Hey everyone, I have here a 8GB Chinese flash drive.
Everytime I insert it my Windows prompt for a format and as expected it didn't work.
I download the tool hdd low level format tool, when I click format the log gets filled with "format error... the media is write protected".
I have tried many tools but the hdd low level format tool seems the most legit.
I searched this forum for a relative problem but I couldn't find anything useful.
Anyone could help me getting this to work ? Should I really lose hope and stop wasting my time on it ?
Thanks in advance.

Why I'm wasting time on this flash ?
1- It's looks good. (a Mercedes car key)
2- I can't stand having a 8GB flash drive that doesn't work I want it to work.
The only good this drive made is me finding this forum, it seems very interesting.

probably the controller firmware is corrupt.

Most, if not all format tools work with windows API to do the formatting, so unlikely for you to get it to work.

The flash, even if "working" is unlikely to be good.. slow read/write speed, bit errors because of poor quality NAND.

Unless you want to open the drive, look at what the controller chip is, go to somewhere like flashboot.ru and download the "Mass Production" tool.. and rwrite the drives firmware - and try and learn how to use the tool without killing drives - you may as well save your brain cells and ditch it in the trash.

@Niebieski, you may not need to crack open the device. Does USBDeview identify its Product ID and Vendor ID?

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

@fzabkar Thanks for your reply.
I downloaded USBDeview and used it on my flash drive.
Product ID: 7788 vendor ID: 0011
I hope this can get us to somewhere.

Kingston DataTraveler 101

probably something like:
[url]
http://reboot.pro/topic/18469-formating ... urer-tool/
[/url]

just plug this into google:
and start your reading. IMHO, You are going to be spending a lot of time for little, if any, reward. if the controller is SC, then a good chance poor quality NAND.

@Haque thanks for your replies.
I searched for it and I tried a couple of tools but no good.
I removed the drive from it's plastic casing and the numbers on the chip are :
I'm currently searching for it on Google but I posted it as I know that my post would take time for verification.

sc708, IIRC is like an AU69xx something controller (alcor)

and these are usually in crappy drives. I would not be worrying about it

So do you recommend that I give up about it ? or there is a way to get it to work ?

yes give up, or swap the "guts" of the drive with one that works so you still have the good looking key drive..

Alright Mr.HaQue, I'll probably swap the casing.
I got a bulk of these but all of them are working, Do you guess that it may be different hardware ?
I like to have as many flash drives as I can that's why It's hard for me to give up this 8GB. xD

It is probably the same hardware, they can fail for many reasons.. I would not try and figure it out, an 8GB flash drive costs around the same as a pie and coke, so if you spend too much time on it, it gets to be a bit of a waste.