How to repair USB ports. Repair flash drives using programs

Probably, there was not left in our modern society those who would not use USB drives, MP3 players and other devices using flash memory. And for sure everyone came across various problems with these media: "The device is not identified", "no access", "the system cannot complete formatting" and other, etc.

In this article, let's try to answer the main questions that the owners of damaged USB drives are faced - the repair of the flash drive and its resuscitation. We describe the most frequent user errors together with real advice and a sequence of actions in certain cases.

But first of the nuances should be clarified. Restoration and repair of the media are different things, which means that the approach and the result will differ from each other. Flash drive repair with your own hands is fraught with data loss, but in the end you can get a full-workable device that will serve you for a long time (with proper use), and the recovery process includes only the refund without the "surgical" intervention.

Symptoms of a damaged USB drive

• Not determined by the operating system.
• Type message: "The drive is protected from copying."
• USB flash drive "not visible" on more than 3 computers.
• LED does not burn or flashes.
• Windows Explorer can not display content.
• The file system recognizes the device as a virtual drive or does not see at all.
• The structure of directories and files is damaged (it is noted when formatting).
• Each second or third attachment attempt to install the drive ends with the message: "Unidentified USB device".

The list of problems when the repair of the flash drive is required is very impressive, but the main approach is quite universal and it can be completely reduced only to two main actions.

If you get to read similar drives on the same computer where you are trying to work with a problem flash drive, then the problem is removed only in the carrier. There may be problems with a USB connector, damaged port (with this reason, the Kingston flash drive is always started) or a faulty memory chip.

First of all, it is worth trying to read your drive on another computer. Some types of flash drives are scrupulously belong to USB connectors, for the correct work they need a special receiver. If the media is read on other computers, it is possible that some "upgrade" of your USB port is required.

If none of the options gave results, you can try to read the device on the maximum "clean" operating system without installed drivers, software and other programs that can conflict with a flash drive. To do this, it is enough to start the system in a safe mode, where all devices operate in the base state. If in this case the flash drive is visible and the information is read, then the problem must be sought in a third-party software, and not in the accumulator.

Even if this method could not bring any results, then the problem in the software part of the drive. Also, before making the USB flash drive repair, you need to understand that there are no cases of factory defects and the end of the service life, i.e. Rewaging cycles are exhausted (for a standard drive, this cycle is limited about 100 thousand records). In these cases, you need to contact the manufacturer or simply change the flash drive.

Plant repair do it yourself

In principle, all drives are created in one vein and similar to each other. When reanimation, the flash drive may require full refirmation of the device and subsequent formatting.

Determine VID & PID

The key to the USB drive is a controller is the controller, the thing is quite tricky and complicated, but without this detail the repair will become more difficult at times. The main snag is that all manufacturers of flash drives use different models and types of controllers when issuing, and not only their own, but also other people's developments with some kind of know-how can be intertwined. Therefore, exactly and the first time determine which controller in front of you is not always possible.

You can go to the barbaric way and rent a key chain, then you will know exactly that both "as" in front of you, but this method is probably not all like everyone. Therefore, it is better to resort to third-party software, the benefit that the program for repairing flash drives is not so rarity. Consider several useful utilities that define the flash drive controller (VID & PID).

Chipeasy.

Simple, useful and intuitive program for reanimation of flash drives. The interface is extremely friendly to the user and translated into Russian.

The utility is capable of learn the manufacturer together with the USB model model. Great for TRANSCEND and Kingston brands. If you need the repair of the flash drive with your own hands, then the first thing is to master this product.

FDIE (Flash Drive Information Extractor)

The utility is "sharpened" mainly under the Silicon Power medium. It will give all the necessary information about the VID & PID, the controller, model and the type of the USB drive. One of the main advantages of the program is the detail of the information: the utility for the repair of the flash drive All data comes, if desired, will generalize and give the result with a convenient list.

There is also a non-professional version of the translation into Russian in free access, although you can do without it - the program has a poor and quite understandable interface.

Checkudisk.

The program is characterized by a high speed of scanning information from the media for the subsequent definition of VID & PID. Data details for determining the controller and type of media are performed at the level of similar FDIE.

The program for repairing flash drives is simple, understandable and has a friendly interface similar to chipeasy. If you wish, you can download the amateur version of the Russified Product, if any problems with the translation occur.

