Help Center

DataStick USB Drive or Flash Storage card - Storage and Function Troubleshooting


Problem:The symptoms are numerous, but here is a small sampling: 

• files stored on device are corrupt or not opening properly
• unable to store data to the capacity of the drive
• trouble reading files from drive, and/or saving files to drive
• Windows was unable to complete the format
• drive properties show 0 bytes used, 0 bytes free

Solution:You may have file corruption on the volume. Here are possible causes of file corruption:

• Turning off the computer while it is still saving information
• Large static charges to the DataStick/SpinDrive USB Drive or Flash storage card
• Airport x-ray machines (recommended to be carried on your person)
• Setting the USB Drive or Flash storage card on or near strong magnetic sources
• Removing the USB Drive or Flash storage card from the computer while you have files open
• Removing the USB Drive or Flash storage card from the computer while it is still copying files from the device to the computer's hard drive
• On a Mac, removing the drive or card without first trashing the icon or ejecting
• On Windows, removing the USB Drive or Flash storage card without first stopping it.

If you are getting the message that "Windows was unable to complete the format", or "0 bytes used, 0 bytes free" you may need to perform a low level format to restore the drive to normal function.  For more information, click here.

Please refer to the following link for information on Safely Removing a USB Drive.
Safely removing a Flash Drive


To resolve this, try the following:

1. Back up any data stored on the device (see Notes on Backup below)
2. Format the USB Drive.
1. Click Start, then click 'My Computer' (WinXP) or 'Computer' (Windows Vista/7/8)
2. Right-click the icon for the USB drive, then click 'Format'
3. Leave all format options at their default setting with one exception; uncheck the option for Quick Format (if it is checked)

1. Check for any errors on the DataStick/SpinDrive USB Drive or Flash storage card

In some cases, a more effective format method is to use the Windows XP Disk Management Tools

1. Right-click 'My Computer', then click 'Manage'
2. In the 'Computer Management' window, click 'Disk Management'
3. Find the drive for the Centon device, right-click on its drive letter and click 'Format'
4. Be sure the "Quick Format" option is not checked, and the Volume Label is blank. Leave the 'Allocation unit size' set to 'Default'.
5. For drives 2GB or smaller, choose FAT as the filesystem. For all drives larger than 2GB, the default (and likely only option) should be FAT32.
6. Click 'OK' to begin the format.

1. Windows Vista Disk Management Tools instructions --- Click here. (Click the link for"To format an existing partition (volume)")

WARNING: Drive format will erase all files and information stored on the device. Be sure to backup your files prior to formatting!

Or on a Macintosh OS X system:

1. From the Dock, open "Disk Utility" (Applications/Utilities)
2. Click "First Aid". Select the volume you wish to check
3. Read the information displayed onscreen
4. Click "Verify Disk"; if needed, click "Repair disk"

Then:

1. Click "Erase" from the top selector (next to "First Aid")
2. Choose "MS DOS File System (FAT16)"
3. Click the "Erase" button

Notes on Backup

If possible, simply copy your files using your operating system's file management program. Click here for instructions.

If you cannot use your operating system's file management program to copy your files to another drive, you may be able to use a data recovery utility to attempt to access and back up your data. There are numerous data recovery utilities that you may be able to use to attempt to recover your data. Centon does not provide nor support these software programs. Just search your favorite search engine for "data recovery".

ReadyBoost works by using flash memory such as a USB drive, SD card or CF (CompactFlash) card as a cache. The core idea of ReadyBoost is that a flash drive is capable of a much faster seek time than a typical magnetic hard disk (less than 1 ms), allowing it to return requests faster than reading files from a rotating hard disk. It also leverages the inherent advantage of multiple parallel sources from which to read data. Windows 7 enables the use of up to eight flash drives at once, allowing up to nine parallel sources and greatly reducing the access time required.

Are there any Disadvantages to ReadyBoost?

Since flash drives wear out after a finite (though very large) number of writes, ReadyBoost could eventually wear out the drive it uses—though this may take a long time, depending on various factors. According to Microsoft, the drive should be able to operate for at least ten years.

To format a USB drive you must be logged on using an account with administrator privileges. Please see the instructions below to reformat for your PC, or Mac system.

Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8)

1. While logged on using an administrator account, connect the USB drive to your USB port.
2. Open the 'My Computer' (XP), or 'Computer' (Vista/7) window.
3. Right-click the drive letter for the Centon USB drive, then click 'Format'. The default options should fine.
   • drives up to 2GB - default filesystem = FAT;  drives 4GB to 32GB - default filesystem = FAT32;  drives 64GB or larger - default filesystem = exFAT;  Note: exFAT filesystem requires Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or newer, or Windows XP SP2 or SP3 with Hotfix KB955704.  The default filesystem can be modified if desired - just select the filesystem of your choice from the drop-down menu.  [FAT32 limits file size to less than 4GB; if you have files 4GB or larger, use exFAT or NTFS.
   • Optional: Untick the option for 'Quick Format' to perform a full format (format may take considerably longer time to complete).
4. To begin the format, click the 'Start' button, then click 'OK' to confirm that you really want to erase all data; the drive will be formatted.

Once the format completes, you should be able to write or delete files on the flash drive without incident.

Mac

1. Connect the USB drive to a USB port on your Mac.
2. Launch Disk Utility, located in Applications > Utilities
3. Locate the Centon USB drive from the left hand side of Disk Utility and click on it.
4. Click on the 'Erase' tab across the top.
5. Choose the desired format. (see below)
   • FAT - on Mac, FAT can be used on nearly any capacity USB drive.  [FAT may limit file size to less than 4GB; if you have files 4GB or larger, use exFAT or Mac OS Extended (Journaled)].
   • "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)", a.k.a. "HFS+" - If you plan to use the drive on Mac computers only, this is the recommended file system. Drives formatted with this file system cannot be read on Windows or other PC's.
   • ExFAT - format to this file system if your computers meet the requirements:
     • Mac - requires OS X 10.6.5 or later
     • Windows - requires Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows XP SP2 or SP3 with Hotfix KB955704
6. Name the drive if you want, the name can be changed at any point.
7. Click the 'Erase' button and confirm again on the next pop-up window.

Once the format completes, you should be able to write or delete files on the flash drive without incident.

For SD Cards,

Centon Tech Support recommends using the SD Card Organization's software tool for formatting SD, SDHC and SDXC media.

SD Formatter 3.xx for SD/SDHC/SDXC
https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/

In most cases, it is likely that you are using a 32-bit operating system.

32-bit operating systems only support up to 4GB of RAM.  A portion of the upper memory range is reserved for various system resources, and when 4GB or more RAM is installed, 32-bit versions of Windows or other 32-bit operating systems will report the usable amount of memory with the reserved portion excluded from the total amount reported.  The amount of reserved memory will vary depending on the hardware and system configuration.  For example, a PCI Express card like a video card will require a certain portion to be reserved by the system.  The more hardware that is installed, the greater the amount that will be reserved for system resources.  Thus, systems may report anywhere from around 2GB of RAM to around 3.5GB of RAM when 4GB or more RAM is installed.

Here are some links on the Microsoft Support site discussing the 32-bit operating system limitation.  Further information can be found by querying Google (or other search engine) for "windows reports less memory than installed".

The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed

--- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

The usable memory may be less than the installed memory on Windows 7-based computers

--- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978610

How many photos/songs/movies/documents can I store?

