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The sandisk flash drive is not detected. Flash drive recovery through controller firmware

Working with a PC involves data exchange, which is not always possible to implement via the Internet. Therefore, most users use flash drives to backup or transfer files. High recording speed and affordable price only add to their popularity. Another type of flash drives - memory cards - is widely used in smartphones, digital cameras and other gadgets. But flash drives, like any complex device, can break. More often, the breakdown is software rather than hardware in nature, which provides a fairly simple recovery of the card or flash drive.

Causes of flash drive failure

The most common reason why a drive fails is unsafely removing it from a USB port. If you remove the drive during a read or write process, the file system may crash. They think: if the files on the flash drive are closed and no copying processes are running from (or to) the flash drive, then it can be safely removed from the port. However, background programs, antiviruses, or, conversely, malware can work with the file system of the drive. Therefore, you can completely safely remove the SanDisk flash drive only after clicking the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon on the taskbar and selecting the memory card from the list of USB devices connected to the computer. To prevent problems with the operation of SD and flash cards, you should do the same with gadgets connected to a PC (smartphones, cameras).

Recovery of flash drives and SD cards by formatting

This is the simplest and fast way, applicable when the OS recognizes the inserted device and allows you to start formatting. This action is quite feasible without third-party utilities. You can format both a USB flash drive and a SanDisk memory card inserted into the card reader. The procedure is launched simply: right-click on the flash device and select the "Format" menu item.

After that, it remains to select the type of file system, formatting method and click the "Start" button.

If a standard way does not help, you can use the HDD Low Level Format Tool. It performs low-level formatting of any disk drives, so you need to use it carefully: if you select the wrong disk, you can format the HDD instead of a flash drive.

Another option is to restore the program HDD Regenerator. The utility can repair bad sectors on the flash drive and HDD and supports the low-level format of the SD card file system. Also, with its help, it is possible to “rescue” data lost as a result of erroneous formatting of the disk.

Recovery by flashing the controller

To flash the controller, you need to install its exact model of the SanDisk flash drive and download the firmware for the firmware. This can be done by the VID and PID of the carrier. It's easy to identify them. The only condition is that the computer must recognize the inserted equipment. It doesn't have to be a mass storage device, it's enough to define it as a USB device.

To determine the device codes for this, go to the "Device Manager", select "USB mass storage device" and open its properties. The VID and PID codes are visible in the "Details" section after selecting "Hardware IDs" from the drop-down menu.

Two received codes are enough to find the necessary utilities for flashing the controller on the FlashBoot.ru website. Knowing the name of the program, it is easy to find it through a search engine and download it. There are many utilities for firmware, even for flash drives from the same manufacturer (SanDisk), there are several firmware programs. It is easy to use these applications, all control is carried out by one or two buttons, so it is difficult to get confused in them. If the cause of the failure was in the firmware, you will receive working flash drive. Some utilities provide restoration of the controller firmware without deleting data and formatting the SD card. In this case, you should save the data, and format the flash drive itself before further use.

If the utility does not work, you can find another more appropriate for your drive model. Sometimes you have to go through 2-3 utilities before the flash drive works.

Memory card recovery

If memory cards (SD, micro-SD) malfunction, you can try formatting them in another gadget. If the format didn't work, don't despair. It is worth trying several devices, as they all differ in the parameters of working with a memory card. In my experience, it is the top models of different brands that do an excellent job with memory card problems.

Memory cards, unlike flash drives, do not have VID and PID. Recovery by selecting a "personal" program based on these data is not feasible. For low-level formatting of SanDisk cards, you can use universal programs– SD Formatter, HDD Low Level Format Tool.

Important Note: Memory card recovery should not be performed using the built-in card reader. It is not designed to work with faulty micro-SD and format them. It is better to use an advanced USB card reader model.

If there is no such device, you can buy it (card readers are inexpensive) or ask a friend for a while.

And remember that no flash drive, no matter the price, is guaranteed to save your files. Any device can break down at the most inopportune moment, permanently destroying the contents. So don't put your eggs in one basket. Be sure to do backups memory cards and important data of flash drives in cloud service, hard disk or DVD. That's the only way to be safe important information. The more backups, the less chance of irreversible loss of files.

First of all, it is necessary to mention in what cases it is required flash drive controller firmware. The list of such malfunctions is not very long, just below I made a list of the most common situations when such a technique can help in repairing a flash drive. But, you should not take the technique described here as a panacea for all "diseases". Each case is individual, but the general technique is similar, with the exception of some points that are associated with different controllers, memory chips and a different combination of faults. You can also read others on the blog.

