Flash drive recovery through controller firmware. Instructions for recovering Kingston flash drives Identifying a flash drive controller
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 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.
Many users neglect the safe removal of flash drives, as a result of which the drives stop working correctly: they are not recognized by the system, they require formatting, they do not read / write data, they show the wrong volume (for example, 14 Gb instead of 16 Gb). If you are faced with a similar problem, then the question of how to restore a flash drive will surely become relevant for you.
Can a flash drive be restored?
It may seem to someone that restoring a flash drive is a pointless exercise. Transcend drives, Kingston, A-Data, and others have flooded the market by making flash memory cheap. Memory cards and flash drives from 8 Gb to 32 Gb are not so expensive that you can’t safely throw them away and buy new media. However, old flash drives and Micro SD memory cards are usually not thrown away at all: they lie on the table and are waiting to be restored.
Recovery is possible if the flash drive or memory card has not “died” completely (usually death occurs when the controller burns out).
But if the drive is simply not detected or shows the wrong volume, then the reason for this behavior is most often a controller firmware failure. How to recover a flash drive after such a failure, we will analyze in detail below.
Saving information and searching for the right software
If the flash drive or SD card is stored important information, then before flashing and restoring the controller (and with it the health of the drive), you need to extract the data. This can be done using the Photorec utility, which can work with media that do not have a file system detected.
After extracting the necessary information from the SD card or flash drive, you can start searching for a utility for flashing the controller. But in order to flash the controller, you first need to determine its model. To do this, we use the CheckUDisk utility (distributed for free) and the flashboot.ru website:
After completing the check and obtaining the necessary information (VID PID of the drive), you need to download the utility to restore the performance of the flash drive or SD drive. Go to the flashboot.ru website and open the "iFlash" tab. Here you need to enter the VID PID values and find the correct manufacturer of the memory card or flash drive (HP, Generic Flash Disk, Protex, Oltramax, Smartbuy, etc.). 
If your model of flash drive or SD memory card is in the database online service but no, it's okay: the main thing is that the VID PID and the manufacturer match. If the required data matched, then you need to get information about the exact controller model for flashing and restoring it, as well as the name of the appropriate utility. 
The table has columns "Controller" and "Utility". You need to pay attention to the volume - the controllers of flash drives and SD cards for 16 Gb and 32 Gb may differ. You need to copy the full name of the utility and download it through the "Files" section on the flashboot.ru website or from another source. Often, along with the recovery program, instructions for its use are downloaded, which it is advisable to carefully read.
Controller Firmware
Let's say you have a 16 Gb Protec flash drive. You find it by VID PID through the iFlash online service and download the controller firmware utility for free. What to do next? Carry out measures to restore the flash drive (SD memory card).
Universal instructions for restoring all flash drives:
If the firmware is successful, then you should see the positive status of the flash drive - “OK” or “Good”. If problems occur during the operation, an error code will appear: its decryption can be found in the utility help found by VID PID, or on other online services.
Recovery of any flash drives (SD cards) is carried out approximately according to the same scheme, however, the instructions may differ slightly for different utilities: you need to find the program for flashing the controller by VID PID and start restoring the USB drive. 
To recover a flash drive, you must additionally format it. It can be done using standard Windows tools or using special programs. It is recommended to run a full format rather than a quick format. It will take a little longer (especially if the drive is larger than 16 Gb), but you will be sure that the flash drive is now completely clean and functional.
This was issued by the utility for identifying the insides of a flash drive:
UTILS: Description: — Device 1------------------
FW version:0xB3
CE-0, Flash ID=98-D7-94-32-76-54-0C
Found boot block at (0x00000080)
### Error: Read MBR
Device Name: ++USB Mass Storage Device(Kingston DT 101 II USB Device)
PnP Device ID: VID=0951 PID=1625
Serial Number: 001CC07D20B7F060C9191250
Revision: 1.00
Here are the specifications issued by the programs:
Device Type: Standard USB device - USB2.0 High-Speed
Chip Vendor: Toshiba
Chip Part-Number: TC58NC6690G1F/SK6211
Product Vendor: (N/A)
Product Model: (N/A)
But the information read by the utility is not entirely correct. But it was on the microcircuits:
- controller: (SSS in rectangle) 6691 H1-M6C J4801-220B 0946;
- memory chip: 115T047LF HVPF4M4 0948 115T047LF-3S-1.
Downloaded and tried many recovery programs deleted files from a flash drive, but only this one worked - SSS_MP_Utility_v2162(download). The flash drive really recovered and everything went! The course of action is described below.
Step by step instructions for recovery
- You take the utility SSS_MP_Utility_v.2162
- You stick a USB flash drive and run the downloaded program without any formatting.
- In the program, you select the 11th item (6691 + SM Flash)
- You press the button start
It may not work the first time - try again, but my Kingston DT101C flash drive (in a protective swivel casing) recovered the first time. Special thanks for the COIN tips. Good luck with your recovery!
Kingston flash drives are very popular due to the fact that they are quite inexpensive and reliable. It cannot be said that they are cheaper than others, but their cost can still be called low. But, since absolutely everything breaks in our world, it is not at all surprising that Kingston removable media can also fail.