Applicable products:

All DataStick USB flash drives

All SD/microSD, SDHC/micro SDHC, SDXC/micro SDXC, and CompactFlash flash media

A common question for various storage products is: How much can I store on it?

How much it can store can depend on numerous variables.  For example, most users will store a variety of file types on a storage volume, including music/audio files, photos, movies, documents, spreadsheets, etc.  Each file type may have a few variables that affect the total file size.

Examples:

• audio and music files - the quality (encoding) of the music file (128Kbps, 192Kbps, 256Kbps etc.), the song length in minutes.  For example, a MP3 music file encoded at 128Kbps will be a smaller size than the same song encoded at the higher quality encoding rate of 256Kbps.
• photos - the photo quality in terms of megapixels; the higher the megapixel, the larger the file size.
• movies - the encoding quality and codecs used directly affect the file size; the higher the quality the larger the file size

Below are estimates of various file types for varied drive capacities, and these estimates assume that the drive volume contains only a single file type at a time. In other words, for the 3750 music files, all files stored on the volume are 128Kbps MP3 music and no other files.

Backup your data.

·         If the drive is not accessible, you may attempt to recover your data with software.  (Generally, if the drive is not accessible, the type of recovery software best suited for the task is partition recovery software.)

2.       Next, you can do one of the two options shown below:

a.       Use command line by opening cmd.exe console.

 i.      In command console type “diskpart” and wait until you are in diskpart.

 ii.      Type “list disk” to list attached drives.

 iii.      Identify the correct drive number.

 iv.      Type “select disk #” to select the target drive.

 v.      Type “attribute disk clear readonly” to remove write protection.

 vi.      Type “exit” to exit diskpart.

 vii.      Close console.

b.      Use regedit by opening Register Editor console.  Before proceeding, be sure to back up the registry.  See "How to back up and restore the registry in Windows".

  i.      In the editor under Computer select “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” directory

  ii.      Then select “SYSTEM” directory

  iii.      Then select “CurrentContrlSet” directory

  iv.      Then select “Control” directory

  v.      Then select StorageDevicePolicies” directory

  vi.      Then select and click on the “writeprotect” register to open and edit register value.

  vii.       If you observe the value set to “1” (indicating read only), change it to value “0”.

  viii.      Click okay and exit the editor.

3.       Eject the USB drive and reload it again. (It may also be good to restart the system)

4.       Try and see if the drive is writable now.

=====================================

Another potential solution is to perform a low level format of the flash drive. To put it plainly, this will level out the memory chip inside and return it to its original state. Please keep in mind, while you may restore function to the drive it will permanently erase any data you may have had stored on the drive in the first place. You can attempt to recover your data by using a data recovery utility before using the Low Level Format utility.

Instructions on reformatting drive:

1. Download and install one of the following: the Low Level Format Tool (LLF) or Active@ KillDisk (www.killdisk.com).
2. Insert your USB Flash Drive into your computer and run the program you downloaded.
3. You will see your USB flash drive is shown inside the program window. Click on your USB flash drive and then click ‘Continue’. (Be sure to click the correct drive – you DO NOT want to format the wrong drive.)
4. Click on "Low-Level Format" in Tab. Click the ‘FORMAT THIS DEVICE’ button to begin the format.
5. Once the Low Level Format is complete, you may need to conduct a high level format of the drive. You will only require this if the drive is not able to store files after you have completed the low level format.
• Go to ‘My Computer’ (or ‘Computer’ in Windows Vista or Windows 7)
• Double-click the drive letter for the USB Flash drive.
• Windows will prompt you to format the drive. Proceed with the format – make sure the “Quick Format” option is unchecked – other default options should be OK.

My memory card or USB drive is showing as RAW. How can I restore the card to normal?

If your memory card or USB drive is showing the file system is RAW this means the partition is corrupt or missing. In order to format the card/USB drive you will first need to create a new partition. 

1. Make sure you are logged into Windows using an administrator account.
2. Click the start menu and type 'diskmgmt.msc' (WinXP/Vista/7) or for Win8 use the key combo Windows logo key  +C on your keyboard to bring up the Charms bar, then click Search and type 'diskmgmt.msc'.  Click the search result to open diskmgmt.msc.​
• ​​​Note: If you receive a prompt stating you do not have access rights to Logical Disk Manager, follow the above step again, but this time right-click on the search result for diskmgmt.msc and left-click on 'Run as administrator'.  You will be prompted to enter the password for the administrator account for your computer.
3. Look for the disk matching your Centon drive and click on it in the upper pane of the window.  Doing this should highlight the disk in the lower pane.  Right-click an unallocated region or RAW space on your USB disk, and then click New Simple Volume.
4. In the New Partition Wizard click Next.
5. For the partition or volume size use the default settings which will create a single partition on the USB drive. Click Next.
6. Assign a drive letter for the USB drive. (Make sure to select a drive letter that is not currently being used by another drive.)
7. Choose the file system in which you would like to format the USB drive. For drives 2GB or smaller, the recommended file system is FAT (FAT32 is optional).  For drives 4GB to 32GB, the recommended file system is FAT32 (exFAT is optional).  For drives larger than 32GB (i.e. 64GB, 128GB, 256GB), the recommended file system is exFAT. Click Next.
8. Click Finish to complete partitioning and formatting the drive.

Note: If format fails contact Centon Customer Support for possible warranty replacement.

Centon’s Flash memory cards and DataStick USB Flash drives offer convenient and easily transportable storage for pictures, music, video and other important files. To minimize data loss and ensure the best results from your Centon Flash storage device, follow these simple recommendations:

1.     Replace or recharge batteries in devices after getting a low-battery warning.

Battery discharge is one of the most common problems causing the loss of pictures or other data on Flash storage devices. If a battery dies in the middle of a write operation to the Flash storage device, not only can the file being written become corrupted, but the entire device may be damaged as well. For example, if the File Allocation Table (FAT) directory file update is incomplete and the FAT file is corrupted, some or all files on the Flash storage device may no longer be accessible. However, it may be possible to repair the Flash storage device using commercially available disk recovery software. Even with these recovery programs, some data or files on the Flash storage device may still be lost, but the rest may be recoverable. To avoid these problems, carry a spare battery if possible or stop using a device when battery power gets very low.

2.     Properly remove your Flash storage device from the host device. 

It is important to wait until all operations are completed before removing a Flash storage device from a digital camera or other host device. If the Flash storage device is removed during a write operation, for example, the Flash storage device may be corrupted and data loss may occur. Most digital cameras will show a blinking light during Flash write operations, so it is important to wait until all operations are completed. On PCs and Macs, it is important to stop a Flash memory card’s or DataStick USB drive’s connection. (For Flash cards: In Windows, right-click the drive letter for the flash card, then click Eject. In Mac, drag the icon for the flash card to the Trash to eject. For USB DataStick drives: In Windows, use the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the system tray. In Mac, drag the icon for the USB DataStick to the Trash to eject.) Computers often "cache" data into memory and may delay the write to USB Flash drives. As a rule of thumb, wait a minimum of two minutes after you finish writing data to a flash card or DataStick USB drive. Also, close any open Explorer or Finder windows, or other applications that may have been accessing the flash memory.

