Computer gurus - I need thumb drive help please

10 years ago

My daughter gave me a thumb drive that has pictures of a camping trip. I plugged it in to my computer's USB port and nothing happens. (I have never used a thumb drive before but assumed it would load like a CD or DVD). Any instructions you would be able to give me to get these pictures to load and save to my computer would be so much appreciated. I have gone to Start/Computer/ and it is not listed in my removable storage. I have also unplugged my computer overnight to try that with no luck. It is not the thumb drive itself as it works in my digital photo frame. Thank you.
If it matters, I have Windows 7.

Comments (11)

mikie_gw
10 years ago
Try a different USB outlet.

It should show up in Computer or MyComputer or ThisPC as a Drive letter. Then you can double click and drag n drop or copy & paste the pictures you want. Or open the pictures directly with a double click.

The usb memory stick should be the next available drive letter ... so if you have C, D, E-DVD, it would be F drive ... Which you could open from the run line or search F:\
cjacker
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi mikie, thank you for responding. I have tried different USB outlets with no luck (these outlet work with other things).
I have C, D, E-DVD. Then I have K, which is VZAccess Manager (Verizon). For some reason when I plug in the stick it does not show up.
Any other ideas? Thanks
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zep516
10 years ago
Hi gma i

See link for additional help.

Joe

Here is a link that might be useful: missing-usb-drive-in-windows-7
DA_Mccoy
10 years ago
Have you tried an alternate drive to make sure the system is reading thumb drives?

A few shots in the dark:

Reboot in Safe Mode, install the drive and attempt to locate.

Attempt to locate the drive using Windows Explorer.

Open the Safely Remove Hardware utility and open each entry one by one by double clicking on it. Just read the reporting information. Take no action. Cancel out after reviewing the entry.

DA
Richard (Vero Beach, Florida)
10 years ago
Probably a long shot but does your Daughter also use Windows? If she uses a MAC(or Linux), perhaps it's formatted with a file system that Windows can't read?

I don't know if that conflicts with the fact that your photo frame can read it though. Unless maybe they're just more versatile? I don't have one, so don't really know.

BTW, since you know there really are pictures on it, if somewhere along the way Windows offers to "format" it... DON'T do it. :)
Elmer J Fudd
10 years ago
Ask her to burn the photos on a CD, she can give that to you in place of the thumb drive.
cjacker
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi mikie, thank you for responding. I have tried different USB outlets with no luck (these outlet work with other things).
I have C, D, E-DVD. Then I have K, which is VZAccess Manager (Verizon). For some reason when I plug in the stick it does not show up.
Any other ideas? Thanks
vnw232
10 years ago
Click the globe in lower left hand of screen, type Auto Play in search box, Pictures, or Software and Games, Open folder to view files or Import Pictures and Videos using Windows Explorer.

This post was edited by vnw232 on Fri, Oct 18, 13 at 20:32
cjacker
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for advice, everyone. I have tried all suggestions now and still no luck. Any other suggestions would still be welcome.
emma
10 years ago
Have her send you photos in an email, a few at a time if there are a lot of them. My Sis and I do that all the time. I don't do the slide show but she does and I save them to my PC.
owbist
10 years ago
On many/most/all thumb drives there is a tiny LED light, do you see it with yours?

Right click Start
click Open Windows Explorer
In the new window look down the left side for your thumb drive, possibly showing as the F drive.

When you insert the thumb drive is there an audible signal?
When you remove it is there an audible signal?

What happened when you visited the link Zep provided? Simply saying you tried everything is not helpful, a more detailed reply could help considerably.

Chuggerguy asked if you daughter had a Mac or Linux program. Does she?

Did she format the thumb drive? These are normally formatted in FAT format.

Computer gurus - I need thumb drive help please

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