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When I tried to create a Windows To Go with Rufus, the process failed and my flash drive is in a weird state:

  • The drive will freeze any "disk reading" operations, including:

    • Diskpart (list disk will just keep loading)
    • Windows Explorer will crash when you attempt to click on your flash drive
    • chkdsk will keep loading
    • Because Windows "unable" to read/list the disk, it is not shown in the Device manager
    • And obviously low level format tools (Formatter Silicon Power, from flashboot.ru) cannot be run, because it cannot find the flash drive in the first place.
    • In Task Manager, USB drive disk usage is constantly at 100%
    • The above also happens in Safe Mode

Because of that, I cannot interact with the USB at all, like re-install driver, format, chkdsk, re-partition, etc. (I even tried to mount to USB into a Linux Virtual Box VM and tried to wipe it with dd, but obviously Virtual Box cannot find the USB)

But when the USB was removed, everything instantly returns to normal (diskpart instantly list other disks, windows explorer return to normal, etc.)

I assume that Windows is doing some checking when USB drive is plugged in. Is it possible to make windows skip this process and allows me to run the Low Level Formatter directly?

Flash drive: Kingston DataTraveler 100 G3 32GB

Much appreciated and thanks.

Jamie Phan
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    You've probably reached the 'bin it & replace' stage. they're not worth fighting once they start to play up. See http://superuser.com/questions/1125282/what-can-i-do-if-my-usb-flash-drive-is-write-protected-or-read-only and https://superuser.com/questions/871850/usb-flash-drive-not-working-or-is-appearing-as-an-empty-disk-drive-disk-managem for similar if not identical issues. – Tetsujin Apr 27 '21 at 18:21
  • USB is a bus, and has sockets for connecting USB *devices*. When you use the term *"USB"*, you seem to be referring to a specific USB *device* (e.g. a USB flash drive?) rather than the bus of the PC. Your title and post is therefore confusing and incomplete. You need to clearly identify what USB (storage) *device* you are having an issue with. – sawdust Apr 27 '21 at 20:37
  • @Tetsujin It's a bit different though. I had the same problem similar to those two post before, which after I ran a low formatter (from flashboot.ru), it restores it. However this time, windows just refuse to load the USB, so all process that read all devices will hang, resulting unable to run a low level formatter. – Jamie Phan Apr 27 '21 at 20:51
  • @sawdust Thanks and updated. – Jamie Phan Apr 27 '21 at 20:55

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