How to Troubleshoot a Kingston Flash Drive Full 16GB Data Traveler

Fixing a flash drive is simple, but often entails data loss.

If your Kingston 16GB Data Traveler flash drive is acting up, there are several things that could be wrong. Either the problem is on your computer's end, in which case you need to redirect your operating system to recognize it, or the flash drive itself will need to be fixed. Both fixes are quite simple, but the latter will erase the drive's contents.

Instructions

Detect the Drive

1. Restart your computer and plug the drive in. Many times the drive is acting up because it was improperly ejected previously. If this is the case, a restart will usually solve the problem.

2. Open "My Computer" from your "Start" menu. Write down the letters assigned to the various drives connected to your computer.

3. Click the blue button labeled "Map a Network Drive."

4. Click "Drive" near the top of the next window. From the drop-down menu that appears, select a letter that is not already in use by your computer (these are the letters you wrote down in Step 2).

5. Click "Browse" and click the flash drive. Click "OK" and then "Finish."

6. Restart the computer and see if the drive is working. If it is, you're done. If it is not, read on to reformat the drive.

Reformat the Drive

1. Open the "Control Panel" from the "Start" menu.

2. Click "Administrative Tools" and then "Continue."

3. Select "Computer Management" and click "Disk Management." You will see a list of your computer's drives. Right-click the flash drive and choose "Format." Click "Start" and wait for the formatting process to finish.

4. Restart the computer.

Tips & Warnings

• If you continue having problems after a reformat, the drive has a mechanical error and will need to be professionally repaired or replaced.

• Reformatting your flash drive will erase all the data contained on it.

References

• Wellesley College: How to Use a USB Flash Drive