When to apply the flash drive controller firmware technique:

  • Zero volume of the flash drive, not the correct volume (2\4\8\16 Kb\Mb) instead of the normal size;
  • The drive is not detected on different PCs;
  • When connecting a disk, an "insert disk" error appears;
  • Error "Disk not found in device";
  • Error "The disk is write-protected";
  • There are read / write errors, and there is no way to copy or write data to a USB flash drive. It may be that data is being written, but not opened from a flash drive;
  • When connected to a PC, the flash drive is detected for a long time with errors Error "Code 10", Error "Code 43" and the like.

Maybe I didn't mention everything here. If someone has additions - write your case in the comments, and I will try to promptly make adjustments to the materials.

We proceed to the preparatory work on the flash drive for its further flashing (the controller itself is being flashed). We will assume that we have decided that there are no other options, except for flash drive controller firmware we don’t have any left and this is the last chance to repair a precious flash drive (the road is like a memory, a large volume, a beautiful case, etc.)

Flash drive controller firmware (stages of work):

1) Determining the flash drive controller

Here we have only 2 options for determining the manufacturer and model of the controller. The first option is the most banal - to open the case (if it is constructively possible). To do this, you need to open the case of the flash drive and get the drive board from there. For the most part, all USB flash drives are the same internally, with the exception of monolithic flash drives. For example, I took a photo general view flash drive and controller boards (for example, a photo of a flash drive from free sources).

The visual method is very simple and the most accurate, since programs for determining pid&vid devices are not always accurate. If it is not possible to visually look at the controller or there are difficulties in disassembling the case, then we have a direct path to programs to determine pid and vid flash drives.
Important: in cases where the flash drive is not detected on the PC, the controller can only be recognized by visual inspection.

Identification of the controller by PID and VID

2) Selecting a utility for the controller

The next step is to search for a specialized utility for flashing a flash drive controller. We already have the VID and PID values, so we can start looking for a utility for the controller. To find the right utility, I use the service http://flashboot.ru/iflash/.

After pressing the search button, it offers us far from one result. The thing is that such a controller, as in my case, is used in flash drives different manufacturers and with different size. When searching, pay attention to the UTILS (utility) field, where you need to look for exactly the result where the name of the utility is displayed. You can ignore the volume of the flash drive - this is not a critical parameter. You can also search for a utility by the name of the controller, which to a greater extent can speed up the search for the desired utility.

P.S. practice shows that sometimes it's worth a try different versions utilities for the same controllers.

The search result gave us one more or less suitable option (highlighted in red in the screenshot) - utility SMI SM3257AA.

To squeak the utility, you can use the same site http://flashboot.ru/files/. In the search bar you need to enter the name of our utility - SMI SM3257AA. As a result, 2 results were found. You need to download both, since there is a chance that one of them will only help solve our problem.

But, there is one but. We know for sure that the exact name of our controller is slightly different from what we found. On the controller body and program USB Flash info showed that the correct name of the controller SM3257ENAA, not SM3257AA. To clear our conscience, let's check the utility database for the presence of a utility for such a modification. Search dropped 2 utility options.

It is likely that the utilities I found while searching for both SM3257AA and ENAA have the same core. In practice, it may turn out that they are no different, but still there is a possibility that you will need to try all 4 found specials. utilities. I recommend downloading all 4 programs at once.

I downloaded all 4 pieces, but decided to start with the utility SMI SM3257ENAA MPTool V2.03.58 v8 K1129 (11/11/29 Build). I’ll get ahead of myself - I managed to reflash the flash drive controller with this utility, and I didn’t check the others.
And now I will briefly describe the procedure for how the process of flashing the SM3257ENAA controller took place.

- Unpacked the archive and launched the sm32Xtest_V58-8 shortcut

We launch the utility and see that our patient flash drive is not visible in it (see screenshot).

- To determine our flash drive in the program, press the button " Scan USB (F5)”, as a result of which the program “sees” the usb device.

To start the process of flashing the controller of the flash drive, you need to press the Start buttons in the utility menu (before pressing, you need to select the desired flash drive). After pressing the button, the firmware process will begin.

After the firmware operation is completed, in the upper right corner we will see the word OK on a green background (see screenshot).

This completes the firmware flash drive controller firmware process. Within 10-20 seconds, our USB flash drive will appear in My Computer clean and without any files, since during the firmware process a low-level formatting of the drive occurs.

For all questions regarding this article, write in the comments.

Good day!

If your flash drive began to constantly fail: it is not formatted, when connected to a computer - it often freezes, when copying files to it - errors fly out, but it has not been subjected to mechanical stress - there are CHANCES to restore its performance!