Refracting

After one of the above utilities can indicate the VID & PID to you, you need to find the desired program for flashing and subsequent formatting on the official sites of manufacturers. But here is not so simple. The flash drive repair consists of two parts: firmware and format, but some types of devices are simply not intended to flash, and in this case the keychain with a flash drive can be simply hanging on the wall and go to the store for a new one.

Rare Types of Flash Drives

Little-known or ultra-known USB carriers are restored more problematic in contrast to their standard fellow. Repair of a flash drive of this type is very often accompanied by hardware problems like damaged sectors. In such cases, the carrier is connected as the second HDD through a special recovery adapter, then the data recovery procedure is performed in the above methods.

Summarizing

High-quality and at the same time free flash drive repair - a very transparent procedure that can not help you in all cases. If your device has valuable information or expensive in itself, it makes sense to contact a specialized service center, where sensitive experts will help you not only save the information, but also give the second life to your flash drive. Otherwise, no one can guarantee positive results to you, and you will act only at your own risk.

Always remember simple information storage rules: copies and copies again. Buy two flash drives, reserve the location on the hard drive for copies. The time spent on the backup procedure is incommensurable with time spent on restoring and repairing any media.

Magnetic connector USB repair is not easy.

In our life, it happens that breaking the flash drive, together with her we break and the USB mother of magnetic. In the photo below, we see the magnetic panel with you, on which a USB mammy is visible to read USB flash drives. It looks like it looks quite normal, but when inserting a flash drive, a flash drive, along with this connector, dangles there. Immediately understandable - doried with the root of the USB connector of the radio tape recorder.

We accept the decision: instead of this connector, we will put a cord with a USB mother at the end:

The cord is chosen by such a length so that you feel more convenient to hide this flash drive somewhere in the glove box.

Passing the radio and soldering cable USB

We unscrew the bolts on the back side and with the help of a picking agent of the radio tape recorder:

Do not forget to remove the roller of adding and lifting the volume, otherwise you do not break the panel:

And here is our handkerchief panels:

We remove all rubberry and plastics and from the reverse side. We begin to dismantle the USB connector with a tin cover and copper braid:

Now a small lyrical retreat ... Almost every modern car radio has such a connector, called "AUX".

Who is not aware of, this is a standard 3.5 mm connector, it serves to listen to your music directly from MP3 player or from the phone. To do this, it is enough to stick it into a radio tape recorder and in your gadget with this cable:

This input "AUX" is often not used, so we are constrained. A USB cable will be shifted through it. Whoever uses them, it is better to make a separate hole in the lid, or to carry out the wires in the back often the radio.

The cropped end of the cable is also asked through the AUX connector itself. If the cable does not want to pass through it, then the hot soldering iron or Bor-typewriter is expanding its hole and wake up.

Separate it on the back: to - red, b - white, z - green, h - black.

From the reverse side it looks like this:

We collect the radio tape recorder in the reverse order. It will also be superfluous to pour epoxy glue into the former "AUX" input.

Checking the radio, sticking to the other end of the USB cable USB flash drive and inserting a radio tape recorder into the car.

In the modern world, people are used to using flash drives. A few years ago there were disks, and there are no floppy disks. Compared to these already outdated devices, the flash drive is much more productive and less in volumes. Of course, with such popularity, they began to develop rapidly, and now you can already find an external drive from 1 GB to 516 GB.

Unfortunately, they, like any other technique, can break. This is happening for various reasons: got the flash drive when recording or it broke down from large loads, etc. Users began to look for options how to repair a flash drive. If the problem is associated with the hardware, then it can be just thrown out. Another case is software failures. In this case, you can try to restore the external drive. You should not immediately carry your USB drive to the service center, as it is easy to return the flash drive to life, the main thing is to be guided by the rules. Let's look at how to repair a flash drive yourself.

The flash drive does not open

You may have connected the USB flash drive, the computer sees it, but when you try to open the contents, errors occur. If the computer gives "no access", then, most likely, it is necessary to clean the external drive from viruses.

What is the problem? After the malicious files entered the USB flash drive, they created the autorun.inf file. It is the reason why the external drive is not launched.

How to repair a flash drive? In this case, it is necessary to check the external drive of the antivirus. After you delete malicious files, we need to manually delete the autorun.inf file. We go to "my computer" and press the right key to the USB flash drive. After that, choose the item "Open". A flash drive will open in the new window, we can only delete a malicious file.

USB drive is not formatted

The reason why the flash drive does not open may be a memory failure. How to repair a flash drive? In this case, it is enough to format the external drive. Unfortunately, all the contents will erase.

