[16679.212331] usb 2-6: New USB device found, idVendor=058f, idProduct=1234, bcdDevice= 0.01
[16679.212334] usb 2-6: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[16679.212337] usb 2-6: Product: Mass Storage Device
[16679.212339] usb 2-6: Manufacturer: Alcor Micro
[16679.212860] usb-storage 2-6:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[16679.213565] scsi host6: usb-storage 2-6:1.0
[16680.227589] scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Generic  USB Flash Disk   7.76 PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
[16680.228116] sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[16680.248702] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[16690.631158] usb 2-6: USB disconnect, device number 8
jonke@charlie:~$

I know this is it I connected/disconnected it to two other ports to spot the event so I know this is the device.

It's FAT32, and it was working a few days ago on a set top box recording video .mts (video) files, other than that nothing has changed.

I should add I've been using it for 2+ years. and it was cheap PNY stick.

So what next?

Ser Olmy · 01-18-2021, 12:33 PM

According to the kernel log (dmesg), the stick is indeed detected as /dev/sdc.

However, the "attached" message is immediately followed by a "disconnect" message. Did this happen by itself, or did you actually unplug the stick?

What happens if you plug the stick back in and then run sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdN, with "N" being the device name as indicated by dmesg?

business_kid · 01-18-2021, 12:49 PM

Okay, It had a look and disconnected. The disk is dodgy or dud. The partition table is AWOL. Here's mine:

Code:

[32752.447097] usb 2-4: SerialNumber: 60A44C413980FF30697C247F
[32752.447583] usb-storage 2-4:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[32752.447749] scsi host5: usb-storage 2-4:1.0
[32753.819159] scsi 5:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Kingston DataTraveler 2.0 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
[32753.819626] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdc] 15131636 512-byte logical blocks: (7.75 GB/7.21 GiB)
[32753.819840] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
[32753.819843] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 45 00 00 00
[32753.820049] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdc] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[32753.829397]  sdc: sdc1
[32753.830247] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk

Yours didn't show any partition table, and didn't attach to the port. I haven't mounted mine - no auto mount here. If you want data from it, you might rescue something with testdisk, or programs that others will recommend. I keep a backup of usb disks personally.

jefro · 01-18-2021, 02:31 PM

Try different computer?

cmcanulty · 01-18-2021, 03:59 PM

Also if you have a windows machine, plug the usb into it and then safely remove it. Often makes linux see it again.

GPGAgent · 01-18-2021, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ser Olmy

According to the kernel log (dmesg), the stick is indeed detected as /dev/sdc.

However, the "attached" message is immediately followed by a "disconnect" message. Did this happen by itself, or did you actually unplug the stick?

What happens if you plug the stick back in and then run sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdN, with "N" being the device name as indicated by dmesg?

The disconnect was me removing the stick

GPGAgent · 01-18-2021, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ser Olmy

What happens if you plug the stick back in and then run sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdN, with "N" being the device name as indicated by dmesg?

Here goes with the fdisk command

Code:

[34034.859101] usb 2-7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[34034.859103] usb 2-7: Product: Mass Storage Device
[34034.859105] usb 2-7: Manufacturer: Alcor Micro
[34034.859628] usb-storage 2-7:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[34034.860277] scsi host7: usb-storage 2-7:1.0
[34035.874203] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Generic  USB Flash Disk   7.76 PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
[34035.874733] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[34035.894140] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk
[34062.705671] usb 2-7: USB disconnect, device number 12
[34104.196305] usb 2-7: new high-speed USB device number 13 using ehci-pci
[34104.354975] usb 2-7: New USB device found, idVendor=058f, idProduct=1234, bcdDevice= 0.01
[34104.354979] usb 2-7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[34104.354981] usb 2-7: Product: Mass Storage Device
[34104.354983] usb 2-7: Manufacturer: Alcor Micro
[34104.355536] usb-storage 2-7:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[34104.357040] scsi host7: usb-storage 2-7:1.0
[34105.377637] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Generic  USB Flash Disk   7.76 PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
[34105.378261] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[34105.394204] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk
[34132.141670] [UFW BLOCK] IN=ens5 OUT= MAC=01:00:5e:00:00:01:c8:91:f9:3c:45:d8:08:00 SRC=192.168.1.254 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=36 TOS=0x00 PREC=0xC0 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2 
jonke@charlie:~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdd
fdisk: cannot open /dev/sdd: No medium found
jonke@charlie:~$

And to answer a couple of other questions, yes I have tried another machine, and no I don't have a MS Windows machine :-)

jefro · 01-18-2021, 07:11 PM

Toss it and save yourself.

Ser Olmy · 01-18-2021, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GPGAgent

And to answer a couple of other questions, yes I have tried another machine, and no I don't have a MS Windows machine :-)

The "no media" message indicated that the flash memory just isn't readable at all.

There's a slight chance that the 12 MHz crystal oscillator is broken, as that's an extremely common problem with USB sticks that have a separate crystal. Usually, this will cause the stick to not be recognized at all, but I've seen cases where a damaged stick was sort-of recognized but unreadable.

If you have important data on this stick that you didn't back up, it may be possible to have it repaired. Don't get your hopes up, though.

business_kid · 01-19-2021, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

Toss it and save yourself.

+1 on that. I'm a hardware guy, not software. It's had it's chips and is knackered. If you succeed in writing things at it, they won't take. So you can do nothing.

It's dead, and the data seems gone.

Mike_Walsh · 01-19-2021, 11:09 AM

Kinda reminds me of the long-running SanDisk saga with the cheapo Cruzer 'Blades'. Except in THAT particular case it turned out to be faulty controller chips. SanDisk determined that Hynix, the suppliers of the controllers, were to blame.....and Hynix were equally determined it was nowt to do with them.

The pair of them were slugging it out in court for almost 5 years before they finally came to their senses, called it quits and came to an out-of-court settlement. The only folks that got rich out of that episode were the lawyers...but then, in Asian culture they do so HATE to "lose face".

(*shrug*)

Mike.

GPGAgent · 01-19-2021, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

Toss it and save yourself.

Yep, I'm just using this as an exercise, I know it's an entirely hopeless cause