It would be nice if, when connecting a flash drive, it was at least somehow determined, for example: a connection sound is emitted, the flash drive is displayed in "my computer", an LED blinks on it, etc. If the computer does not see the USB flash drive at all, then first I recommend that you read this article:

Generally, give universal instruction, how and with what program what to do to restore a USB flash drive - it's impossible! But in this short article I will try to give an algorithm that will help, even for novice users, to deal with the problem and solve it.

Recovery flash drive // ​​step by step

Determining the controller model

It turned out, by the will of fate, I have one flash drive that Windows refused to format - an error took off "Windows cannot complete formatting". The flash drive, according to the owner, did not fall, water did not fall on it, and in general, it was handled quite carefully ...

All that was clear after looking at it was that it was 16 GB and its brand was SmartBuy. When connected to a PC, the LED lit up, the flash drive was detected and visible in the explorer, but it malfunctioned.

SmartBuy 16 GB - "experimental" non-working flash drive

To restore the normal operation of the flash drive, you need to reflash the controller chip. This is done with special utilities, and each type of controller has its own utility! If the utility is chosen incorrectly, then with a high degree of probability, you will ruin the flash drive completely ... I will say even more, one model range flash drives - there may be different controllers!

Each device have their own unique identification numbers - VID and PID , and the flash drive is no exception. To choose the correct utility for flashing, you need to determine these identification numbers (and the controller model by them).

One of the easiest ways to find out the VID, PID, and controller model of a flash drive is to use special utilities. One of the best of its kind is .

Flash Drive Information Extractor

small free utility, to get the maximum information about the flash drive. You don't need to install it!

The program will determine the USB flash drive model, model and type of memory (all modern flash drives are supported, at least from normal manufacturers)...

The program will work even in cases where it is not defined file system flash drives when the computer freezes when the media is connected.

Information received:

  • controller model;
  • possible options for memory chips installed in a flash drive;
  • type of installed memory;
  • maximum current consumption declared by the manufacturer;
  • USB version;
  • the total physical volume of the disk;
  • disk size reported by the operating system;
  • VID and PID;
  • Query Vendor ID;
  • Query Product ID;
  • Query Product Revision;
  • controller revision;
  • Flash ID (not for all configurations);
  • Chip F/W (for some controllers), etc.

Important! The program only works with USB flash drives. MP3 players, phones and other devices - it does not recognize. It is advisable, before starting the program, to leave only one single USB flash drive connected to the USB ports, from which you want to get the most information.

Working with Flash Drive Information Extractor

  1. We disconnect everything that is connected from Usb ports (at least all drives: players, external hard drives etc.).
  2. We insert the repaired USB flash drive into the USB port;
  3. We start the program;
  4. Click the button "Get flash drive information" ;
  5. After some time, we get maximum information about the drive (see screenshot below).
  6. If the program freezes- don't do anything and don't close it. Remove the flash drive after a couple of minutes from the USB port, the program should "hang down", and you will see all the information that it managed to pull out from the flash drive...

Now we know the information about the flash drive and we can start searching for the utility.

Flash drive info:

  • VID: 13FE; PID: 4200;
  • Controller model (Controller): Phison 2251-68 (second line in the screenshot above);
  • SmartBuy 16 GB.

Addition

You can reliably determine the controller model if you disassemble the USB flash drive. True, not every body of a flash drive is collapsible, and not every one can be put back together later.

Usually, to open the case of a flash drive, you need a knife and a screwdriver. When opening the case, be careful not to damage the inside of the flash drive. An example controller is shown in the screenshot below.

Broken flash drive. Controller model: VLI VL751-Q8

Supplement 2

You can find out the VID and PID of the flash drive using the device manager (in this case, you don’t need to install anything). True, in this case we will not recognize the controller model, and there is some risk that VID and PID it will not be possible to accurately identify the controller. And yet, all of a sudden the above utility will hang and give no information at all...


How to find a utility for flashing a flash drive

Important! After flashing the flash drive, all information on it will be deleted!

1) Knowing the controller model, you can simply use search engines (Google, Yandex for example) and find what you need.

The algorithm of work is as follows:

  1. We go to the site:
  2. We enter our VID and PID in the search bar and look for;
  3. In the list of results, most likely you will find dozens of lines. Among them, you need to find a line that matches: controller model, your manufacturer, VID and PID, flash drive size .
  4. Further in the last column - you will see the recommended utility. By the way, note that the version of the utility also matters! It remains to download the desired utility and apply it.

After you find and download the desired utility, run it and format the media - in my case, you had to press just one button - Restore (restore) .

Formatter SiliconPower v3.13.0.0 // Format and Restore. An end-user utility designed for both low-level and high-level (FAT32) formatting of flash drives on Phison PS2251-XX controllers.

After a couple of minutes of blinking the LED on the flash drive, it began to work normally, messages from Windows about the impossibility of formatting no longer appeared. Bottom line: the flash drive was restored (became 100% working), and given to the owner.