We go to the "My Computer" and press the right-click on the external drive. Next you need to select "Format". Unfortunately, this method does not always help. If you failed to restore an external drive, then you need to try the second way.

So, we need to go to the Disk Manager directory. To do this, click the Win + R key combination. In a new window, you need to enter the DiskMGMT.msc command and click OK. The "Disk Manager" will open, where we need to select a USB flash drive and click "format".

on the computer

To make sure that the problem with the external drive, you must get it and try to insert into other USB connectors that are on the motherboard. If the problem remains, you need to check the USB drive on another computer.

How to repair a micro-sd flash drive? First you need to check it in other USB connectors. If the problem remains, then perhaps the fault lies in the card reader. Try to change it.

If the external drive is determined on another computer, then you need to try to delete the drivers. How to do it? Go to the "Control Panel" where you select the "Device Manager" directory. In a new window, we are looking for a stitch "Store USB device" and remove the driver.

After the actions done, we turn off the USB flash drive and reboot the computer. After this we connect a USB drive and install new drivers.

If reinstallation did not bring results, it is necessary to clean the registry branches. They contain all information about your device. First, we need to collect this information, or rather, learn several parameters (PID and VID). To find out this data, you need to return to the "Device Manager" directory and right-click on the USB flash drive. Go to the "Details" item where the device code appears.

After that, press the Win + R key combination, in the new window, enter the REGEDIT command. So we will open the registry editor where you need to find two parameters, the first end with the word USB, and the second USBSTOR. Open these directories and looking for identifiers, then remove them. Reboot your computer and check the efficiency of the external drive.

The external drive is determined, but dimensions are not displayed.

If you have discovered such a problem, there were failures in memory. How to repair a flash drive? In this case, you need to download the CHIPGENIUS program. So we can find out the VID and PID of your external drive. After you have found the flash drive chip model, you need to go to the FlashBoot.ru website, where you need to enter the data obtained. Run search. So what did we find? These are suitable drivers and utilities for your removable disk. After installation, your flash drive must earn.

How to repair USB USB flash drive if nothing helped

Of course, there may be different problems with an external drive that do not allow you to restore the flash drive to the already described malfunctions. There is another way how to return a removable disk to life. However, this method is suitable precisely for a flash drive, the memory card will not be possible to restore. If you are tormented by the question of how to repair the TRANSCEND flash drive, then try this method.

How do you need to start? We take your USB drive and remove the plastic lid. We need to translate your device into test mode. Turn the flash drive as shown in the picture. In the corner there is a small button that needs to be closed. As a rule, it is necessary to clean the contacts 29 and 30. How to do it? Take a needle and click in the right place.

Insert a removable disk so that the computer has identified the USB flash drive and it has become available. Only then blur the contacts. However, you should not turn it off from the computer, as it will not work yet. Next, you need to install drivers and utilities, how to do it, we have already considered.

Output

After the actions done, your USB device must earn. If this did not happen, then it may have problems with the hardware. In this case, it is easier to throw it out than to restore. As you have already noticed, repair the flash drive is easy if the problem lies in the program part. However, to quickly and efficiently restore its device, you must immediately determine the problem.

Case - Flashkoy, Fun - Hard!
Folk wisdom

⇡ Repair it immediately!

Repair of current gadgets is an ungrateful occupation and often disadvantageous. The replaceable parts in them are less and less, the layout is increasingly, and the prices meanwhile (with equal functionality) - the lower. The bush is not under force with industrial technologies. Nevertheless, the repairmen of mobile phones and laptops to life are not particularly complaining (see Articles 2011 - and). The reason how they themselves explain, in the short language of components - screens, housings, nutrition chains, rows of chip, as well as in unreliable connections. Flash drives - "USB whistles" and to a lesser extent a memory card - confidently go along the same way.

Almost every user has already survived at least one breakdown of the flash drive, and many probably thought: can I fix it yourself? In the old days, when the fashionable gadget accounted for a third of the salary, it suggested that the notorious toad, later - simple curiosity. Indeed, as for defective "keyfobs", at least 50-60% of cases are treated with simple methods that do not require special training and equipment. Why not try?