3.     Properly store Flash cards and close the cap on DataStick drives. 

Flash storage devices, while quite reliable, can be damaged when dropped on hard surfaces. When they are not in use, store Flash storage cards in their SD or CF storage cases, or other protective storage case. DataSitck drives should be stored with their caps on, or USB connector retracted (for DataStick Slide, Rush, & Keychain). In addition, static electricity can also damage Flash storage devices. For example, on dry days, a person can generate enough static electricity to cause a spark while touching a doorknob or other metal objects (this is called electro-static discharge or ESD). Centon Flash cards and DataStick drives are designed to resist high levels of electro-static discharge; however, extreme levels of ESD may cause damage.

4.     Do not force Flash storage devices into connectors.

Flash card or USB Flash drive connectors are unidirectional. This means that the Flash storage device must be inserted in one direction only; if you cannot insert the drive or card, do not force it in. This will prevent damage to the Flash storage device or the socket. For more information on proper insertion of Flash cards or USB Flash drives, consult your host device's user manual.

5.     Pack Flash storage devices into carry-on luggage if possible. 

Tens of millions of Flash storage devices are in use worldwide and there have been no verifiable reports of Flash storage damage due to airport X-ray scanners. A 2004 study by the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) verified that today's airport X-ray machines do not appear to be a risk to flash memory cards.  As a precaution, Centon recommends that Flash cards and DataStick drives be treated just like unprocessed film and stored in carry-on luggage, as the passenger screening radiation levels are much lower than those used by newer luggage scanning machines.

6.     Avoid U.S. Postal Service radiation scanning of mailed packages. 

According to the CompactFlash Association, X-ray scanners at airports will not damage CompactFlash cards but radiation scanning by the U.S. Postal Service may damage them.  Because of this warning by the CompactFlash Association regarding mail irradiation by the U.S. Postal Service, it may be preferable to use a commercial service such as FedEx, UPS or other private carrier as an alternative to mailing Flash storage devices by U.S. mail.

1.     Always make backups of your data. 

Flash storage devices are not infallible and can have their data damaged due to factors mentioned above. It is important to frequently backup important information on multiple forms of media storage, or cloud storage, or even print data on paper for long-term storage. Do not store important data solely on Flash storage devices.

Windows

How To: Copy files/folders to a USB disk

To copy files and folders to a USB disk:

1. Connect your USB storage drive to your PC.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Navigate to the location of the files you wish to copy.  Click the files or folders you want to copy to the USB disk. To select more than one file, hold down the CTRL key while you click the files you want.
4. When you have selected the files you wish to copy, you can either:
• Right-click the selected files, then click Copy.
• Type CTRL+C
5. Open another My Computer window, and double–click the drive letter for your USB disk drive.
6. Navigate to the folder where you want the files to be copied to by either:
• Right-click in file area (i.e. the right pane where the files appear), then click Paste to begin copying the files
• Type CTRL+V to begin copying the files

If you wish to copy from the USB drive to your computer, just interpolate the above instructions to specify the USB drive as your source, and your computer's hard drive as the destination.

Notes:

Do not copy more files to the USB disk than it will hold. Check your available space on the USB disk before copying.

Drives formatted as FAT32 will accomodate file sizes up to a few bytes less then 4GB,  If you have files that are greater than 4GB, consider reformatting the drive to exFAT, NTFS, Mac OS Extended Journaled.  Alternately, use a file archiving software such as 7Zip to break up the large file into multiple smaller files.

Mac OS

1. Connect your USB storage drive to your PC.
2. Open Finder.
3. Navigate to the location of the files you wish to copy.  Click the files or folders you want to copy to the USB disk. To select more than one file, hold down the CMD key while you click the files you want.
4. When you have selected the files you wish to copy, you can either:
• Right-click the selected files, then click Copy, or
• Press CMD+C
5. Open another finder window, and double–click the drive for your USB disk drive.
6. Navigate to the folder where you want the files to be copied to by either:
• Right-click in file area (i.e. the right pane where the files appear), then click Paste to begin copying the files
• Type CMD+V to begin copying the files

If you wish to copy from the USB drive to your computer, just interpolate the above instructions to specify the USB drive as your source, and your computer's hard drive as the destination.

Storing data safely is the most important function of a USB drive, but when small errors prevent you from reaching that data it can become pretty frustrating! Don’t worry though; you should be able to recover all of that valuable information fairly easily. While we can’t guarantee you will recover the information lost, we will do our best to help you get everything back. There are a number of applications specifically designed to help you retrieve lost data. There isn’t a one fix solution however, and there are some that will succeed where others might fall short. So don’t give up if one doesn’t work, because it may be as simple as trying a new software program.

While you could go ahead and search for these types of programs all over the web, we decided to put together a list for you of quality programs you might want to try. In this diverse set of programs you shouldn’t have any problems finding one that meets your needs. We have grouped them as programs that require purchase, offer trialware and/or have limited function until the software is purchased, and of course those that are free!

Windows Platform
Piriform Recuva - Download link#1 - Download link#2 

Pandora Recovery - Download link

EaseUS Deleted File Recovery - Download link

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard - Download link

EaseUS Partition Recovery - Download link

Active@ File Recovery - Download link

Active@ Partition Recovery - Download link

QueTek File Scavenger - Download link

QueTek Disk Recoup - Download link

Zero Assumption Recovery - Download link

Kroll Ontrack EasyRecovery - Dowload link

Mac Platform
Disk Drill by CleverFiles - Download link

Alsoft DiskWarrior - Download link - software review link

Kroll Ontrack EasyRecovery - Dowload link

Linux Platform
Autopsy Forensic Browser - Download link

*NOTE: The applications listed are to help you locate suitable software, however Centon is not able to provide any form of technical support for the recovery software listed.

The utility in the following link should help to reset the drive back to normal working order.

Recovery Tool

Note: this tool performs a low level format, which will permanently erase any data stored on the drive.  Recovery of any data on the storage volume will not be possible following a successful low level format.  Please back up your files before proceeding.  (If your data is not visible by the operating system’s File Manager utilities, you may still be able to recover your files with commercially available data recovery software.)

1. Safely Remove and unplug all USB storage drives (safety measure to prevent errant format/loss of data)
2. Download the RecoverTool_V2.00.18_L0131.zip file to your local drive, then unzip it.
3. Temporarily disable your Anti-Virus software, as some users have reported that it prevented the Recover Tool from operating properly.  Remember to re-enable the Anti-Virus software once this procedure is complete.
4. Double click the exe file to run the program
5. Plug in the USB flash drive that you want to fix; the drive ID will show under "Control Disk"
1. Shown in the below image as drive letter I: (your system may show a different drive letter)
6. Click Recover; you will see processing bar under 'Status"; when it is finished, it will show success or fail information.
1. if it shows success, safely remove the drive, disconnect from the USB port, wait a few seconds, then re-plug the drive;
2. if it shows fail, submit for warranty claim – more information below;
7. Windows should prompt that the drive needs formatting.  This is normal.  Windows needs to re-create a file system on the storage volume to prepare the drive to store data.  Click OK to proceed with format; the default options should be fine.  Make sure the option for ‘Quick format’ is left unchecked.

1. If Windows does not automatically prompt to format the drive when reconnected to the USB port, open your ‘My Computer’ window and right-click the drive letter for the USB flash drive, then left click on ‘Format’; again, the default options should be fine.  Make sure the option for ‘Quick format’ is left unchecked.

If both the low level format and the Windows format are successful, your drive should now be restored to normal working order.

If either of the format options fails, please Contact Customer Care for warranty claim.