That, in fact, is all. For additions on the topic - I would be grateful. good luck!

We darn the firmware

Software malfunctions flash drives are common. In these cases, the storage externally intact, when connected to USB port shows signs of life - blinks the indicator and is even detected in the OS, but does not give access to data. A recognized logical disk has an incorrect capacity (zero, 512 bytes, 1 MB, or a couple of terabytes), and messages are displayed every time it is accessed"Insert Disc", "Format", "No disk access"and so on in the same vein.

The main reason — firmware failure, commonly referred to as firmware. The firmware consists of controller microcode and service data on flash memory chips. The microcode is embedded in the controller at the manufacturing stage (usually it is a small mask ROM), does not change during operation and rarely deteriorates - if only together with the chip (but then this is already a hardware problem). But the "servant" ( it is primarily a translator, as well as memory options and various identifiers and flags) is rewritten quite often, which is why it is subject to all sorts of distortions.

Most often, power failures cause problems while the controller is busy with some internal flash memory operation. For example, it writes updated service fields there or rebuilds the translator (a routine procedure for leveling wear). Note that the activity indicator does not light up, that is, from the user's point of view, the flash drive does nothing and it is not necessary to stand on ceremony with it. And then it is unexpectedly removed from the USB port, or a 5 V voltage drop occurs (the reason is a weak PC power supply, and more often a bad contact in a loose connector), or static breaks into the case, causing the controller to freeze.

In all these cases, the write operation remains incomplete, and the data in the flash memory is inconsistent, which leads to unpleasant consequences. First of all, the integrity of the translator suffers - holes are formed in it, and uniform addressing is violated. The next time you turn it on, the controller will detect the problem and lock the memory. “I pulled out a flash drive a hundred times just like that, and no problems, and here you are - such a bummer!” — a typical reaction of the unlucky owner.

There is another reason for the failure of flash drives, associated with an increase in the number of bad cells. Modern MLC / TLC NAND flash memory is rather unreliable, and a significant reserve in terms of capacity is laid in the chips. This means that as the failure occurs, defective blocks are promptly (through a translator) replaced by backup ones, and such reassignments are invisible to the OS. Defect management is one of the main functions of the firmware, and if the intensity of the “remap” exceeds a certain threshold, then the firmware itself sets a lock to prevent further damage.

Sometimes the flash drive is blocked more gently - only for writing. The data is visible and readable, but when trying to create a file, erase or format, a message is displayed "Disk is write-protected". Such a move on the part of the controller is quite reasonable - NAND memory is damaged mainly during writing, and reading in mild cases can be left. In addition, damage to the user is minimized. Often, memory cards also behave this way: for example, for a degrading microSD, spontaneous switching to read-only mode is almost a common thing.

It happens that a bad area on a flash drive (often small in size, on the order of 0.2-4 MB) not only does not lead to blocking, but also does not give an error when writing and then reading data. That's just not read at all what was written down. For the user, this looks like an inexplicable corruption of one or more files that fell on the defect. You can check the drive like this: create a non-empty file the size of a USB flash drive on the hard disk, copy it entirely to it and compare both files in binary mode (command fc/b on Windows). If there is at least one mismatch, the flash drive is unreliable.

Such "field tests", however, do not give full confidence in the health of the device. For comprehensive testing of flash drives (not only USB drives, but also any memory cards), a number of special utilities have been created, such as Flashnul 1.0rc1, Flash Drive Tester 1.14, MyDiskTest 2.50, H2testw 1.4 and Flash Memory Toolkit 2.01. They are compact, easy to use, have wide diagnostic, but at the same time destructive capabilities. By negligence, you can screw up (for example, wipe HDD), so the user is required to be attentive and familiar with the documentation, especially for Flashnul running in console mode. But the utilities easily detect defective and unstable sectors (in common parlance - bad blocks), translation failures, real performance, and, importantly, fakes. After all, flash drives and cards with a controller stitched for a larger capacity are a constant assortment of Chinese bazaars and Internet flea markets.

In all the cases described, the problematic flash drive needs to be repaired. Software repair includes cleaning and then testing all available flash memory, compiling a new translation table and writing it to the service area (usually at fixed addresses). These actions are often referred to as "low-level formatting". All other service information on the chips is also updated.

Exactly the same actions are taken when initializing a new, just assembled flash drive at the factory, therefore, for repairs, as a rule, production utilities of the MPTool class are used. MP here means Mass Production, and the prefix is ​​given for a reason: “tool” can work simultaneously with 8 or even 16 drives. Another thing is that outside the factory conveyor, such opportunities are useless and only complicate life.

