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

SanDisk Flash Drive Not Detected by Windows PC

USB drives are important tools in transferring files as well as bootable devices in booting systems. However, the USB drive is not recognized by Windows happens now and then. One user just complained that his SanDisk 128GB USB flash drive is not recognized on the computer in his Windows 7. The SanDisk USB works pretty well last week, yet it is just no longer working this time. When he plugs it into the computer, the little light on the Cruzer Glide flashes and it shows up as a "USB drive" in Windows Explorer but is always empty when clicked on.

Except for SanDisk Cruzer Glide, other USB drives like Cruzer Blade, Ultra Dual Drive, Ultra Flair, and Ultra Fit may also have this kind of 128GB USB flash drive not recognized problem. Well, what on earth caused this problem?

Causes of Cruzer Flash Drive not Detected by Windows PC

The cause of SanDisk USB devices not being recognized varies from one user to the other. The reason changes from Windows configurations to the USB drive itself. Therefore, finding out the corresponding affecting factor is quite necessary.

▶ 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.
• The flash drive is not formatted properly.

How to Fix SanDisk USB not Recognized Issue?

Take different measures for different causes. You can try the USB drive on another computer to test if the USB port is functional. If there are corrupted files on the USB drive, delete them. You can turn to SanDisk USB to erase files when you cannot delete those files manually.

◤ Solution 1: delete the corrupted registry entry

As covered before, a corrupt registry entry could cause your SanDisk product to not be detected by the computer. Removing the registry keys created on the installation of your SanDisk product will allow the computer to fully reinstall the device and may resolve the issue.

▶ Warning: Don't delete any registry key other than keys that include VID_0781. Deleting registry keys other than keys that include VID_0781 MAY cause your computer to not boot properly.

Run regedit.exe to start Registry Editor. Delete ONLY this key in registry: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentContolSet\Enum\USB\VID_0781&PID_7101 and/or VID_0000".

Then reboot and insert the SanDisk USB. You may want to back up all keys before you do this.

◤ Solution 2: disable application for mobile device

Additionally, it is reported by SanDisk support that some applications for mobile devices such as Samsung KIES and HTC Sync may prevent the USB flash drive from being recognized correctly. So check if you have installed and started any similar applications. If yes, turn them off for your 128GB flash drive to be recognized.

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

Uninstalling your Sandisk from Device Manager by right-clicking and selecting Uninstall, then reinserting Sandisk USB to the computer, scanning for new modifications, and automatically downloading the updated Sandisk USB driver on Windows PC.

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

◤ Solution 4: format SanDisk 128GB USB drive correctly

If the 128GB USB drive is not formatted correctly, you need to run CHKDISK and format the drive. Some users say their SanDisk 128GB USB flash drive is not recognized by Readyshare due to incorrect file system format. Under such conditions, a reliable and powerful USB format tool will be a great help. Surely, you can format the 128GB in Diskpart. Please see the format Intenso USB drive for detailed steps of using Diskpart.

The only drawback of Diskpart is that it does not allow you to format a USB drive or SD card that is larger than 32GB to the FAT32 file system. In this case, Qiling Disk Master Professional is helpful. It can help you format the SanDisk 128GB USB drive to FAT32, EXT2, EXT3, and NTFS to meet different system requirements. It has a user-friendly interface and 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: if you don't want to lose data on the USB drive, you can try to change the file system without formatting.

To sum up

When you encounter the "SanDisk 128GB USB flash drive is not recognized on the computer" issue, stay calm and find a way out. As a matter of fact, Qiling Disk Master can format the bootable USB drive to normal in Windows 7 as well. By the way, it is always allowed to restore partition on a USB drive if you want to abandon the formatting. If have accidentally deleted your files, you can use Qiling software to recover the lost data.

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