Contact Customer Care Form

Contact Support

Name *

Email *

Subject *

Message *

Send Copy to Yourself

Listed below are some common Problems, Causes, and Solutions for Datasticks/SpinDrives/MP3s:

1. Problem: Drive letter is not assigned.
   Cause: Flash drive/SpinDrive not seated in USB port.
   Solution: Remove and reinsert USB Flash/SpinDrive drive.

1. Problem: Device is not recognized by PC when connected to a front mounted USB port. 
   ...or...
   Device is not recognized by PC or Mac when connected to USB port on keyboard.
   Cause: Flash drive/SpinDrive/MP3 Player may not be receiving sufficient power from the USB port. Occasionally, the front USB ports on some new computers are not powered. Most keyboards operate from power supplied by the USB ports to which they are connected; this does not leave enough power for the Flash drive or SpinDrive or MP3 player. Also, if connecting to an external USB Hub, make sure the hub is powered instead of relying solely on the power provided by the USB port.
   Solution: Connect USB Flash/SpinDrive or MP3 player to a port on the back of the computer; or connect to an external powered USB hub.

1. Problem: Drive letter is not assigned.
   Cause: Windows needs to refresh itself.
   Solution: With the 'My Computer' Window open, press the F5 key on your keyboard
   ....or....
   Restart Windows - be sure to leave the USB drive connected to your USB port during the reboot.

1. Problem: Drive letter is not assigned. (Windows 98 only)
   Cause: Driver is not installed.
   Solution: Install Windows 98 driver. See the Centon Drivers page to download driver.

1. Problem: Drive letter is not assigned.
   Cause: Conflict with network drive letter.
   Solution:
1. Click Start on the taskbar, then right-click My Computer on the desktop or from the Start menu, and then click Manage. Under Computer Management, click Disk Management.
2. In the list of drives in the right pane, right-click the Removable Device and then click Change Drive Letter and Paths.
3. Click Change, and in the drop-down box, specify a drive letter for the Removable Device, choosing one that is not assigned to the mapped network drives.
4. Click OK, and then click OK again.

1. =========
   Alternate instructions (same solution):
1. Log on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Click Start, click Run, type compmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
3. In the console tree, click Disk Management. The Disk Management window appears.
4. In the list of drives in the right pane, right-click the Removable Device and then click Change Drive Letter and Paths.
5. Click Change, and in the drop-down box, specify a drive letter for the Removable Device, choosing one that is not assigned to the mapped network drives.
6. Click OK, and then click OK again.

=========

1. Problem: Drive letter is assigned, but drive is not accessible.
   Cause: Drive needs reformatting.
   Solution: Right-click the drive in Explorer and choose Format from the resulting menu.

Here at Centon we are committed to building the highest quality product possible. No matter how hard we try though, we aren’t perfect and there are occasions that product just plain doesn’t work, and you need a replacement. We will work to make this as quick and easy a process as we possible.

We would just ask that before going straight to a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA), please utilize this knowledge base to search for issues and resolutions to your problem. The vast majority of issues can be solved with the information right here at your fingertips! Of course if we are unable to solve your problem we will be happy to help you get a replacement part.

The fastest method for a replacement part is if you have purchased your Centon product at a local retail establishment and the purchase is within that retail store’s return policy, it is recommended that you exchange or return the product directly to them. This will get you a replacement product in the fastest time possible.

Of course returning your product to a retail location may not always be an option. The biggest problem that comes to mind is if you purchased your memory product through an online retailer. Don’t worry though; we are happy to help you directly! If you believe that you have exhausted all of the resources available and are still unable to produce a working product then please click the Email button below and submit a ticket into a our system. Once reviewed by the Centon Support staff we will send you the instructions to receive an RMA and begin the process of replacing your product.

When submitting an RMA, Proof of Purchase is only required when replacing large quantities of product.

Please do not return product without obtaining an RMA beforehand. Unauthorized returns may be rejected and returned to the sender.

For full Warranty Terms and Conditions, please visit http://www.centon.com/

You need a return authorization number (RMA)

1. Complete the information in the warranty return request form.
2. You will get an email back from customer service with your return number and return instructions.
3. Once we receive your return we will ship you a replacement product

*Note: The above form will require you to input the Centon part number (i.e. Centon PN).  If you are unsure of the Centon PN (i.e. Centon part number), here are a couple of ways you may determine it:

• refer to your original sales receipt or invoice (printed or electronic) - most merchants will notate the part number on the receipt/invoice
• refer to the original retail package - the part number will be on the back above the UPC barcode
• browse our product pages to find a product matching what you have
• Memory - http://www.centon.com/memory
• USB - http://www.centon.com/usb
• Flash - http://www.centon.com/flash
• SSD - http://www.centon.com/ssd
• Accessories - http://www.centon.com/accessories

Centon Power Bank User Guide:

This guide will give you step by step instructions on how to install USB Memory.

USB Flash Drive Guides: 
USB Flash User Guide

The message regarding "damage my system because it is not a Microsoft product" does not refer to the Centon hardware.  It is referring to drivers already installed on your computer from your computer manufacturer.  Some computer manufacturers installed their own non-Microsoft set of drivers for USB Mass Storage devices on mostly Windows XP systems.  Generally it is safe to use those drivers.  You should be able to find more information from your computer manufacturer regarding this issue on their support pages, or by contacting their support team.

In general, the Microsoft drivers for USB Mass Storage devices are stored in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS folder.  USB flash drives require the usbstor.sys among other files.  The following procedure may assist in restoring Microsoft signed (i.e. official) drivers, versus any proprietary driver that may have been installed on your computer.

1. Select Search and then For Files or Folders.
2. Search in All files and folders and also tell it to Look in: the C: drive.
3. Search for the file driver.cab.
4. If the file is found, it will tell you in which folder it is located. Write down in which folder it is located, such as C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386
   If the file is not found, insert the Windows installation CD.
1. Open the Start menu in Windows.
2. Select Search and then For Files or Folders.
3. Search in All files and folders and also tell it to Look in: the CD/DVD drive.
4. Search for the file driver.cab.
5. Write down in which folder it is located on the CD.
5. Connect the external drive. The Add New Hardware Wizard should appear.
6. Indicate the location of the driver that you just found, and complete the Wizard.

IMPORTANT: Drivers for Centon USB storage devices are already built-in to the following operating systems:

• Windows ME
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows 8/8.1
• Windows 10
• Mac OS 9
• Mac OS X
• Linux kernel 2.4 and newer

Driver download is only necessary for Windows 98. [Update: Support for Windows 98 has ceased.] No driver is available for DOS, Windows 95 or other operating system not listed here.


If your USB Flash drive is not working as expected, this guide will help you to determine what the nature of the problem might be and how to remedy the unwanted behavior.

Update Operating System: The first thing to do is make sure that you've got the latest software updates installed on your computer. Sometimes a device may have trouble if the software doesn't have the latest components to handle it. Refer to your operating systems website to obtain the latest software updates and service packs.

Download the latest drivers: If you've updated your operating system software but the issue still persists, check for system chipset/USB drivers available from your computer manufacturer's support website. While there, confirm whether there is a newer revision BIOS available for your system. A newer revision BIOS may address certain USB related issues.

Troubleshoot the device: If you've updated your software and checked the drivers but the issue still persists, try the following things:

• Unplug the USB device and then plug it back in. Make sure that the connection is snug and installed in the proper direction. Note that USB plugs fit one way only. If you try to plug them in upside-down, it will not insert.