Utilities are strictly, even unnecessarily strictly specialized in models and modifications of controllers, so you need to look for a version suitable for this instance, and even so that it understands the available flash memory (this is sometimes even more important). Unfortunately, there are no universal recipes here. On flash drives of the same model, controller versions and memory chip options change almost from batch to batch, so ready-made solutions from forums often do not work and you have to look for your own. Sometimes all that remains for the repairman is to patiently sort through a dozen or two utilities of one category or another, plus games with settings (a separate pleasure when the ini file is fifty lines in size, where the meaning of many parameters is vague).

Settings of one of the production utilities. There are five such tabs with parameters.

This class of technological software, of course, was not intended for wide distribution, and even 5-6 years ago it was not easy to get the necessary programs. And with their not very friendly interface and the lack of sane documentation, the task became more complicated. But demand creates supply: since then, the Chinese have pulled off and made public almost everything that a repairman needs, and our enthusiasts have created a non-commercial resource flashboot.ru, on which almost all available repair utilities are freely available (with the exception, perhaps, of the oldest versions, dating back to the days of 64 MB flash drives).

Other useful directories can be found on the Web, such as usb-disk.ru/prog.php and rdm.kiev.ua/pages/utils/flash. They contain "flash" software of various origins, including branded software that has long disappeared from official sites. Some of the utilities are irrelevant (applies to obsolete models or solves narrow tasks such as creating a password-protected partition on a USB flash drive), but the rest may well come in handy when repairing or recovering data. Brief explanations make selection easier.

It should be noted that the usbdev.ru/files resource is actually an alternative to flashboot.ru, containing many technological utilities broken down by 35 controller brands. Recommendations are provided for frequently used utilities, including how to choose a version, how to work, basic parameters, and error codes. Determining the controller and memory model without opening the flash drive is not always easy, and the site describes various ways to do this. A selection of specifications for controllers and memory chips is useful for reference.

Of particular value to the flashboot.ru website are methodological materials: instructions for software repair of flash drives of various models, documentation for many utilities, and most importantly, an extensive forum where beginners and advanced repairmen share their experience. The posts describe numerous difficulties and ways to overcome them. Not to list all the tips, here are three more or less general ones.

First tip- for software repair, you need to know the exact model of the controller. The simplest way- open the case and look at the marking of the microcircuit. This is not always possible (example - monolithic flash drives), so it's better to use software methods. The controller is identified by the iFlash database using codes VID/PID(the first code is the manufacturer ID and the second is the product ID). These codes are assigned to any USB device and can be found using the Device Manager or special programs USBDeview 2.22 , CheckUDisk 5.4 , ChipGenius 4.00.0025 RC3 Fix or Flash Drive Information Extractor 7.5.0.480 (the last two immediately display the make and model of the controller along with the firmware version, and also report useful information about memory chips). Having defined the controller, you can find a utility to work with it.

Second advice- choose an operating system. Technological utilities should be run in Windows environment XP (moreover, the 32-bit version), under Vista and the "seven" they often do not work. The production toolkit is conservative - it does not need to chase fashion. However, updated versions are already appearing, and Windows 8, one can hope, will alleviate the situation (compatibility with XP is on top there). In all cases, you must have the right local administrator: Utilities often install their driver and perform other "dangerous" actions from the point of view of the OS.

Third tip concerns putting the controller into test mode. Often the operating system cannot detect the connected USB flash drive - a message pops up in the tray "USB device not recognized", while the VID/PID codes are equal to zero. Then you will not be able to install the driver or run the utility. This is due to the corruption of service data on the flash memory: the controller firmware tries to read them at startup, but freezes and does not respond to OS requests.

In test mode, memory polling is disabled and the controller operates by default. To do this, it is enough to close two lines of the data bus to each other. On the disassembled flash drive, short-circuit the 29th and 30th pins of the memory chip (with a needle, blade or thin tweezers) and in this form connect the flash drive to the USB port. Immediately after it is determined in Windows, open the conclusions (you should not keep them for a long time: the controller is heating up). Next, you can already run the repair utilities. Disconnect the USB flash drive only after the utility has completed its work or when it itself suggests it ( Replug device).

In some cases, you should close other pins of the chip or even work with the controller - short-circuit its data bus (for example, the 23rd and 24th pins). The main reason for this is memory chips in BGA and LGA packages, which are being installed on flash drives more and more often. It is difficult to get to their conclusions, which is why you have to turn to the controller. The principle here is the same as when closing the data bus on memory. There is also a special test pin, which is short on minus. There is no general standard for controller pinouts, so the spec is up to you (it's usually easy to find). The poke method is not suitable here - you can burn the device, on which the “repair” will be completed. For more details, see the comments to it.

