How to Fix SanDisk 128GB USB Flash Drive is not Recognized on the PC?

SanDisk Flash Drive Not Detected by Windows PC

A user's SanDisk 128GB USB flash drive is not recognized on their Windows 7 computer, despite previously working fine. The USB drive's light flashes and appears in Windows Explorer, but is always empty when clicked on.

128GB USB flash drives from SanDisk, such as Cruzer Glide, Cruzer Blade, Ultra Dual Drive, Ultra Flair, and Ultra Fit, may not be recognized, likely due to issues with the drive's firmware or compatibility problems with the host computer's operating system. This can cause the drive to not be recognized or appear as a smaller capacity drive. In some cases, the drive may be recognized, but with incorrect capacity or formatting.

Causes of Cruzer Flash Drive not Detected by Windows PC

SanDisk USB devices may not be recognized due to various factors, including Windows configurations and issues with the USB drive itself, making it essential to identify the specific cause.

▶ In general, several elements might be the main causes:

• Bad USB ports.
• Corrupted registry entry.
• Applications for mobile devices affected the recognition.
• Your SanDisk 128GB USB drive has corrupted files or bad sectors, which can cause data loss and make the drive unusable. This can happen due to various reasons such as physical damage, power surges, or software issues.
• The flash drive is not formatted properly.

How to Fix SanDisk USB not Recognized Issue?

To troubleshoot a non-functioning USB drive, start by testing it on a different computer to determine if the issue lies with the drive itself or the port. If the drive is functional, check for corrupted files and delete them. If the files cannot be deleted manually, consider using a tool like SanDisk's USB drive file eraser to securely erase the files.

◤ Solution 1: delete the corrupted registry entry

A corrupt registry entry may cause a SanDisk product to not be detected by a computer, but removing the registry keys created during installation can resolve the issue by allowing the computer to fully reinstall the device.

▶ Warning: I'll make sure to be cautious when deleting registry keys. What kind of keys are you referring to?VID_0781. Deleting registry keys other than keys that include VID_0781 may cause your computer to not boot properly.

To edit the registry, open the Registry Editor by running regedit.exe. Then, delete only the specified key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\VID_0781&PID_7101 and/or VID_0000. Be cautious not to delete any other keys.

To resolve the issue, reboot your device and insert the SanDisk USB drive. It's a good idea to back up all your keys before doing this, just in case.

◤ Solution 2: disable application for mobile device

Some mobile device applications, like Samsung KIES or HTC Sync, may interfere with the USB flash drive's recognition, so try turning them off to see if it resolves the issue with your 128GB flash drive.

◤ Solution 3: reinstall the Sandisk USB drive in Device Manager

To uninstall the Sandisk driver on a Windows PC, simply right-click on it in Device Manager, select "Uninstall", then reinsert the Sandisk USB device. The computer will automatically scan for new hardware and download the updated Sandisk USB driver.

Now, reconnect your Sandisk to the computer and click the "Action" tab, go to "Scan for hardware changes" in the same window. This will reload the Sandisk drive and automatically download the Sandisk driver for Windows.

◤ Solution 4: format SanDisk 128GB USB drive correctly

If your 128GB USB drive isn't recognized by Readyshare, try formatting it with a reliable tool or using Diskpart to correct the file system format. This may resolve the issue and allow the drive to be recognized by Readyshare.

The only drawback of Diskpart is that it can't format a USB drive or SD card larger than 32GB to FAT32, but Qiling Disk Master Professional can help with that, allowing you to format a 128GB SanDisk USB drive to FAT32, EXT2, EXT3, or NTFS, making it suitable for various system requirements, and it has a user-friendly interface that works in Windows 11/10, 8, 7, XP, and Vista.

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Step 1. Insert the USB drive into your computer. Install and run Qiling Disk Master.

Step 2. Right-click the USB drive at the main interface and select "Format Partition".

Step 3. In the next window, specify the partition label and choose the right file system.

Step 4. Click "Proceed" to execute the operation.

▶ Tips: To avoid losing data on a USB drive, you can try changing the file system without formatting it. This approach allows you to modify the file system to a more compatible one without deleting any existing files.

To sum up

When you encounter the "SanDisk 128GB USB flash drive is not recognized on the computer" issue, you can stay calm and find a solution. You can use Qiling Disk Master to format the bootable USB drive to normal, even in Windows 7. Alternatively, you can restore the partition on the USB drive if you want to abandon the formatting. If you've accidentally deleted your files, you can use Qiling software to recover the lost data.

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