My sandisk drive is just flashing and i get an i/o device error is my data all goine? It wont start up on my computer but shows up in the devices list. I cannot get to the password stage

Copy all the files onto your computer.
Then reformat the card, to identify and bypass the "bad" spots of memory. Note that flash-drives have a limited life-time -- after too much usage, you will be able to "read", but not "write" to the device. This is a sign that the device is "dying", and should not be trusted with "valuable" data.

You can use Advanced Folder Encryption to shred files in this external storage disk.
Or you should unlock the card in the first place.
Here is the site you can refer to: http://www.kakasoft.com/advanced-folder-lock/

try other usb port, or other computer and see whether the hdd is detected. If still not, try to go to device manager ( http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000833.htm ), and then assign a drive letter to the hdd. After that, try to access it from Computer, if not able to access it, format it (use quick format) and then use this program to recover your files.
http://www.asoftech.com/adr/

try to format in command prompt.

Hello kjh87....
1) If you are using a USB cable with your device, check the cable to make sure it matches the speed of the device. Use USB 2.0 cables with USB 2.0 devices and USB 1.1 cables with USB 1.1 devices. Swap cables and check the device, if this does not work, proceed to Step 2.
2) Next, open Device Manager and look under the heading for USB Serial Bus Controllers. If there is a device with a yellow exclamation mark next to it such as USB Mass Storage Device. Double-click on the entry and check the Device Status. If the status shows something like
"This device cannot start. (Code 10)"
proceed to Step 3.
3) The easiest way to solve a USB error code 10 in Windows XP
is to follow the steps below to remove and reinstall all USB controllers.
A. Click on Start
B. Right Click on My Computer, click on Properties
C.Click on the Hardware tab
D. Click the Device Manager button.
E. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
F. Right-click every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers node, and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time.
G. Restart the computer, and allow the computer to reinstall the USB controllers.
H. Plug in the removable USB storage device, and then test to make sure that the issue is resolved.
For more information on Troubleshooting USB device problems, visit the Microsoft Support Article on this subject.

I hope this helps...

I would recommend plugging your Cruzer into another computer. It's possible that your computer has corrupted or incorrect drivers for the flash drive. This is one cause of the yellow alert in Device Manager. If you move the flash drive to another machine and it works, you can save your data and make a backup copy. If your Cruzer doesn't work in a different computer (I would try at least 2 other working computers), it's possible that the flash drive is faulty.

bad news bro, the disk isnt initialized. your data is long gone only a data lab may get them back

We can fix it -- and recover the data (provided it is recoverable -- which it generally is). If we don't get your data back, we ship the drive back to you and you pay nothing. We've been recovering data for over 16 years and are successful about 85% of the time.

Craftsman Computer Services, Cudahy, Wisconsin

I own three flash drives, and follow this procedure. When you connect a flash drive, it should show up in "My Computer" as a removable drive - with a letter designation. Windows 98 requires driver software, XP and VISTA does NOT.

When you DISCONNECT the flash drive, you should "right click" on the drive icon, and select EJECT. The little light on the flash drive will go OUT, and THEN IT IS SAFE TO REMOVE IT. If you just pull the flash drive out without going through the disconnect ritual, you risk blowing the drive, and it is kaput. Doesn't always happen, but it can.

Delete all your USB drivers from device manager and then restart your computer. This will allow the computer to re-detect and install them. This should fix your problem.

You can get to device manager by opening control panel, then system, hardware, then device manager.