Today, the repair becomes relevant with the growth of the capacity (and therefore be the cost) of the flash drives, and most importantly - with the fall of their reliability. Flash drives in the flash drives reigns hard competition with regular price wars. Manufacturers save every cent cost and not carefully care about the quality of their products (some exception - expensive flagship models). It is easier for them to lay a certain percentage of marriage and change the refused devices under warranty. What will happen to the flash drive, "Sheriff does not care."

Alas, often warranty services for the user are not available: or documents are lost (many do you remember about them, at least keep the check?), Or the place of purchase is far away, or the flash drive has external damage - a clearly non-warranty case. What to say about the gray import and frank fakes (Internet flea markets are full - unfinished business, alas, flourishes). In such cases, independent repair can rectify the case and return to the life of an enchanting key chain.

All flash drives, with the exception of monolithic structures, are arranged at the same type and quite simple: a USB connector, a printed circuit board, on it - a dozen-other elements of the strapping, the controller and from one to eight memory chips (on the high-capacity models, they are often soldered pairwise, such " sandwiches "). Repair technologies are easy and accessible to everyone who has a soldering iron and a multimeter. The minimum electrical handling skills will also not be superfluous.

Successful repair brings not only legitimate moral satisfaction, but also material benefits. The "extra" drive that appears allows you to more flexibly manage your data (for example, duplicate) and even feel calmer. According to observations, reanimized devices live even longer than new - weaknesses have already been eliminated, and the owner treats them carefully.

Very often, the owner of the broken flash drive is not interested in it herself, but the data recorded on it. Data recovery technologies (DR) have fundamental differences from repair as such, since it is not required to take care of the performance of the entire device. Flash memory microcircuits on which information is stored is quite rare (1-2% of emergency cases). From the transformations of fate, they are protected as a mechanical - body and the design of the flash drive (chips are usually removed from the USB connector, the most stressed node) and the electrically controller and the strapping. The latter take on all risks of interaction on the interface, including cords, voltage throwing or static discharge. The same is true for memory cards.

Therefore, "raw" data on chips, as a rule, are saved, and the most reliable way is to disappear all the chips, subtract them at the physical level using a special device (programmer, or reader) and collect the image system image from the resulting dumps. The last stage is the most difficult because it is required to reproduce the controller's work algorithm. Manufacturers are not at all the desire to disclose such things, so you have to carry out reverse engineering development - the notorious Reverse Engineering.

The results of labor-intensive excavations fall into the database, which sometimes called the solutions system. More than 3,000 solutions have been accumulated by collective efforts to emulate almost any controller. For the assembly, specialized software is used, very far from (about 1 000 euros) and not easy in development. On the territory of the former USSR, and in many other countries, two software and hardware complex were most popular: Flash Extractor from the Moscow Soft Center company and PC-3000 Flash SSD Edition from Ace Lab (this Rostov Developer is also known for its repair tools Hard disks).

Reader from the Flash Extractor complex. Replaceable panels allow connecting chips of all major types

It is clear that such technologies are the prerogative of specialists. But this is the only option in cases where the controller burned down or the official information was damaged on chips. The flash drive then does not recognize at all or does not give access to the data, and even the replacement of the controller does not help any good helps (the effectiveness of this outdated technology is only 15-20%).

If hardware problems do not affect the controller and the firmware, then after repair, the data becomes available - one shot can kill two hares. True, such a favorable "Duplet" is possible only in the simplest cases, like a burnt fuse or other element of the strapping. Patched USB connector or a broken fee (typical breakdowns that flash drives are brought to the repair) to them, alas, do not belong. Often, the firmware flies in such situations, and even fixing the board, you will not get to the files.

The reason in the users themselves: they are trying to work with a damaged flash drive, pressing with a hand connector. And in vain - stable contact so still do not achieve, but from the bounce (it is equal to repeated connection and disconnection) is blocked by the controller. The flash drive ceases to be determined, after which simple solutions no longer pass.

It is necessary to choose whether the "infa" is needed or the drive itself. In the first case, the user is waiting for professional data recovery (if they are ...), and in the second - repair is most likely independent. It leads a flash drive to the state of "as new", destroying everything previously recorded. So repair and DR technology are generally incompatible.

How are flash drives and memory cards break? Consider the main types of faults, their causes and methods of elimination.

⇡ Popular mechanics

Mechanical malfunctions are difficult not to notice. With regard to flash drives, these are defects of the housing, the breakdown of the cap and other moving parts, damage to the USB connector (the most common case), cracks and chips of the printed circuit board and radio elements on it. Flash drives do not like moisture, and if they drown or pour them, do not work.

