Flash Drive Problems

I have a udisc 1gb flash drive that I use for audio in my car. When I first got the stick I had no problems putting audio on it. But now I when I try to send files to it from my comp via USB port it says Cannot copy ****** directory or file cannot be created. This is my first flash drive and I am not sure what I am meant to do to get round this.
I am on Windows XP home edition..Any suggestions?

 

Hi Seraphyn

Not a lot of info here!

Obvious ? is it full and needs cleanup.

Is it detected by windows USB new hardware and does it say it is ready?

Is it showing up in My Computer (as a removable drive) and can you browse and delete files?

go to Start-run

type or paste

DEVMGMT.MSC

click ok or hit enter

let us know if you have any red x's or yellow exclaimations.

Mike

 

Ok sorry for not putting in the obvious

No the drive is not full and does show up in my device manager. There are no red x's or question marks in my device manager.
I have done a scandisk and a defrag on the drive. I see all the files and can play the songs on my computer from the zip drive. I just cannot add any music files to it. The drive is showing up as having 433MB freespace.

 

OK so on the desktop rt click and copy a shortcut, any shrotcut.

Now open the removable drive and rt click inside it and paste.

Tell me the exact error if there is one.

If it works, then delete the shortcut you just pasted.

Get back.

Mike

 

Ok it says ---

Cannot Copy "Shortcut ": The directory or file cannot be created.

 

Ok lets take a deeper look at your system.

We will use some Spyware tools but in this case to see what is going on with your system right now.

Go here http://www.windowsbbs.com/announcement.php?f=41

Read and download Hijackthis ,Deckard DSS and ATF-Cleaner.
Follow the instructions on this page and post the logs created by HJT and dss.

Mike

 

Hi
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/w2000Msgs/3748.mspx?mfr=true

One or two suggestions.

If you are putting files directly onto the "drive" (root directory), make folders and put the files into those. Root directories usually carry system files so you should keep personal files in folders.

If you cannot find a solution, consider reformatting the drive.

Matt

 

Hi I dont suppose the drive stick has been locked by accident, if the slider lock is on you can only play whats on it but not delete or add anything,
Just a thought . Cheers Des.

 

Hi all

Excellent Demon!

But if not that then Mattman hit the nail on the head.

We so easily forget that while most HD theses days use the NTFS most USB sticks seem to come with FAT.

If this is true on your drive then FAT has a limitation of 512 entries in the FAT (File Allocation Tables) of the "Root Directory ".

Once you reach this limit there is just nowhere for the filename and location to be stored!

To confirm this just try to move a few files from the USB stick to the HD. If it lets you move via cut and paste and delete them from the Stick then this is your problem.

If it won't let you cut or delete from the drive you have a permissions issue if the drive is not locked as suggested by Demon.

In that case get back and we will check deeper.

To correct this create a folder on the USB stick (after moving some files) and move some of your files to folders as Mattman suggested.

A folder with even hundreds of files takes only 1 fat entry.

Mike

 

I am not sure about a slider.. But what both you and Mflynn have said makes sense that it is a permission isssue. I deleted one mp3 off my drive and then I was allowed to add another.

Here is a link to the flash drive I have maybe this could add some insight.

http://www.integralmemory.com/product_categ.aspx?prid=82

I am pretty sure its this card. I have to dig out my receipt to be 100% sure.

Thanks for all your help in this.

 

Don't need the link!

It is fixed.

I told you what the problem was in my last post.

Make some folders on your desktop name them what you want.

Example if you have music on the usb stick make a folder like Jazz

then "move" or "cut" not copy all the jazz music to the new Jazz folder on the desktop.

once all the Jazz is in the folder on the desktop and you have all your Jazz in it

then

cut the Jazz Folder off the desktop and paste back the folder on the USB stick.

Files in a folder count as 1 file in the Root directory even if it has many files.

You can not have more than 512 files on the USB stick that are not in folders.

Thank Mattman for fixing your issue.

Mike

 

I feel like such a newbie lol..Thanks a lot guys for all your help. Hey I'll get the hang of these new fandangle memory sticks cards and what not.

Thanks A lot.

 

Ok man

It will come.

Glad you got it!

Come here and follow some of the threads,find someone to help with what you do know.

Then you will be ready when you have your next issue!

Mike