If this does not solve your issue:

• Unplug all USB devices from the computer. Then start plugging in USB devices one at a time, testing each one to make sure they all work before adding the next. Sometimes two devices will conflict and will work together.

If this does not solve your issue:

• Is this a new device that never worked, or is it a device that you've had for a while that suddenly stopped working? If it used to work, think about what changed just before the device stopped working. Did you recently add another new device? Install a new program? Try reverting the computer to the way it was before the device stopped working. If it works again, there is an incompatibility with the device and whatever you added.

If this does not solve your issue:

• Unplug all but suspected USB devices. Open System Devices menu:
• Windows: Right click “My Computer” > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager > USB Serial Bus Controllers

• Mac: Applications > Utilities > System Profiler

• Linux: Due to the differences in Linux flavors, you should refer to your Linux guide to find this control panel.

• Under the USB information, you should see the USB devices connected to your system. (Disregard any Host controllers) The name may not be identical to your device (it may say “USB Mass storage device”), but it should have the right number of devices listed.

If this does not solve your issue:

• If you have the device plugged into a USB hub or into your keyboard, plug it directly into one of the USB ports on the computer. If it works there, the issue is with the device to which it had been previously connected. The device may need more power than the port provides.

If this does not solve your issue:

• Does the affected device have a power cord? If it does, try unplugging and re-plugging it. Make sure it's plugged into a working power outlet (you can test the outlet by plugging in a lamp or clock)

One additional resource for troubleshooting....

Microsoft Support - Article ID: 925196
A computer that is running Windows XP cannot detect a USB flash drive....

support.microsoft.com/kb/925196

You attach a USB-based device to a computer that is running Windows XP. Then, you try to scan for hardware devices. However, the computer does not detect the attached device, and you do not see the device in the My Computer folder.
This problem can occur if there are corrupted or incorrect keys in the registry. This article helps you fix the problem.

Please visit support.microsoft.com/kb/925196 for more information.

Most USB flash drives and removable flash storage is formatted by default to either the FAT (up to 2GB devices) or FAT32 (devices with greater than 2GB storage) file system. The FAT32 file system has limitations on the file size supported. FAT32 formatted disk volumes will support files up to 1byte less than 4GB. 

You will either need to break up the file into a series of smaller files using file archiving software such as WinRAR, or convert the drive volume from FAT32 to NTFS (providing that the device and the operating system both support NTFS). In general, it is best to leave USB flash disks, and other flash media formatted as FAT32 for optimal compatibility among different computers and devices. NTFS may not be supported on all devices or operating systems.

Alternatively, you can format the USB drive to exFAT.

The exFAT file system is the successor to FAT32 in the FAT family of file systems. The exFAT file system is a new file system format that addresses the growing needs of mobile personal storage on different operating systems. The exFAT file system handles large files, such as those that are used for media storage, and it enables seamless interoperability between desktop computers and devices, such as portable media devices. Because of this functionality, you can easily copy files between the desktop and external devices or between the desktop and other operating systems.

exFAT is currently supported only on Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later.

There are a couple of issues which could be affecting this.

• insufficient USB power (see below for more information)
• drive letter conflict (see below for more information)
• driver issue  - Windows 7 sometimes encounters problems locating the drivers necessary for the proper function of USB flash drives (see below for more information)

Issue #1 - USB Power --- Our DataStick flash drive requires powered USB ports. Most keyboards and USB hubs operate from power supplied by the USB ports to which they are connected; this may not leave enough power for the DataStick flash drive to operate properly.  Avoid connecting it to any USB port in your keyboard, and any non-powered external USB Hub.  Connecting the DataStick flash drive to a powered USB port on the computer should allow it to power up properly. Occasionally, the front USB ports on some new computers are unpowered. If so, connecting instead to the ports on the back of the computer will usually solve the issue.

Issue #2 - Drive Letter Conflict - Windows may occasionally assign the same drive letter for two different storage volumes; this is especially common on computers using Networked drives.  To resolve...

1. Log on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Click Start and type compmgmt.msc into the search field, and click on compmgmt to open.
3. In the console tree, click Disk Management. The Disk Management window appears.
4. In the list of drives in the right pane, right-click the Removable Device and then click Change Drive Letter and Paths.
5. Click Change, and in the drop-down box, specify a drive letter for the Removable Device, choosing one that is not assigned to the mapped network drives.
6. Click OK, and then click OK again.

Issue #3 - driver issue

First, update Windows 7 to Service Pack 1.  If this does not resolve the problem and the drivers do not load automatically, you may simply point Windows 7 to its own drivers manually.

1. Log on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Click Start and type compmgmt.msc into the search field, and click on compmgmt to open.
3. Click the + box next to Other Devices.
4. Double-click the drive (usually listed as USB Mass Storage, but may be listed under another name).
5. A new window will open showing properties; click the Reinstall Driver button.
6. This will open the Update Driver software wizard, click "Locate and install driver software (recommended)". Then click "Browse my computer for driver software".  Click Browse.
7. Open the Windows folder on the C: drive (Computer > C: > Windows) and click OK.
8. Make sure the "Include subfolders" box is checked.
9. Click Next. This should load the drivers.

Additional Troubleshooting

If the drive works fine on another computer, there are a few steps to try while the drive is connected to the original computer:

1. Click the Start / Windows button at the bottom left corner of the screen.
   Right-click on Computer and choose Manage.
2. Double-click on the Device Manager.
3. The device will usually appear under "Other Devices" or "Unknown Devices"; right-click on it and choose Uninstall.
4. Once it has disappeared from the Device Manager, disconnect the USB flash drive from the USB port on the computer.
5. Click Start / Windows button in the bottom left corner of the screen
6. In the Search field, type C:\windows\system32\driverstor and press Enter.
• If Windows cannot locate the "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStor\" folder, it may be in a different folder depending on your version of Windows.  In some versions of Windows, the location may be either "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\" or "C:\Windows\inf\".
7. Delete the file INFCACHE.1.
8. If you get an error when trying to delete this file, try the following steps:

• Right-click on INFCACHE.1.
• Select Properties.
• Click the Security tab.
• Click the Edit button.
• Select (Users xxxx-PC\Users) or something like (Users 7xxxx \Users)
• Under the "Permissions for users" check, mark everything to "Allow All".
• Click Apply then OK.
  If you receive a Windows Security box click Yes, then OK, then OK again.
• Right-click on INFCACHE.1 file and choose Delete.
• Reboot and reconnect the drive.  The file should be rebuilt, correcting the problem.
• If that fails, you will need to try to reload the USB drivers for the operating system by inserting your Windows 7 install CD, rebooting, and attempting a Repair/Restore. 
  WARNING: This can be dangerous to your data and you should disconnect your external drive before attempting this.

See further below for an explanation of the issue regarding use of USB flash drives in stereo systems and other non-computer devices.

Immediately below is a workaround solution to the issue:

1. Make sure any data on the USB drive is backed up on your computer (or other media).
2. Download and install the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. To download, visit download.cnet.com and search for "HP Format Tool".
3. Once the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is successfully installed, connect your Centon USB drive and start the software from the Start menu.
4. Make sure the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is set to format the correct drive.  Formatting will erase the files stored on the drive.  Setting the software to format the wrong drive will result in undesired data loss.
5. Set the software to format the Centon USB drive as FAT32.  Once set, begin the format.
6. When the format completes, close the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool and begin copying your music or other files to the Centon USB drive.
7. When done, safely remove the Centon drive.  

