The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error

My thumb drive (or Samsung MP3 player) stores some important data I
can no longer retrieve. Windows OS detects the plugged-in drive but
when I click on assigned letter, the error is:

E: is not accessible. The request could not be performed because of an
I/O device error

It happened after I plugged it into somebody's MAC, created a new
folder and copied some content in there. However, I never had problems
using the thumb drive with my own MAC.

Anyway, I do not want to format it and Fix Errors did not work. What
should I do now? Please recommend. I need to somehow get that data.

Thanks

PS Somebody recommended me to force mount my drive on a Linux machine
with Samba installed. I do not have Linux available yet. So in a
meantime maybe there is another fix?

Your data is probably fine... just dumb Windows not seeing or being
able to access the drive under E anymore. See if Windows "sees" the
drive under Disk Management in control panel. If yes, see if it will
let you change the drive letter assignment, then see if that gets you
over the bump. Try something higher like X or Y if you're not already
using those drive letters. Once you can access your data, BACK IT UP!
If all else fails plug your MP3 player into another computer, and copy
all your files there then burn a CD or DVD and then use that to
restore to your Windows PC.

I move my thumb drive from my MacBook to PCs all the time and create
folders, delete stuff, etc. from either system(s) with no problem. I have
noticed that on every Vista machine, Vista wants to scan my thumb drive
first. This doesn't happen in any other Windows OS. I always say "no" of
course. Perhaps you allowed Vista to scan and "fix" your thumb drive.

So, let's determine if the drive is at fault or the data is just corrupted.
Attach the thumb drive to your Mac.

1. If it can be seen:

Copy the data to the hard drive and burn to a CD/DVD-R. Make sure you use a
burning format that works in both Mac and Windows. Toast gives you this
option; if you don't have third-party burning software you'll need to
research whether OS X's built-in burning capability will do this.

Once you have the data safely off the thumb drive, take it to a PC and
format it. Now copy the data from the CD/DVD-R to the thumb drive. Don't
ever let Vista "fix" your thumb drive again.

2. If the thumb drive can't be seen on the Mac, then it has died. The only
way to get data off a dead thumb drive is to send it to a professional data
recovery company like Drive Savers (my preference) or Seagate Data
Recovery. I don't know if the recovery prices Drive Savers charges are
different for flash drives as opposed to hard drives, but you can figure on
something like $500-$3,000. Only you know if this data is worth spending
that kind of money. I understand that some insurance companies are now
covering data recovery charges so check with yours.

Drive Savers - http://www.drivesavers.com
Seagate Data Recovery Services - https://www.seagatedatarecovery.com/

On Windows my drive is assigning the letter fine. Changing drive
letter will not fix anything. I tried different PCs. However, Windows
does not even see that the file system of my drive is NTFS. But the
device name is read correctly.
On MAC device is not showing up at all.
I think the data is fine but no Windows or Mac can read it. Spending
hundred of dollars for recovering seems expensive procedure. Besides,
what can they do what I cannot (at least in a long run)?
Thank you for any additional support.

I never suggested changing the drive letter. Either try data recovery
software, or send the drive to a professional company (and they can do
quite a bit you can't), or call it a day and forget about it. Thumb drives
are great but they are too fragile to use as a permanent backup solution.
You've just found this out the hard way. I don't think this is a Vista
issue.

Here are some links to various programs. I use Easy Recovery Pro, but it is
expensive. People whom I respect have recommended R-Studio and Restoration.
YMMV.

http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html
PCInspector File Recovery -
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/welcome.htm
Executive Software ?Undelete? -
http://www.undelete.com/undelete/undelete.asp
R-Studio - http://www.r-tt.com/
File Scavenger - http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm
Ontrack's EasyRecovery - http://www.ontrack.com/software/

>>>Besides, what can they do what I cannot (at least in a long run)?<<<

The below link is only "one" example. They are some labs that cost thousands
of dollars to build. For many the price is to costly for repair, but for
some and especially some company's, price is no issue when it could cost
them thousands for loss of data.
http://free-backup.info/how-is-a-har...very-done.html

I tried all of the recovery software and only some of them detect the
drive but NONE of them can access/read data.
Does it mean I either have to pay a lot for professional recovery or
lose data for good?
What could have happened with my drive?
Thanks.

Your Flash drive seems to have died. YOU goofed in not backing up any
data you had on it. Learn your lesson so it doesn't happen to you
again. If you want to blame somebody, find a mirror and gaze into it.
The reflection of the person you see is who's responsible for this
happening. Clear enough?

The lesson to be learned, which you haven't seemed to have learned yet
is if your data is important to you, then take the time to back it up
on a regular basis so you won't lose it like you apparently did.

I'm not trying to be mean, I'm trying to WAKE YOU UP to the realities
of how computers work. They're just machines. All machines in time
fail. No place is this more obvious that Flash drives who's memory can
fail or hard drives that can without notice or warning fail from any
number of mechanical reasons. You rolled the dice in not backing up,
and you got snake eyes.

If it is any comfort, most everyone at one time or another fails or
forgets to backup something really near and dear to him and loses it.
That is why getting into the habit of routine backing up can not be
over stressed.

As far as professional recovery, the cost rarely justifies the
considerable expense and this method is generally reserved for
businesses that might be trying to recover one of a kind documents,
not practical for individuals in most cases.

Hi Vunet,

I really don't know my friend what could have happen to your drive. As for
recovery, you only have as it appears to be two choices. Professional
recovery or bite the bullet and take your loss. Wish I had I better answer
for you, but I don't. Maybe someone can jump in here and be able to help
you, so keep checking this thread for awhile.

Although I can't suggest what might have happened to your thumb drive (USB
Flash drive) I have had success reclaiming data and photographs from dead
hard drives (The Master Boot Record was damaged) with 'On Track Easy
Recovery Professional' www.ontrack.com. I found that large files of data
which spanned across several sectors/ segments? were not recoverable however
all the smaller files were recovered.
It might be worth a try as you seem to think that the data is still on your
thumb drive.