Why did my Windows computer stop detecting my SanDisk USB flash drive?
Advanced Troubleshooting
Note:
This article is advanced troubleshooting for a rare condition wherein a
flash drive stops getting recognized on a Windows computer, but is still
working on other computers. Please reference the following articles
first before attempting the instructions in this article.
Cruzer flash drive NOT detected by Windows PC
Cruzer flash drive could not be detected due to drive letter conflict
Computer cannot detect SDHC (4GB-32GB) memory card
A corrupt registry entry could cause your SanDisk product to not be
detected by the computer. Removing the registry keys created on
installation of your SanDisk product will allow the computer to fully
reinstall the device and may resolve the issue.Cruzer flash drive could not be detected due to drive letter conflict
Computer cannot detect SDHC (4GB-32GB) memory card
STEP 1 - Backup the registry
1. Unplug the device from the USB port.
2. Run regedit.
Windows XP: Go to Start > Run, type in regedit and then click OK.
Windows 7, 8 and Vista: Click the Start button, type regedit in the search box, and then press Enter.
3. From the registry menu, choose File > Export.
4. Name the file SNDK.reg and save it to your desktop.
STEP 2 - Remove SanDisk info from the registry
WARNING: DO NOT delete any registry key other than keys that include VID_0781. Deleting registry keys other than keys that include VID_0781 MAY cause your computer to not boot properly.
1. From the registry menu, click Edit and choose Find.
2. Type in VID_0781 and click Find Next.
3. Once the search finishes, right-click the highlighted registry key and select delete.
4. Press the F3 key to find the next registry key that includes VID_0781.
5. Right-click the highlighted registry key and select delete.
6. Repeat this process until the search returns with No results Found.
NOTE: Under Windows 7, 8 and Vista, some registry keys may be protected and cannot be deleted. Simply skip over these keys if you receive a message that the key cannot be deleted.
7. Once all registry keys containing VID_0781 have been deleted, reboot your computer.
8. Plug the device into the computer after it's finished rebooting.