That's it.  Your stereo system should now recognize the drive and the media that you have copied to it.

==================================

Standalone device compatibility
The system requirements of Centon DataStick USB drives are:

• Desktop or notebook computer with USB Port
• Microsoft Windows 2000
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows 7
• Microsoft Windows 8
• Mac OS 9.0 or later
• Mac OS X
• Linux Kernel 2.4.2 or later

We cannot guarantee that DataStick drives can work on a non-computer environment.

Standalone devices may be limited to FAT16 & FAT32 file system support. Drives 64GB or larger may come formatted to exFAT (or NTFS), which may not be supported on a non-computer environment.

Due to a limitation of the FAT32 file system, FAT32 drive volumes cannot be formatted in capacities larger than 32GB. Consequently, 64GB or larger drives may come formatted as exFAT (or NTFS). 

There are aftermarket applications that work around this limitation. One such application is the HP Format Tool (available by searching Google, Bing, download.com, or your preferred search engine). Use this tool to format large capacity drives to FAT32 to aid in getting the drive recognized on your device.

QUESTION:

Whenever I insert my DataStick drive into my PC I am unable to open it. The message that am prompted with is "insert disk into drive". How can I fix this?

ANSWER:

One possible cause of this issue is when you attach a removable drive and Windows assigns drive letter that is already reserved. This could happen due to the default behavior of Windows when the drive letter is assigned to a network drive or other hardware drive, and the removable drive is assigned the same drive letter by Windows.

Fix #1:
Connect the DataStick to the USB port prior to booting up your computer. (Important Note: Make sure that the first boot device in BIOS is not the USB drive, otherwise the computer may not boot at all. For help with your BIOS, refer to your computer User Guide.)

Fix #2:

1. Log in to an Administrator account in Windows or any other account with administrative privileges.
2. Insert the DataStick into a USB port.
3. Click Start, right-click on 'My Computer' and left-click on 'Manage'.
4. Click Disk Management.
5. Right click on your removable drive partition and select 'Change Drive Letter and Paths' under 'Disk Management'.
6. Change the drive letter to some other drive letter like X: or Z: which is not reserved by another drive on Windows.
7. Click OK, and then click OK again. That’s it! Done.

If either the low level format or regular format fails, the drive may have malfunctioned and requires replacement.  If so, please contact Customer Support.

Yes, Centon USB drives are compatible with Mac OS .
Some large capacity drives from Centon come formatted to the NTFS file system, which is not natively supported by Mac.
You can easily fix this by reformatting the USB drive on your Mac.

Steps:

1. Connect the drive to a USB port directly on your Mac.
2. Once the drive is recognized; open the Disk Utility from the Applications/Utilities folder, or... click the magnifying glass in the upper-right corner and type in "Disk" and you should see the Disk Utility (click it to open it).
3. In the Disk Utility, find the Centon drive listed in the left pane of the window, and click on the second item that says Centon USB.
4. Click the Erase tab.
5. Under the Erase tab, you should see an option labeled as Volume Format.
• Select the exFAT¹ option to use on both Mac and Windows, or...
• select Mac OS Extended Journaled to use the drive on only Mac computers.
6. Click the Erase button to reformat the drive.

You should now be able to read and write files to the drive.

¹ - exFAT is supported by OS X 10.6.5 or later, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows XP SP2 or SP3 with Hotfix KB955704.

How to format USB drive with NTFS

Preliminary steps

1. Log on to Windows using an Administrator account.
2. Connect your Centon USB drive to an available USB port on your computer.  Wait for Windows to recognize and set up the device.
3. Right-click on 'My Computer' (XP) or 'Computer' (Vista/Win7) or 'This PC' (Win8) and choose Manage.
4. Click on Device Manager and then expand out Disk Drives. You should see your USB drive listed there as “Centon USB”.
5. Right-click on the USB drive under Disk Drives and choose Properties. Then go to the Policies tab.
6. The default option is “Optimize for quick removal”. Change that by selecting the “Optimize for performance” option.

Format

1. Open the Windows Explorer window (a.k.a. 'My Computer' [XP], or 'Computer' [Vista/Win7], or 'This PC' [Win8/8.1]).
2. Right-click the drive letter for the Centon USB drive, then click 'Format'. The default options should fine.
3. In the File System drop down you will now see the option for NTFS.  Select it.
4. To begin the format, click the 'Start' button, then click 'OK' to confirm that you really want to erase all data; the drive will be formatted.

Your drive should now be formatted to NTFS.

How To Safely Remove USB storage device

When you are finished using the drive on the computer, be sure to Safely Remove it.

For Windows be sure to click on the 'Safely remove USB Mass Storage Device' icon on the taskbar before unplugging it. 

You should see an icon similar to this in the system tray.

Scenario:  You attempt to save documents to your Centon USB flash drive, and are prompted with a message stating proper permissions are required to write to the drive. You are logged on as an administrator.

Solution:

Try reformatting the drive. Note, to format a USB drive you must be logged on using an account with administrator privileges.

Windows (XP, Vista, 7)

1. While logged on using an administrator account, connect the USB drive to your USB port.
2. Open the 'My Computer' (XP), or 'Computer' (Vista/7) window.
3. Right-click the drive letter for the Centon USB drive, then click 'Format'.  Except for the 'Quick Format' option, the default options should fine (File System = FAT16 for 2GB or smaller, FAT32 for 4GB to 32GB, or exFAT for drives larger than 32GB).  Please make sure the option for 'Quick Format' option is not ticked (i.e. perform a full format).
• Optional: Set File System to exFAT (requires Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or newer, or Windows XP SP2 or SP3 with Hotfix KB955704.  exFAT enables storage of files larger than 4GB.
4. To begin the format, click the 'Start' button, then click 'OK' to confirm that you really want to erase all data; the drive will be formatted.

Mac

1. Connect the USB drive to a USB port on your Mac.
2. Launch Disk Utility, located in Applications > Utilities
3. Locate the Centon USB drive from the left hand side of Disk Utility and click on the item that says Centon USB.
4. Click on the 'Erase' tab across the top.
5. Choose the desired format. (see below)
• "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)", a.k.a. "HFS+" - If you plan to use the drive on Mac computers only, this is the recommended file system. Drives formatted with this file system cannot be read on Windows or other PC's.
• ExFAT - format to this file system if your computers meet the requirements:
• Mac - requires OS X 10.6.5 or later
• Windows - requires Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows XP SP2 or SP3 with Hotfix KB955704
6. Name the drive if you want, the name can be changed at any point.
7. Click the 'Erase' button and confirm again on the next pop-up window.

Once the format completes, you should be able to write or delete files on the flash drive without incident.

Yes.  USB 3.0 devices are compatible with USB 2.0 ports.  The maximum read/write throughput of USB 3.0 flash drives will be limited to the maximum available bandwidth on your USB 2.0 ports, however they will recognize and function properly in those ports.

Likewise, if you have a computer equipped with USB 3.0 ports and connect a USB 2.0 device, the device will be recognized and operate to the maximum capability of that device when connected to a USB 3.0 port.

The part number will be on the retail package just above the UPC barcode, or on your receipt/invoice.  If you have neither of those, try browsing our site using the link below to find a product matching your purchase, and use the PN referenced for the matching product.