By shorting the bus, monolithic flash drives are also treated, where, it would seem, installation cannot be approached. In a number of such models, the outputs of the memory chip are duplicated at test points on the end of the case - this should be used. There is no standard wiring here, the contacts for closing are selected empirically. Using the described method, you can revive other devices with a USB interface that have turned into a "brick" - players, camcorders, etc. You just need to get access to the chip and have a firmware utility, as well as the firmware itself (usually in the form of a binary file downloaded from the official site).

The CnMemory flash drive is built on a 32 GB microSDHC card. This is not treated. Hey Chinese!

Free access to factory utilities had another beneficial effect. Many manufacturers of flash drives have stopped pretending that their products never break, and have posted various Recovery Tools on their official websites. . The latter, as a rule, have an easy-to-understand interface, but much less settings than the factory software; their task is to return the flash drive to its original state (“like new”), and difficult cases are no longer too tough for them. To download a suitable utility, you need to go to the section technical support and specify the model of the drive, and sometimes even its serial number- often unreadable due to small and blurred numbers on the case. In some cases (JetFlash Online Recovery from Transcend), the program itself requests the serial number, checking it over an Internet connection. If there are doubts about the authenticity of a flash drive or memory card, it does not hurt to check it (SerialCheck utility, etc.) - popular brands are often faked, and there is little demand from a fake.

It makes sense to start repair actions from the official sites, and if proprietary utilities did not help (for example, they refuse to recognize your drive due to a new controller or memory modification), use flashboot.ru with its archives. A selection of full-featured software plus a search on the forum (there is always a similar case!) Will help to revive almost any model. Even fake flash drives from Chinese bazaars can be brought to life, it's another matter that they real capacity(usually 2-4 GB) is of little interest today, and the memory from the rejection quickly begins to crumble. Signs of a non-repairable fake are a controller of an incomprehensible brand (not described in the iFlash database) and “wiped” memory chips without any marking at all.

If nothing helped, it means that the case is really complex and programmatically, most likely it is not treated. In particular, worn-out, crumbling memory chips (the level of defects during testing exceeds the threshold, usually 2-3%) definitely need to be replaced. For a non-specialist, this is most often unprofitable, and the flash drive flies into the bucket. It happens that you can’t find a utility for a rare or re-marked controller - then you shouldn’t suffer either.

Model Silicon power LuxMini 920 at the time of release was one of the fastest that the JMicron F603 controller provided. But it got so hot that flash drives massively failed. A year later, they began to put the controller weaker

Difficult cases include SanDisk flash drives. This American brand offers models good quality but they also fail. And there is practically no repair software: there are no necessary programs on flashboot.ru and other resources. That's corporate policy. SanDisk is one of the few "full-cycle" companies that designs and manufactures NAND flash memory chips, controllers, and drives themselves. As a result, they use non-standard solutions, up to the addressing scheme and other basic things. SanDisk does not disclose this information to anyone, therefore, utilities for its controllers cannot be found in the public domain.

⇡ Wear and tear

The main and completely unresolved problem of flash drives is the limited resource of NAND memory in terms of the number of writes / erasures and, accordingly, its rapid wear during operation. A worn out page loses its ability to be overwritten and remains in its last state - a sort of ROM memory. The market is constantly demanding: "More capacity and speed, smaller dimensions." In response, it becomes thinner technological process(up to 19 nm have already reached, on the agenda - 16-18-nm standards) and the data packing density in the crystal is growing, and the resource - how it will turn out.

It turns out not very well: the current 25-nm MLC NAND chips can withstand 3,000, 5,000, sometimes 10,000 rewrite cycles (the first value is typical for the mass segment, the second for mid-range chips with some selection, the third for the best graded samples), and latest models TLC NAND, storing three bits of data in one cell (8 charge levels!), - no more than 1,000-1,500 cycles. And these are still optimistic estimates: skeptics generally talk about 300-500 cycles. For comparison: a single-bit SLC-memory of the previous generation (34 nm manufacturing process) had a resource of 100,000 cycles. Such "hardy" chips are still produced, but in small quantities and at a high price - 3-5 times more expensive than MLC; they go to a complete set of top-end enterprise-class SSDs.

Of course, sophisticated translation and wear-leveling algorithms alleviate the MLC resource constraint, and sometimes quite successfully. Look at the declared service life of current SSD drives, and they are built on the same element base. But flash drives do not have such perfect controllers, firmware, DRAM cache buffers and such a capacity reserve (20% or more) - then they would cost many times more. However, such exotics are also produced, take at least a 50-gigabyte drive from SuperTalent for $200.

