dead SanDisk 512 MB Cruzer Mini...any hope?

[rampantcreature]

Okay, so I have 2 of the exact same SanDisk 512 MB Cruzer Minis. They were purchased together back in June 2005 if memory serves me right. I know they may not be from the same batch, but to all of my knowledge they are identical.

However about a year ago, one of the drives completely died. It was absolutely fine, didn't give me any problems. And then I just tried to use it last summer and it didn't work. I've periodically checked on it since. On Windows XP Professional running SP2, the USB device pops up in the QuickLaunch bar, and recognizes it is there. It's even assigned the proper drive letter and can be removed safely and all that jazz. However, it does not show the files on it or actually let me access the drive in any way. When I do try to open it, it will often run "Autoplay" for several minutes and freezes explorer temporarily, until Autoplay times out, or an error message pops up claiming "the device is not ready". I've tried this on several computers (various Dells, an aging HP Laptop) all running some version of XP, and it hasn't worked on a single one. I even tried it on a Mac OS X, which didn't even register that the USB drive was connected even though its light was on.

The other drive still works fine, even though it has...uh...been physically damaged (i.e. bent), but it means that I can definitely tell the two apart. Comparing them on Computer Management/Disk Management, it claims that both drives are healthy, and that my dead drive has 100% free memory. The only unexpected difference between the two drives is under the "File System" category: my working drive has the entry FAT, my dead drive has that field blank.

I've tried to research this problem on the internet, and found that it has happened to several people, with various sized Cruzer Minis. So I was wondering if there is any conclusive solution to get the USB drive working again, or if there is simply no hope.
-Buzz

[DanU]

Have you tried reformatting it?

[stevemu]

Certainly worth trying a reformat , I had a dead drive and the folks at the place I usually
buy htese things sent me a copy of the HP flash formating util , worked a treat when the windows format had failed

PM me if you can't find a copy online

Steve