Exception - expensive and more rare protected models, where the inner volume is flooded with silicone (they often wear the marketing names Extreme, Voyager, etc.). By the way, the same silicone pretty makes it difficult to depicting chips during hardware repair or data recovery - to clean the scalpel is every conclusion. Alternatively, monolithic structures are worth: to water and (unsiler), they are comparatively racks, but serious damage is uniquely fatal.

This Corsair flash drive, which came "on the date", had to literally extract silicone

Broken body, missing cap, Sliding movable parts may not affect the performance of the flash drive, but it becomes inconvenient to use it and even difficult, its service life is sharply reduced. When cutting, a mint, broken USB connector (as well as other violations of contacts), the flash drive is either completely unequivocal, either recognized in times and will not live for a long time. The damaged fee definitely requires repair, but it does not always lead to success - the internal tracks of the multilayer structure restore it difficult.

A cracked flash drive cap is one of the frequent breakdowns. In cheap models, this happens through a month or other exploitation.

Unlike flash drives, for memory cards, mechanical damage is usually fatal: it is possible for repairs and not to take. The printing board of the paper thickness suffers from any serious effect - conductive paths are torn in it and contact with memory chips is disturbed. Yes, and the chips themselves can crack with the loss of all the "info". So only minor malfunctions are obtained.

So, the SD cards encounter a bundle of the hull halves and (most often) loss of the slider blocking the record. In the latter case, the card becomes read-only, it is impossible to write anything on it (the slider itself is not a switch, it simply mechanically blurries the recording circuit in the card reader, so that some devices are possible). SD with a bundled or woven case is difficult to insert into the slot and, more importantly, to extract from it. The use of force (tweezers, pliers and the like) situation only worsens. It is also likely that the entire card filling sooner or later falls out of the corps - it is likely to achieve the device.

In the hands of an impatient user, the SD card did not live for a long time

The cause of mechanical damage is most often the negligence of the user. Flash drives crookedly insert into the USB port of the computer or a nuborate; Already inserted hurt with hand, foot, bag or mop. Outside the computer "Krenches" drops to the floor, they are coming, sit down, they are moving with a wheelchair and so on. The flash drives fall into the washing machine, in the street dirt and under spilled coffee, they are bathing in the seas and baths. We had to see the drives who were in dog's teeth.

Models with folding and retractable parts suffer from unnecessary effort during transformation. Movable items themselves are not too long and quickly engaged if made of cheap soft plastic. This is especially true of various fixators - insert such a "self-siscovered" flash drive to the port is not easy. The wear is greatly accelerated in a dirty and aggressive environment (for example, in his pocket next to the keys). In an unprotected with a cap, the USB connector easily penetrates dust and moisture, causing contamination and corrosion of contacts (they are far from always gilded, as required by the standard).

The Kingston flash drive strives to work out when connected - the latch of the work position. The slider has to hold the hand

Lining a pig and the policy of manufacturers. To cheap flash drives, they relate to the disposable product and save on everything. From here - a sloping case that cracks in a week cap, a thin textolite of the board, a careless buying soldering. Models are more expensive are usually made better, and mechanically they are more enduring. When buying it is worth choosing them. True, if the money went on a courageous design, it is better to yearn - in the glamorous case, a silent and slow filling can stand. By the way, such are mostly gift corporate flash drives - to use them is unreasonable, problems will begin very quickly.

More about choosing. In life, the strongest flash drives - egg-shaped, not too compact. Long and thin models break first. The larger the metal in the housing, the better - the metal gives not only the strength, but also a good heat sink. The cap is reliable than the one that keeps friction on the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe USB connector - it will not crack in the area of \u200b\u200bthe protrusions. Well, when the cap is insured against the loss of a lace or a cable. Sometimes the filmed cap can be put on the back of the flash drive - it is not so comfortable, but better than nothing.

Fashionable lately open connector (without a metal bandage, four contact plates are in plain form) In terms of reliability, it is bad: it is easily breaking and scratched, and most importantly - prone to destructive statics. In addition, it is often combined with a monolithic design - elegant and compact, but unrepretentious. If, for example, the laptop fell from the table, then the inserted ordinary flash drive is simply climbed by the connector, but the monolith is cracking in half, upgrowing and user and repairman.

