I can't get my new flash drive to work

[nappyaddict]

I bought this but I can't get it to work on my laptop. My laptop recognises I have plugged something into the USB port cos it makes a bleeping sound but that's it. If I go into My Computer it doesn't recognise there is anything in drive H.

Is our PC modern or a bit old ? What version of Windows is it running?

Some drives need USB v2.0 (like this one - some mention they are backward comparible with USB v1.1)

I found a USB v2.0 card on Ebay that goes into the back of a mini-tower or desktop PC (not a laptop) and offers the higher speed USB 2.0 ports. Should find something like that for about a fiver if your PC only has v1.1 ports.

Not sure I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FE21H if that helps?

I've got Windows XP.

Well, I think it is a 2006 laptop (sorry, hit the switch on my power strip and powered off 4 PCs so rebooting them (drat!)) and I would expect it to be OK with a USB v2.0 memory stick.

However, have seen a couple of 'Neutral' feedbacks (because of misdescribed/ faulty 16 GB sticks, different design to yours).

Have you any alternative machines (friends / relations) on which you could test that stick?

It might come up as some different drive letter, so do any new drives appear when it is plugged in?

It might be time to contact seller and say it appears faulty, but try to check it with another PC first. Sorry to be a bit gloomy.

Specification says that laptop has 2x USB 2.0 ports so dismiss my initial concern.

It works in my friend's laptop so it must be my laptop.

Will this one work instead do you think?

If there's a problem accepting a 16 GB stick, without any clear reason, I suspect there's almost a worse chance of working with a 32 GB stick.

I think the first Ebay seller had some complaints about other sticks having only 2 GB of memory in them, but this latest one has a score of zero - so no selling history whatsoever.

I'd urge you not to touch a 32 GB stick at a price which is similar to some 8 GB sticks, from someone with no record of selling anything and with a Chinese sounding name but apparently in Eire.

Have you tested your laptop with 8 GB, 4 GB, or 2 GB to be sure your machine can accept memory sticks, and when you tried the 16 GB stick on friend's laptop did it show as having 16 GB (just curious - seems you got a bargain if so).

Lastly do you really need to have a stick with that much capacity - it's a lot to lose if you have a problem with a stick, and there are other types of drive available (with much less cost per GB of storage)...

Unless you are planning to steal company secrets, of course, where such a small item can go in and out of the office a little more easily, and not be so noticeable when plugged in to a PC there.

I have another 16GB stick which my laptop accepts perfectly fine. Not sure if the full 16GB of storage was on the other stick when I tested it.

What cheaper storage option would you recommend? It's mainly music, films and photos.

The big question (for me) is why you need to copy it to a USB stick ?

These days it is getting easier to buy 160, 250, 320, 500, 750 or even 1000 GB of external storage at 'knock down' prices. 3-4 months ago I paid about 80 pounds for a 1000 GB (1 TeraByte) external Western Digital drive.

I just took a look at Ebuyer. For the sort of cost of 3 or 4 USB sticks (30 to 50 pounds) I found these:

48.99 Toshiba 320 GB portable drive

45.99 Freecom 320 GB mobile drive

45.00 Iomega 500 GB external drive

39.99 Hitachi 320 GB Portable Drive

37.95 Fujitsu 250 GB external drive

Some of the "portable" drives are meant to be a little more "rugged" but cost more. I have included them because I don't know whether you want to move large numbers of music tracks or films fromone place to another, or just plan to use storage as a backup of your PC/Laptop.

I suspect some are counting on their brand name (like Toshiba) to get a sale even at a higher price. Iomega has been a storage firm for a long time, alongside Western Digital and someothers, but Iomega made the Zip drive and SparQ drive before touching hard drives. The bulk of drives for companies will be made by the top three or four manufacturers and just given different serial numbers.

I have not checked the detailed specifications for the above drives, but felt they represented reasonable value for money - if you look on Google Shopping youmay find others on offer a little over 50 pounds but storing 1000 GB. I just did a search on Ebuyer (but you could compare with Dabs, Argos, Comet, Amazon and others).

One bit of warning - there are lots of empty external drive holders (enclosures) in the 20 to 40 pound bracket and disk drives at similar prices, which would fit inside, but you'd be paying say 25 for the enclosure and 30 for the drive. The ones I listed above are complete enclosures with drives inside, so are better value even if a bit more cash than some you may spot if you search for 'external hard drive' for example.

I hope you can see the way that having 3x 16 GB sticks is more expensive than say 250 GB on one disk drive. More portable, I accept, but much more per GB in cash terms.

(Sorry, Toshiba should have been 48.25 not 48.99)

The Iomega has a power supply (first two use power from the PC/Laptop - so would run down a battery faster)... not sure about the Hitachi or Fujitsu.

Toshiba has no fan which will mean it is quieter than some others...

All depends how you will be using one and where.

Last two don't have much detail about them (power source or fan/no fan).

I'd put the working (but not with your laptop) 16 GB stick back on Ebay at a fixed price with a Buy It Now (make sure you add a quid or so for postage).

Allow returns, and say it was tested with