Inside this flash drive is a full-fledged SSD built on a SandForce compression controller. Is that the interface is not SATA III, but USB 3.0. This cannot be repaired

Ordinary models break down pretty quickly. A significant part of them do not even live up to the end of the guarantee, many are completely lost. The transition of flash drives to the category of disposables only emphasizes the current frivolous design, sales policy (as an FMCG product; there are even vending machines selling flash drives) and bargain prices.

⇡ Cards dealt

All of the above technologies apply to USB drives. Memory cards are practically unrepairable - hardware repair obviously difficult, and the software requires special equipment, which is not widely available. The fact is that ordinary card readers (more precisely, their controllers) do not pass technological commands (so-called vendor specific) required for low-level card formatting. Repair utilities are also tied to special readers, so the latter are useless by themselves. That's why even the Chinese don't post them, and it's hard to find service software on the Web. All that is available to the average user is high-level card formatting utilities.

Utilities are both universal (SDFormatter 4.0, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3) and specialized proprietary ones. The latter are designed for specific card families - they cope better with defects, but require a branded card reader, which is often inaccessible. In fact, these are lite versions of the factory software. For example, in the description of Memory Stick Formatter 2.5 from Sony, there are only five models of readers with which the program can work - of course, manufactured by Sony itself. If no utilities helped, then the malfunctioning card remains to be returned under warranty or thrown away (well, or given to a DR-specialist for an expensive restoration).

It was easier a few years ago. In particular, a burned-out stabilizer was successfully replaced in CF cards, and the first generation SD cards could be repaired using cameras. Some models from Fuji skipped technical commands, which allowed the use of accidentally obtained repair software. But those "fujiks" and those SD cards are no longer in operation... Unfortunately, today there are no programs for cards capable of performing any functions that are inaccessible to a conventional disk editor and standard OS tools.

There is only one exception left: a device known as the "clip" (official name - " Adapter for unlocking MMC and SD cards»), allows you to hardware remove the write lock from SD / SDHC / microSD cards (the latter with an adapter), as well as the password - forgotten or spontaneously set. The clip can be found at repair shops. cell phones. The compact device is powered by a 9-volt battery or from a USB port; when a card is detected in the slot (by a limit switch), a full erase command is sent to it, which resets the flash memory and service fields on the card. The result is displayed on the built-in LED: fast blinking - success, slow blinking - faulty card. A few seconds - and the card is like new. Of course, all data is irretrievably lost. However, in more serious cases (broken firmware, incorrect volume due to a destroyed translator, etc.), the clip is useless.

"Clip" in its original and disassembled form. The battery makes it completely self-contained

Some cameras and smartphones that have their own driver for working with cards can replace the clip. So, according to rumors, Nokia E72 on Symbian OS can remove protection from microSD. The “low-level formatting” option in a number of Canon and Panasonic cameras does the same with SDHC - in this case, the same All Erase command is issued. So you can give advice to the owner of a blocked card: try to format it on all the devices you find, and the simpler (“dumberier”) the gadget, the more chances for success.

Of course, there are pitfalls here. The capacity of SD cards has been constantly growing, almost doubling in a year, and specifications have changed with it: SD → SD 2.0 (SDHC) → SD 3.0 (SDXC). Hence the compatibility issues. An old device may simply not recognize a modern card of 32 GB or more (in addition to volume, power consumption also plays a role - SD 3.0 standard drives are demanding on power). Screen caption "I can't work with the map", and even freezing is a frequent phenomenon, and nothing can be done about it.

The non-repairability of memory cards even more sharply raises the question of their quality, and also makes it necessary to regularly backup. In order not to run into a fake, buy flash drives in trusted places (for example, in large stores). A failed card can simply be thrown away, but it's wiser to return it under warranty. To do this, save documents and packaging, and checks on thermal paper should be copied immediately - they quickly fade to an unreadable state. Getting rid of "waste paper" makes sense for only one reason - the price of the device does not justify a trip to the warranty.

All important files on the card must be duplicated on an independent medium - a hard drive, DVD, flash drive, another card, or in a cloud service. Do not be lazy to keep copies up to date. Saving on backup sooner or later will come out sideways (of course, we are not talking about downloaded free content). By the way, older digital SLRs have already acquired a dual slot and can record pictures simultaneously on two cards. Obviously, this option was introduced for a reason, but at the request of dissatisfied photographers - you will not envy a professional who has lost unique shots.

In the event of an accident, the user will save time, nerves and money: data recovery from faulty memory cards is expensive or even very expensive. If an ordinary SD or CF costs 3,000-6,000 rubles, then for monolithic structures such as microSD, prices reach 25-30 thousand. Recently, full-size SDHC / SDXC cards are increasingly being made using monolithic technology, which does not contribute to the cheapness of services.

