However, unexpected mistakes can also occur. As the joke goes, it takes at least three attempts to properly connect a USB port, such mistakes can go beyond simple inconvenience and lead to bigger problems. (Of course, this happens less often with USB-C ports, but that’s a story for another time.)
Here we look at how USB flash drives can be used incorrectly and what problems they can cause, along with solutions.
If you are using the wrong USB port
Many PCs and laptops have multiple USB ports, and most people assume that all ports provide the same performance. So I just plug the USB drive into a conveniently located port.
But this is not true. In reality, each port can have a significant impact on USB drive performance. The difference is especially noticeable when transferring files. If you plug it into the wrong port, read and write speeds may decrease even if the USB is plugged in.
Although USB technology has steadily evolved, the shape of the USB-A port has not changed. Therefore, it may be a slow USB 2.0 port or a fast USB 3.2 port. It is difficult to tell the difference between ports by appearance, so there is no need to worry if you did not know this.
Most devices have a fast USB 3.0 port on the back, with a blue band inside the port. If there is a green or red band, it is a USB 3.1 or USB 3.2 port. On the other hand, the slower USB 2 ports are mainly located on the front and are not particularly color-coded. If you are using a USB 3.x drive, it is recommended to connect it to the corresponding 3.x port.
If your USB drive is not optimized
If you notice that your USB flash drive is slower than it used to be, you can optimize it in Windows.
To do this, open the ‘Run’ window using the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut, then enter ‘diskmgmt.msc’ and click ‘OK’. This will open the Disk Management window, where you can right-click on the currently connected USB flash drive and select ‘Properties’.
In the properties window, go to the ‘Hardware’ tab, select the correct disk drive, and click ‘Properties’ again. Then, in the ‘Policies’ tab, select both the ‘Enable write caching on device’ and ‘Turn off Windows write cache buffer flushing on device’ options.
This setting will greatly improve your data transfer speed. You can also change the file system of your USB flash drive to one that can better handle large amounts of data. However, you must be careful because formatting will delete all data.
If you do not safely remove your USB drive
In most cases, there is no major problem if you just eject the USB drive without ‘safely’ removing it. However, if you have applied the optimization method introduced earlier, you must follow the ‘Safely Remove’ procedure before removing the drive to prevent data loss.
To safely remove a USB flash drive, open ‘This PC’ in File Explorer, right-click on the USB drive, and select ‘Eject’. This will properly unregister the drive so it can be removed safely.
When you just throw away a ‘broken’ USB drive
What to do if your USB flash drive starts malfunctioning? You may end up in a situation where you can no longer delete files or format the drive itself. This problem is especially common with older or cheaper drives. But you don’t have to give up right away. There are ways to try to recover it before throwing it away.
First, you need to make sure your USB drive is properly connected to your computer. Sometimes just changing the USB port can solve the problem. If this doesn’t work, it’s a good idea to test the USB drive on another PC. This will help you make sure the problem isn’t related to your specific computer.
If these simple methods don’t solve the problem, you can get help through Windows Disk Management. Using the Disk Management function, you can recognize the drive and delete existing partitions to prepare for repartitioning and formatting.
To begin this process, you can open a command prompt as administrator or use Disk Management’s graphical user interface (GUI). For detailed step-by-step process, see ‘How to Format USB and External Drives in Windows‘You can check it here.
You can also use special software for USB drive recovery. These programs are designed to diagnose and fix common problems with USB storage devices, including recovery of drives that cannot be formatted. These tools offer advanced features beyond Windows’ default options and, in many cases, have a higher chance of successfully recovering your drive. Recommended free tools include: FormatUSBand HP USB Disk Storage Format ToolThere is.
editor@itworld.co.kr
Source: www.itworld.co.kr