Centon DataStick Pro drives have the ability to be tethered to a lanyard. At the base of the Pro drive there should be two holes. A string type lanyard connector can be passed through these holes to tether a lanyard to the device.

If you are having difficulty threading the string through the connection, try the following...

Create a makeshift hook with a wire (like the wire fastener they use to seal bags of bread). Strip any paper or plastic from the wire tie, and bend the end into a small hook that you can loop through the connector. Then use it to pull the thread through the hole. Finally, once you have pulled the string through the hole, loop the lanyard through the string to form a simple knot. It may require some persistence and patience, but it can be done.

For DataStick products that do not feature any built-in encryption options or password protection, this functionality can be added with third-party software solutions. There are a myriad of third-party solutions available – both paid and free. Here are some links to open-source (free) applications for your USB drive.

TrueCrypt - www.truecrypt.org (NOTE: TrueCrypt is no longer supported - see end of message for alternative suggestions)
AxCrypt - www.axcrypt.net

If the above products do not meet your needs, you can also search for other password-protection / encryption solutions for USB flash drives. Try Google, Bing, CNET, or any number of other search engines.

Web articles regarding Alternative options for TrueCrypt:

• 3 Alternatives to the Now-Defunct TrueCrypt for Your Encryption Needs
• So long, TrueCrypt: 5 alternative encryption tools that can lock down your data

What is the Centon part number for your drive?  (see below for help)

What is the USB Production ID# for your drive?  This information can be found etched on the metal USB connector of the drive - the ID# begins with 0 or 1.

To find the Centon part number, follow any one of the following tips:

• PN is on the original retail package just above the UPC barcode
• PN is on your sales receipt/invoice - typically referenced as MPN (Manufacturer Part Number); other receipts may show the 12-digit UPC beginning with 731969______
• browse USB products by capacity at http://www.centon.com/products/usb/capacity to find a product matching your purchase; use the PN referenced on the matching product page. 

Understanding how your USB drive, and/or flash card, is formatted is very important. We have prepared a simple file format table for USB Drives and Memory Cards for your convenience. This is most useful when re-formatting your drives or cards so you know which option should be selected.

There are multiple possible answers to this question. Read below to see which scenario best describes your issue.

Physically Defective Drive -

A malfunctioning drive may be due to a physical defect or damage. If the drive has an LED indicator, it can be plugged into an open USB port and checked to see if the drive is receiving power by checking if the LED is illuminated. When a drive is recognized the computer may also make a 'sound' to show that a device has been inserted.

When testing a drive for a physical malfunction, make sure to check this drive in known working ports. USB ports can fail and become unusable.

Software/Partition Issue -

This problem may be due to a damaged/corrupted/lost MBR or partition. Causes of this are numerous. Some possible causes are loss of power during a write/erase cycle, disconnecting USB from port during a write/erase cycle, ESD (Electrostatic Discharge), power spike, etc. 

To correct this try the following:

1. Recover data, if needed. Recovery software links…
2. Perform a low level format. Software and Instructions link.
3. Perform a regular system format to prepare the drive to accept new data (recommended formats: up to 2GB = FAT16; 4GB to 32GB = FAT32; 64GB and larger = either NTFS or exFAT). Instructions link.

None of these answers worked? If you received these instructions via email, please respond to the email detailing the outcome of the troubleshooting steps listed above.  Otherwise, please submit a support ticket at http://www.centon.com/index.php/contact-customer-care.

Most USB flash drives and removable flash storage is formatted by default to either the FAT (up to 2GB devices) or FAT32 (devices with greater than 2GB storage) file system. The FAT32 file system has limitations on the file size supported. FAT32 formatted disk volumes will support files up to 1byte less than 4GB. For more information, please refer to Microsoft Support article 314463.

support.microsoft.com/kb/314463

You will either need to break up the file into a series of smaller files using file archiving software such as WinRAR, or convert the drive volume from FAT32 to NTFS (providing that the device and the operating system both support NTFS). In general, it is best to leave USB flash disks, and other flash media formatted as FAT32 for optimal compatibility among different computers and devices. NTFS may not be supported on all devices or operating systems.

Alternatively, you can format the USB drive to exFAT.

The exFAT file system is the successor to FAT32 in the FAT family of file systems. The exFAT file system is a new file system format that addresses the growing needs of mobile personal storage on different operating systems. The exFAT file system handles large files, such as those that are used for media storage, and it enables seamless interoperability between desktop computers and devices, such as portable media devices. Because of this functionality, you can easily copy files between the desktop and external devices or between the desktop and other operating systems.

exFAT is currently supported only on Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP2/SP3 with KB955704 hotfix applied, and Mac OS X 10.6.5 or later.

You may purchase replacement caps for your DataStick Pro and DataStick Sport USB drives here:

https://otmessentials.com/products/usb-spare-parts

Although it is possible to boot from the DataStick, it is not a feature Centon supports. Centon DataStick USB flash drives are intended as storage devices.

There are three versions of the Secure Digital standard:

• SD – Secure Digital v1.0/1.1 (Secure Digital Standard Capacity) – supports card capacities up to 2GB
• SDHC – Secure Digital v2.0 (Secure Digital High Capacity) – supports card capacities from 4GB up to 32GB
• SDXC – Secure Digital v3.0 (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) – supports card capacities from 64GB up to 2TB

Please check the manufacturer specification or website for your computer, card reader, camera, or other device to see if it supports SDXC cards. If unsure, please contact the computer or device manufacturer to verify if their product supports SDXC or not.

https://www.sdcard.org/consumers/faq/#sdxc_def

If you are still unsure of whether the card you purchased is supported by your computer, camera, card reader, smart phone, tablet or other device, please contact Customer Support with the make and model information and they can research whether that SD, SDHC or SDXC card is supported or not on your device.  If you received this message via email, please simply respond to the email with the requested make and model information of your computer, camera, card reader, smart phone, tablet or other device.

The location of the MicroSD slot on your phone or tablet varies from one phone model to another.  The best method to locate your MicroSD slot is to review your phone or tablets User Manual, or visit the support pages of the phone/tablets service provider and look up your model.

Common locations include the side of the device as well as underneath the battery.

First and foremost, please make sure that you are using a SDXC compliant card reader.  If the card reader does not support SDXC media, it will not be able to properly recognize your SDXC card. 

• Example of a card reader that supports SDXC = IOGear GFR204SD
• Example of a card reader that does not support SDXC = IOGear GFR209W6

If you are unsure if your card reader supports SDXC cards, most SDXC compliant products will bear the SDXC logo.  In addition, SDXC compliant products were not available for purchase until late 2009 / early 2010.  If your card reader predates that time, then it is unlikely to support SDXC media.

Next, you will need to install a Microsoft Hotfix for your Windows XP operating system.  Read on for more info.

SDXC cards are formatted with the exFAT file system.  The exFAT file system is supported by OS X 10.6.5 or later, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows XP SP2 or SP3 with Hotfix KB955704.  Without Hotfix KB955704, Windows XP may experience trouble reading, writing or formatting media formatted as exFAT.  Flash based storage media (like SD cards) that is larger than 32GB is formatted as exFAT due to a Microsoft limitation of the FAT32 file system.

Options to resolve the issue:

• Ensure your card reader supports Secure Digital v3.0, i.e. SDXC media cards.
• Download and install Update for Windows XP (KB955704)

If you still need further help, please let me know.