The reason is that it is difficult to solder to the memory chip bypassing the controller: debug pins still need to be found, and their wiring is usually found out empirically on a working analog (see the monolith library). Not all DataRecovery companies undertake such microsurgery, so you will have to look for them outside the megacities. It can be easier to contact a trusted specialist and send the “patient” by regular mail.

⇡ Dispensary: ​​non-repair run

From the above, we can draw a clear conclusion: it is better not to bring flash drives to repair. As in medicine, prevention here is much more beneficial than cure - it is easier to prevent a breakdown than to try to fix it later. Life has shown that the correct operation of flash drives and memory cards saves you from many troubles. Here are a few recommendations on how to extend the life of your drives, and if a malfunction has already occurred, then minimize its consequences.

  • Protect flash drives from strong mechanical impacts (drops, shocks, bends, vibration), temperature changes, dampness and aggressive environments. Do not use excessive force when inserting a drive into a USB port or card slot, or when removing it.
  • Protect flash drives from ionizing radiation (X-rays, radionuclides, cosmic rays) and strong electromagnetic fields. Scanning luggage at airports carries a certain risk, although not too much. These kinds of dangers grow with data density, so taking high-capacity flash drives (64 GB or more) on a flight may not be worth it.
  • Flash drives, and even more memory cards, are afraid of static discharges, so do not touch their contacts with your fingers or metal objects. Increased electrification is observed on synthetic surfaces (carpet, linoleum, etc.), as well as in winter with its dry air. In these cases, before taking the flash drive in your hands, discharge on the nearest grounded object - say, a radiator or back wall system block. If the computer is not grounded, be especially careful with flash drives. Outdated two-core electrical wiring and sparkling carpet on the floor ruined, I think, more than one thousand drives.
  • Regularly check flash drives using the built-in OS tools - this speeds up work and facilitates data recovery in case of logical errors and file system corruption (the latter is a frequent consequence of unsafe removal from a USB port, as well as flash memory wear and controller failures). Defragmentation serves the same purpose. To reduce wear and tear, it can be more profitable to copy files to a hard drive, perform a quick (only clearing tables) formatting a flash drive in the OS and write everything back; often it is also shorter in time.
  • Make regular backups of your data. A valuable file stored on one flash drive and nowhere else is the same unjustified risk as the only key to an apartment tucked into a holey pocket. This is especially important when traveling, where flash drives and memory cards are trusted with critical, expensive information in every sense (document scans, access codes, correspondence, maps, etc., not to mention photo and video shooting).
  • It is not recommended to use a flash drive in the mode of intensive write operations, for example, to keep a working accounting database on it. Such operation significantly reduces the resource and reliability of the drive - it can fail in a month or two.
  • Flash drives and memory cards should not be filled to capacity, especially in one session and with large files - the likelihood of a failure increases. This is the “last frame effect” known to photographers, spoiling the entire shooting. When the volume is full, the file system can be damaged, the translator often crashes, and then you cannot do without the help of a DR specialist. Leave at least 3% free space and follow the progress of the recording. Slowdowns and especially freezes are a dangerous symptom (first of all, of a worn-out flash memory), such a drive is unreliable.
  • Remove memory cards from the slot as often as possible in mobile devices (cameras, smartphones, etc.). It is safer to transfer data over a USB connection to the host. Also, you should not do anything with the card when the battery is dead: if the power suddenly disappears at the time of recording, the card will most likely fail. This also applies to formatting and deleting files. Be careful in winter - in the cold, batteries lose capacity and discharge much faster.
  • In car gadgets (video recorders, GPS navigators, etc.), memory cards often fail. This is probably due to voltage drops and interference in onboard network. Cigarette lighter power adapters are often made according to simplified schemes, stabilization and filtering are lame there. Cards are sensitive to this, especially the microSDHC format. Preventive measures - use high-quality equipment, do not chase after high capacity (it has been noticed that cards of 16 GB and more "die" first) and, of course, back up everything of value. In terms of nutrition, the bundle “inverter 220 V + network adapter”, but this cumbersome solution is not for everyone.
  • Before removing a flash drive from a USB port or a memory card from a card reader, camera, or other mobile device, perform the safe removal procedure in the OS, or turn off the power of the mobile device. Do not remove the drive while it is being written or read (when the activity light is flashing) as it may be damaged. Saving a few seconds will then result in serious losses of time, nerves and money.
  • If a flash drive with data behaves strangely, it is not recognized in operating system, or is detected and soon disappears, or freezes at some point - do not try to treat it with low-level utilities, even if the words Recovery, Restore or Repair appear in their names. Almost all of them overwrite "intel" without the possibility of recovery, and often without warning! Important files must first be copied to another drive (how is a separate issue), and only then proceed with the repair using the methods described above.

And may your flash drive live long!

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