Broken connector from ordinary and monolithic flash drives. In the latter case, the repair does not have to speak and even relieve the data is a big problem. Covered contacts here will not help

Mechanical repairs pursues the goal to restore the functioning and reliability of the flash drive, its content is quite obvious. At the level of "DIY" - this is a gluing or replacement of the housing, selection of a suitable cap and the like. In many cases, the cyanacrylate superclauses, especially with an activator (hexane), allowing you to glue any plastic, including "intimidating" polyethylene and polypropylene. In an overlapped either, the USB connectors should be pulled by fasteners, especially the ears on the sides (they take the bending load and come off first), and then the contacts themselves. The rough reference of the connector in the opposite direction is not the best method: often the nearby tracks are torn on the board, and the repair is greatly complicated if it remains possible.

On the SD instead of the lost slider, a piece of matches is easily pasted - the truth is, without the possibility of blocking, but there are few people use it. The contacts are cleaned with a cotton waller with a special means "contactol" or, at worst, alcohol-gasoline mixture. It is advisable to comply with antistatic hygiene (ground bracelet on hand, conducting a table and floor covering and so on) or at least touch the grounded item before work. Remember that cards are sensitive to statics.

It is notable to check the contact pads under the magnifying glass - their gilding is very conditional or absent at all. Exterior, corrosive, changed color contacts (not rare on cheap cards stored in a wet environment) - a signal to the output of operation, such a card will not work reliably. MicroSD adapters → SD also concerns.

⇡ burned at work

Electrical malfunctions of flash drives is primarily the failure of the controller ("burnout"), as well as various defects of SMD elements of the strapping: filters, fuses, resistors, capacitors, stabilizer, quartz. These parts are observed, breakdown, deterioration of parameters (for example, a decrease in the output voltage of the stabilizer from 3.3 to 2.5-2.6 V, in which the controller is no longer started). It is also possible to attribute problems with the fee, including damage to the current tracks and bad contact details. Often, in the course of operation, defects of the factory assembly are manifested (not until the end of the propaned compounds, cold soldering, corrosion from incompeted flux).

This filter (comogoned white) burned down from the voltage throw. Treatment Standard - replacement similar or simply the attack of jumpers

Contact problems have become noticeably larger after the introduction of the ROHS EU directive (it is aimed at withdrawal from lead, mercury and other harmful substances). Eco-friendly lead-free solders turned out to be capricious in use: they are worse than spread and wet the contact pads, have an increased melting point, less durable. High-quality soldering by them requires high production culture, and small Chinese factors just do not differ ...

In such cases, the flash drive does not give signs of life most often, but sometimes it is determined in the computer as "Unknown USB device." In particular, it happens with an unreliable contact of the microcircuit of flash memory with a board (a frequent case has recently been a little - a flash drive in embarrassing hands, and one of the legs leaves). With a bad soldering device, the device can only work in a certain position, and then if you press the housing with a hand (usually in the USB connector area). It happens that defects are manifested only with warming up, and the cold flash drive is working normally. Over time, performance intervals are all narrowed and in the end it comes to full failure.

It is possible to pick up the electric damage to flash drives and memory cards - the problems most often causes it myself, but the insufficient drying of the device before use. It is necessary to supply meals on a removal USB flash drive, and the controller easily fails, the reason is the leakage currents between the outputs. Of course, the prolonged exposure to water, especially marine, can cause both banal corrosion, but it is not fatal: it was reported that the memory card from the camera was "drowning" earned after the year of stay at the seabed.

Causes of electrical protection - unstable power, discharges of static electricity from the body of the user or PC body, as well as overheating of the drive parts, primarily the controller (memory chips are kept up to 100-120 ° C and "burn" rarely). Overheating promotes poor cooling in a close plastic case, long-term active work or even just idle. Tip: Unused USB flash drive, remove from the USB port, and the memory card from the cardrider slot - depending on the OS driver, they can warm up quite strongly, and it is poorly predicted.

Especially dangerous combination of several risk factors. For example, with an increased voltage of 5, the flash drive is heated much stronger, and the intensive data flow, especially to write, can easily finish it. The more productive (and more expensive) model, the more in these conditions the risk of overheating. The memory cards are also concerned - there were reports about the damage to high-speed SD during serial photography or film reset.

Reducing the life of flash drives and cheap desktop enclosures: The USB ports on the front panel are connected to the motherboard with a unshielded loop that collect all the tips. This gives an excessive load on the connected device, which affects its operation - failures, slowdowns and increased heating. The failure in such conditions is quite likely, especially with ungrounded electrical wiring.

