# Flash Drive problem...



## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

I have some important papers and photos I have backed up on a Flash Drive. There are .pdf, jpeg, and word docs. I can explore and see all ok. It recognizes each as either a .jpg, pdf, or doc. But when I open a .doc with word, there is no info on the page. When I open a .pdf file with Adobe, I get an error, and when I open a .jpeg it gives me an error, (tried several different programs). I have tried the flash drive on 3 different computers (2 "vista", and 1 "Win 7"). Thanks for the help in advance.


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

Do you remember what operating system you used when you first saved the docs?


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

Probably a XP&#8230;. But I tried it on a XP system here (Yes I have 4 computers here)&#8230; Still did not work&#8230;. But I had a few more folders on it and the .docs and .jpg&#8217;s in them opened OK. Must have been something to do with the writing to the drive at the time.&#8230;&#8230;
But anyway, I had forgot I had used 2 flash drive (just in case)&#8230;.Which is good, as this was a just in case time. The laptop bit the dust last week and I had to do a whole re-install and lost all. Now I&#8217;ve got all backed up multiple times. Problem solved, thanks a bunch.


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## bigdogkc (Feb 23, 2015)

It sounds like the data in the files in lost. when you look at them in Windows Explorer what are the file sizes? this won't help you now, but I recomend using Crashplan to backup your data. http://www.code42.com/crashplan/ We use it at my work, so I got it for free to use at home. If I ever change jobs, I am totally paying for the service though. It has saved me a bunch of times.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Flash drives are good for data transfer, but not long term storage. Data can become corrupt as the result of ordinary environmental conditions.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I don't know if this is pertinent or not, but thought I'd mention it for future reference, just in case. 

A few of my flash drives have a built-in safety feature so that when you're done you have to click on an icon in the bottom task bar to close it out. It says something like "safely remove drive". If you don't click on that and wait until it says okay, it might not save your documents correctly. Sometimes it will, which I don't really understand, lol, but most of the time it will look like they're there, then when you try to pull them up there's nothing there.

I didn't realize that function even existed or how important it was when I first started getting drives like that and learned my lesson the hard way. I don't know why some drives have this and some don't, but I double check them all now just to be sure.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

calliemoonbeam said:


> I don't know if this is pertinent or not, but thought I'd mention it for future reference, just in case.
> 
> A few of my flash drives have a built-in safety feature so that when you're done you have to click on an icon in the bottom task bar to close it out. It says something like "safely remove drive". If you don't click on that and wait until it says okay, it might not save your documents correctly. Sometimes it will, which I don't really understand, lol, but most of the time it will look like they're there, then when you try to pull them up there's nothing there.
> 
> I didn't realize that function even existed or how important it was when I first started getting drives like that and learned my lesson the hard way. I don't know why some drives have this and some don't, but I double check them all now just to be sure.


True, but that's about data transfer. When it's safe to remove the drive any data transfer is complete. That's just to prevent you issuing a command to copy something to the drive, then removing the drive before the transfer is complete.


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## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

What brand is the Flash Drive?


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