Can Not Access Usb Flash Drive

[llatuso]

I cannot access my usb flash drive. It is not listed in My Computer. According to device manager the drive is working properly. What should I do? I am using windows XP

[SpywareDr]

Does it work in another computer?

[llatuso]

The drive works on other machine and I have tried 2 different drives in the problem machine

[llatuso]

Does it work in another computer?

The drive works on other machine and I have tried 2 different drives in the problem machine
Edit/Delete Message

[lgbpop]

In Control Panel:
1) If the flash drive is in the Add/Remove Programs list, uninstall it;
2) System>Hardware tab>Device Mgr, right-click and delete it;
In Program Files if there's a file for it, delete it.

After exorcising it, shut down computer, plug in the flash drive then reboot. XP should detect it and install the drivers etc on its own. If it doesn't, you could try Add New Hardware in Control Panel. This feature sucks but sometimes it's the only way to add something. Don't be surprised if you have to browse for the driver file location, and when you tell XP to look in the flash drive it will say it's not plugged in. I assume your flash drive has its own install program set to autoplay on plug-in and startup.
If all that doesn't work, try plugging the flash drive into a computer that sees it, then right-click on it in My Computer. Don't Open/Run it, but Explore/Search/Edit depending on computer OS; right-click on the install files and copy them to disk or floppy. (If you use floppies, format them in the XP computer first!) Use the disk/floppy to load and run the install program in the XP manually, then shut down/plug in/reboot while bowing 5 times toward Redmond, Washington.

[prouton]

Most flash drives don't come with drivers for WinXP (or Win2K) because support is built into the operating system.

Is the problem computer a laptop or tower? I've found that the Sandisk MiniCruizer can be a problem in laptops, either because it draws more power than the laptop is capable of delivering to the usb port, or because the connector tongue isn't long enough to reach all the way into the laptop's connector (because of poor case design). Connecting the flash drive to a powered hub that is connected to the laptop solves the first problem. A hub also solves the second problem, although an extension cable usually does the trick for a much lower cost.