The manifestation of soldering defects contributes to increased mechanical loads, especially alternating (bent-broke), as well as drops and blows. Although flash drives are considered shockproof drives, a quartz resonator is usually present in their scheme. And this (in typical SMD cases) is a rather fragile detail that does not even withstand falling from the meter height. When cracked or departed from contacts quartz, the flash drive is recognized as "Unknown USB device" With zero codes VID / PID and work is unsuitable. Bad Controls Controller are manifested in the same way; Frequently strange and pure software glitches (see details below).

Hardware repair is already required here. Without a multimeter, the soldering iron is 25-30 W with a thin sting and technical hair dryer not to do: you should call connections, strengthen the soldering (often helps warm-air fees), restore damaged contacts or current tracks - first of all those that are adjacent to USB connector. Filed out details are replaced. We are talking about the elements of the strapping - most often resistors (including zero nominal rates, playing the role of jumpers), quartz and stabilizer 3.3 V.

Previously, the flash drives often broke fuses for nutrition and inductive interference filters in signaling chains. It was treated with the selection of analogues or even banal shunts, and the punched discrete stabilizer changed without problems (the price of the question is 20 rubles). True, sometimes, when turned on, the fee smoked - it means that the controller failed first, and the replaced part worked as a fuse.

In modern models there are no such elements - the manufacturers "optimized". All strikes assumes the controller. The stabilizer is also integrated there, so that its breakdown (identifies the chip instantaneous and unbearable heating) requires the replacement of the controller, and at exactly the same model with the same version of the firmware (the second-third round of the chip marking). Non-working quartz recognized in the absence of a generation of 12 MHz; For this we need at least a simple oscilloscope of the type of memorable radio amateurs C1-94.

A pleasant exception is the new model of flash drives with USB 3.0 interface. The high-speed device consumes a significant current (up to 900 mA according to the standard, in reality 150-250 mA in a simple and 300-600 mA under load), so designers returned to a discrete stabilizer, this time a pulse type, as well as throttle filters. With such an element base, the flash drives have become more maintainable.

Flash memory chips In most cases, it is impractical to replace - they are relatively roads, and after the flash drive, a full-fledged software repair is required, which may not work if there is no sufficient experience or the desired software. The controller is also a kind of thing: in retail, such chips are not sold (you will not order a batch of 1000 pieces), so you can only produce good instances from donors. It is pretty stupid to disassemble the working drive, so there are flash drives that are dead for another reason. Given the current variety of controllers (each model is produced in several modifications that are often incompatible on the firmware), donors will need a lot to at least several dozen. It is unlikely that the unprofessional repairman will have similar deposits.

The burned controller was physically damaged, but this is a rare case. Usually hardware faults are outwardly invisible

Will not forget about technological difficulties - for an amateur they are essential. Gently, without skew, "snot" and non-contacts solder 64 or 48 conclusions in increments of 0.4-0.5 mm (typical case of controllers and memory chips, respectively) with the go, is not so simple, especially if the tools are not the best. Therefore, therefore, the hardware repairs in most cases is limited to the replacement of the elements of the strapping.

As for the flexible flash drives, including "drunkenness", then a three-step technology developed for mobile phones is applicable to them. The board is initially washed away from salts and dirt into clean, preferably distilled water, then immersed in isopropyl alcohol (it has a concentration of 99.7% and actively displaces water from capillary slots, for example, under chips) and finally dried with warm air. Similarly, come with the details of the housing. The final drying before the assembly should last a few hours.

By the way, the first who applied absolute alcohol as an excitator was D.I. Mendeleev. In 1890, he suggested replacing the drying of Pyroxilin (the foundations of smokeless powder) with dehydration with his alcohol, which is completely safe. Since then, all over the world, this stage of production of powder is carried out only by the method of Mendeleev.

Naturally, all such work is preceded by disassembly of the flash drive, which in some cases requires subsequent mechanical repairs (there are constructions collected on glue or on fragile disposable snaps). A variety of models makes it difficult for their classification. In most cases, the housing consists of two halves or has a look of a sleeve where the filling is inserted. Details are held with a screw (better), friction or hidden snaps (worse). In any case, if you fail to access the board, then further repair is contraindicated.

Folded, unusual models are essential more difficult than their ranks

In the second part of this material, we will introduce you to the program problems of flash drives and methods of their solution, as well as give some tips, how to avoid breakdowns. Soon on your screens!