Computer does not recognize thumb drive

JohnS · Mar 23, 2022

I recently upgraded to Windows 11. My computer will not now recognize a thumb drive inserted in a USB port. I have tested all of my USB ports by connecting to other devices (iPhone and pocket drive) with them. I am able to transfer from or to my iPhone and can read the files on my pocket drive. I know that the thumb is good.

bobkn · Mar 23, 2022

Do you see anything interesting in Device Manager?

JohnS · Mar 23, 2022

Nothing shows up in device manager.

JohnS · Mar 23, 2022

Excuse my error. My hard drive does show up in devivce manager. The inserted thumb drive does not.

Ghot · Mar 23, 2022

Maybe check Settings > Devices > Devices and Printers

See if you can "Add" the USB thumb drive

JohnS · Mar 23, 2022

I have tried to add the drive but the search doesn't find it.

cereberus · Mar 23, 2022

Have you tried a usb2 port?

Also sometimes, a usb drive can be finicky for no obvious reason.

Try this on a different pc if you have one. Of course, this assumes other pc will see drive.

1) backup files on drive to pc

3) run following from admin command prompt

Code:

diskpart
list disk
select disk # (where # is number of drive - usually last one in list. BE CAREFUL you have got right drive as all data is wiped!
clean
convert mbr
create partition primary
select partition 1
format fs=fat32 quick (can choose NTFS or exFat)
assign
exit
exit

With luck drive will now be seen on new pc.

IanMosley · Mar 23, 2022

JohnS said:
My computer will not now recognize a thumb drive inserted in a USB port.

Is your Windows 11 device fully patched with the latest updates? What build are you on?
There was an issue with Build(22000.346) not showing USB Flash Drives / Cards.

Have you updated / re-installed your Memory Card Reader Driver?
I previously could not detect USB Flah Drives / Cards until I re-applied this driver

JohnS · Mar 23, 2022

I am in build 22000.556. I inserted the thumb drive into my Epson WF-4730 all in one and it recognized to drive.

bobkn · Mar 23, 2022

JohnS said:
Nothing shows up in device manager.

I was thinking of exclamation marks for the USB drivers.

Is this true of all USB ports, or just the fronts?

Winuser · Mar 23, 2022

Have you checked in Disk Management to see if it's listed? You may just need to assign it a drive letter.

JohnS · Mar 23, 2022

How do I update the or re-install the memory card reader driver. I have done many searches on the internet and can not find anything of help.

IanMosley · Mar 24, 2022

JohnS said:
How do I update the or re-install the memory card reader driver.

As your device is a Dell XPS,

Navigate to the Dell Drivers & Downloads website & enter your Dell service tag

Select 'Manually find a specific driver' and then select your

Operating system - Windows 11

Show downloads for - This PC

Sort by - Category: A to Z

Your memory card driver will be shown in the Chipset category

JohnS · Mar 24, 2022

I did not find the Realtek driver listed when I tried the method above. (Download driver from Dell). I found the driver on the internet and downloaded it. The computer still does not recognize the thumb drive.

IanMosley · Mar 24, 2022

JohnS said:
The computer still does not recognize the thumb drive.

This is looking more and more likely to be a hardware issue.

Download and install Dell’s ‘SupportAssist’ app and use it to run a hardware check on your device.

If this check does not find any fault, I can only suggest that by contacting Dell, they may be to help resolve your issue – if you do, have your ‘Express Service Tag’ handy as they will need that to identify your device.

Sorry, but I am unable to help you further.

JohnS · Mar 24, 2022

I just had to pull mu desktop out of its hole. I found out that if I plug the thumb drive into a USB port of the back of the computer it is recognized.