How to Fix a Malfunctioned Flash Drive

Flash drives last a long time, because they contain no moving parts to wear out. Even so, a flash drive can malfunction because of improper computer shutdown or improper removal of the drive from the system, causing data corruption on the drive. The solution is to reformat the drive using the operating system tools. This will restore the drive to its former condition.

Instructions

1. Insert the drive into an available USB port on the computer.

2. Double-click on "My Computer."

3. Right-click on the drive letter of the flash drive.

4. Select "Format."

5. Select the "FAT32" file system (which is common for flash drives) from the drop-down menu, and click the "Format" button.

References

• Microsoft: Format