This happens quite simply - you insert a USB flash drive into a computer, and he "does not want" to read data from it. The drive may be detected, but everything will look as if there is no data on it. Or simply not all data may be determined. In general, situations can be very different. In any case, we will analyze a few effective ways restore the performance of a Kingston drive.
Kingston has own funds flash drive recovery. There is also universal way recovery of removable media, which is relevant for devices of any company. We will analyze all the most working methods.
Method 1: MediaRECOVER
This is one of two branded programs from Kingston. To use it, you must do the following:
The second option looks more humane» for a flash drive. It just involves restoring a flash drive. In any case, if using MediaRECOVER doesn't help, move on to the next method.
Method 2: Kingston Format Utility
This is another brand Kingston program. It is suitable for all flash drives of this brand, from the DTX 30 series to USB devices Datatraveler HyperX. This utility also formats the flash drive without a chance to save any information. To use the Kingston Format Utility, do the following:
Method 3: HDD Low Level Format Tool
Based on user reviews, this program copes well with damaged Kingston flash drives. Low Level Format Tool works at a low level, so it is quite successful in what it does. And this applies not only to removable media from Kingston. But, again, the utility formats the flash drive and restores its performance, but not the data from it. To use this program, you need to do quite a bit, namely:
Method 4: Super Stick Recovery Tool
Another very simple program, designed to restore Kingmax flash drives, but is also suitable for Kingston (although for many it will seem quite unexpected). So, to take advantage of the Super Stick recovery tool, do the following:
- program, insert a USB flash drive and run the executable file.
- If everything is fine and the program can work with your flash drive, information about it will appear in the main window. Click on the button " update" to start formatting. After that, just wait until the process is over and try to work with the flash drive again.
Method 5: Search for other recovery utilities
Not all models Kingston flash drives those programs that are indicated in methods 1-4 will do. In fact, there are a lot of such programs. In addition, there is a single database with information about programs designed for recovery. It is located on the site's iFlash service. The process for using this repository is as follows:
This method is suitable for all flash drives.
Method 6: Standard Windows Tools
If all the above methods did not help, you can always use standard tool Windows formatting.
You can also use the standard Windows tool to format the flash drive. Try different combinations of the order of actions - first format, then check and correct errors, and then vice versa. It is quite possible that something will still help and the flash drive will become operational again. To format removable media, right-click again on the selected drive in " Computer". In the dropdown menu, click " Format…". Next, in the next window, just click on the " To begin». 
It is worth saying that all the above methods, except for checking the disk with the standard Windows tool, involve the complete and irretrievable loss of data from the media. Therefore, before performing all these methods, use one of the data recovery utilities from a damaged storage medium.
Kingston flash drives are known for their reliability and long life, but they are also not immune to various failures. Sometimes the drive really "dies" and it is not possible to restore it. More often there are situations when a flash drive can be brought back to life using a special firmware utility.
Most often, Kingston dt100g2 and datatraveler flash drives break.
Is it possible to recover a flash drive
Signs that the drive can be recovered:
- When you connect a flash drive, a notification appears that a new device has been detected.
- The system prompts you to format the removable drive.
- Drive won't open but shows up in File Explorer.
- Errors occur when reading and writing data.
These problems are eliminated by controller firmware or formatting the media, but if there is important information on the flash drive, then before performing any recovery procedures, you need to try to “pull it out”. Use a recovery program like Recuva or to extract so you don't lose your files.
Search for a program for controller firmware
To restore you will need special utility for Kingston flash drive. In order not to make a mistake and download the right program, you need to know the drive controller model.
Method 1
Look necessary information You can go to the flashboot.ru website in the iFlash section, using the VID and PID values of the flash drive as a filter.
- Connect the drive to your computer.
- Open the device manager (right click on the "Computer" icon - Manage).
- Find "USB Mass Storage Device".
- Right click and open properties.
- Go to the Details section and select the Hardware ID property.
Method 2
Another way to get the information you need is to download Flash program Drive Information Extractor and click the "Get Data" button. The report will contain the lines "VID" and "PID"; use their value to find a utility that can correctly restore the Kingston Datatraveler flash drive.
You can download the program in the "Files" section on the flashboot.ru website. If the utility is not here, try to find it on other web resources. 
Recovery utilities
You can find the desired program without a controller model - just type in the search engine the query "utility restoration kingston". In the results, you will see several utilities, among which there will definitely be such programs as Phison Preformat, AlcorMP AU698x RT, etc.
The problem is that Kingston flash drive recovery programs only work if they are compatible with the controller installed in the drive. Therefore, if you download the first repair utility that comes across, it may not detect the connected media.
When desired program found, you can begin to restore it. Be sure to look at the instructions that should be packed into the archive along with the recovery utility - perhaps the program has a special operating procedure. The general order of recovery looks like this:
You don’t need to do anything else: the program will correct errors on its own and return the flash drive to operational state. This completes the recovery of the Kingston flash drive; if the firmware of the controller did not help fix the problem, then the cause of incorrect operation should be looked for among hardware faults.
