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Question

16 gig flash drive.

Sep 11, 2013 5:23AM PDT

I bought a 16 gig Sandisk flash drive to do system recovery backup.
When I plug it in it shows up as a local disk G rather than Devices with removable storage in my computer.
When I try to run the backup program on the computer, it can't see the flash drive.
I haven't used a flash drive this big before so are they different than the smaller drives or is my computer doing strange things?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Is this a Sandisk Extreme
Sep 11, 2013 6:50AM PDT
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Answer
Me too.
Sep 11, 2013 5:28AM PDT

I found too many laptops fail to do this on Windows 8. The maker claims it's a Microsoft problem and Microsoft does not offer support to OEM installs.

Which is why I went back to old fashioned backups I've used in the past.

-> I'm going to revisit that over the next few months and try it on USB 2.0 ports if the laptop has them. Members here have given me clues that USB 3.0 is not as ready as it seems.
Bob

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Thanks Bob
Sep 11, 2013 6:38AM PDT

I thought it may turn out to be something weird.
I did try a USB 3 port and it does the same thing.
I have Windows 7 Home Premium on a Alienware R4 and their tech said it was a Microsoft problem and not the computer.
What surprises me is if I put in a 4 gig flash drive, it shows up as a "Devices with removable storage" if I put in a 8 gig which is not big enough for what I am doing, it comes up as a local drive G and the Alienware Respawn can't see the flash drive.
Will take your advise and go with the DVDs.

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Sorry I didn't know it was Dell's Respawn app.
Sep 11, 2013 6:47AM PDT

The ones I've tried and failed is the Microsoft recovery system and it's failing big time.

Makers and Microsoft seem intent on losing market share it seems.

-> Try formatting the drive in what other file systems are offered.
Bob

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I should have mentioned it was respawn.
Sep 11, 2013 2:20PM PDT

I did get the recovery on a USB.
I had to remove the respawn program and re-install the basic version, don't know why, but it worked?. That's Alienware for you, nothing is easy.
The tech at SanDisk said that Microsoft requires manufactures to configure all new flash drives as fixed disks for Windows 8 certification where as before they were configured as removable disks.
My neighbor had an older 16 gig USB2 PNY flash drive that showed up as removable storage in my computer and not a local disk. The Respawn program could see that flash drive.
After that it went just like the instructions said it should which was a surprise.