Secure Digital Memory Cards (SD)
Are a solid-state flash memory product that comply with the Secure Digital Card Association (SDA) Standard; Centon is a member of the SDA. Centon offers a full range of capacities and specs of SD technology. Our products are available for both Consumer and OEM applications.

SDHC (SD 2.0)
An extension of the SD standard that appeared in June 2006. SDHC allows standard-compliant capacities in excess of 4 GB. SDHC cards work only in SDHC compatible devices, but standard SD cards work in both SD and SDHC devices.

Centon SDHC for your data on the go-
Designed to be used in digital music players, PDA's, digital cameras, mobile phones, and any other electronic devices which are compatible with SDHC.
Centon's SDHC cards have a fast transfer rate for reliable copy, download and back-up of your data. Ideal for storing music, photos, videos or any other digital file.

What is SDHC?
SDHC (Secure Digital High-Capacity) cards are flash memory cards with a minimum capacity of 4GB. Secure Digital refers to a specific format within the flash card market. SDHC cards are designed for devices that are compatible with the SDHC 2.00 specification. Products designed exclusively to support previous SD specifications 1.0 and 1.1 will not be able to utilize/support SDHC cards.

The Secure Digital card association was forced to create a new specification for SDHC cards when the previous specification topped out at a capacity of 2GB. This occurred previously when SD cards hit the 512MB wall. The new 2.00 specification should last a bit longer, as it allows SDHC cards to reach a maximum capacity of 64GB.

You will need to check the specifications for each of the devices that use SD cards to see if they support SDHC cards, and the new SDHC 2.0 specification. If they do support SDHC, our cards should work on the device. If the device manufacturer makes no mention of SDHC, then the device is likely to support only the SD specification 1.0 or 1.1. Check the manufacturer's FAQ's to see the largest capacity supported. If the largest capacity supported is 2GB or less, this is a fairly solid indication that it does not support the new SDHC 2.00 specification.

How do I reformat my digital media card?
Please be warned that formatting the card will erase all data stored to the card. Please follow the steps below to reformat the card. Note: certain cameras may require you also format the card in the camera.

* Place the card in the reader
* Right click on the drive letter for the reader
* Choose format
* Choose full format with no label
* Finish the format
* Test the card - it should now be working correctly.

Why SD Flash memory cards are not being detected by some operating systems?
Card readers built into some systems do not support higher capacity cards (e.g., 1GB to 32GB). Many systems, including newer ones with built in card readers, are made to support cards up to a limited capacity. The capacity of your card may exceed this limitation and a firmware upgrade from the computer manufacturer may be necessary. Check with your computer manufacturer for hardware/software fixes.
If you have a digital camera, PDA, portable media player or an external card reader that you know supports 2GB cards, try connecting one of these devices to the computer. If you can successfully view the card via the external device, the problem may exist with your built in reader.

If you have a SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) card, it is possible that the internal card reader on your computer does not support this technology. Although SDHC cards look identical to standard SD (Secure Digital) cards, SDHC cards are not backwards compatible with standard SD format host devices. Standard SD devices cannot read the format of SDHC cards. To ensure compatibility, look for the SDHC logo on cards and host devices (e.g., cameras, camcorders, etc.). If your device does not support SDHC cards, we suggest that you contact your place of purchase to exchange for the standard SD card.

Note: Standard SD cards are not available in capacities larger than 2GB..

What does the "__X" number mean?
....or....
What is the speed, write rate and other Specifications for your cards?

First of all, the "__X" number (such as 60X) is similar to the rated speeds for CD-ROM drives. See below for a more complete explanation.

The rated speed naming convention refers to the maximum data transfer rate for that device. As mentioned above, this rating is similar to the rated speeds for CD-ROM drives. The rating for the original CD-ROM speed was based on the transfer rate of an audio CD, i.e. 150K/sec. A single-speed (1x) CD drive had a maximum data transfer rate of 150K/sec. The larger the "__X" number, the faster the maximum transfer speed of the device. A "2X" device would have a maximum transfer speed of 300K/sec.

Thus a 60X device has a maximum transfer speed of 9MB/sec. *(60 x 150 = 9000K/sec; MB defined as 1000KB; convert to MB = 9MB/sec) the Flash Storage devices, the read speed usually will exceed the write speed.

So to answer the second question:
Please look for the Specifications for the device on our Products page. If you do not find the desired specification listed there, you can always contact us. csupport@centon.com.

Issue: While copying files to a flash memory card or USB flash drive an error message appears stating the card is out of memory. The total size of all files is less than the capacity of the media card.
Resolution: The limit for the root of a FAT formatted device is 255 entries. Create a new folder and then the files can be copied into the new folder.

Why Parallel Port Compact Flash Reader is not supported under Windows XP?
Centon's Parallel Port Compact Flash Reader is not supported under Windows XP. Please keep in mind that this model was manufactured prior to the development and release of Windows XP, thus it was not designed for Windows XP. There is no software patch or update available to enable use of this device under Windows XP, nor will there be any such patch or update.




SDHC Class and Backwards Compatibility

There are different speed grades available which are measured in multiples of 150 kb/s (1x = 150 kB/s). Note that maximum read speed and maximum write speed may be different, with maximum write speed typically lower than maximum read speed. Class 6 cards will work in Class 4 and Class 2 devises as there are backwards compatible you can always use a higher class card in the applications but not a lower Class card. So if you have a Class 4 card you can not use it in a Class 6 devise but if you have Class 2 devise you can use a high Class card in this case Class 4 or Class 6. Once again they are backwards compatible but not forward compatible.

SD Cards and SDHC Cards have Speed Class Ratings defined by the SD Association. The SD Speed Class Ratings specify the following minimum write speeds based on "the best fragmented state where no memory unit is occupied":

* Class 2: 2 MB/s - 13x
* Class 4: 4 MB/s - 26x
* Class 6: 6 MB/s - 40x





Capacity of my Secure Digital Memory Card

Symptoms:
Why is the capacity of my Secure Digital memory card (as reported by many operating systems) different than the capacity that is listed on its label?

Affects: Description:
Centon products: Secure Digital

Operating systems: All Microsoft

Hardware platform: All

Cause:
The operating system, when reading the size of the card, reports a slightly different capacity than what is listed on the card’s label. SD has a small overhead for the security features.

Solution:
Definitions of a Megabyte:

* Operating Systems define a Megabyte (MB) as: 2 to the 20th power (1,024KB--Kilobytes).
* DiskDrive and Flash Memory Card Manufacturers commonly define a MB as one million bytes (exactly 1,000,000 bytes).

Unformatted (Capacity)
Also known as drive byte capacity before formatting. The Maximum capacity of disk drive before formatting equals

[ (# Cylinders) X (# Heads) X (# Sectors) X (# Bytes per Track) ]

Example:
64MB CompactFlash Card consists of:
490 Cylinders
8 Heads
32 Sectors
512 Bytes per Track
This equates to: [ (490) X (8) X (32) X (512) ] = 64,225,280
Unformatted Capacity: 64,225,280 bytes
Formatted Capacity: 63,934,464 bytes (User Data)

Cause:
Disk Drive Companies such as Centon define 1 MEGABYTE as 1,000,000 BYTES. Operating Systems define 1 MEGABYTE as 1,048,576 BYTES (1024K X 1024K or 2 to the 20th power).

Example:
Centon 64MB CompactFlash Card being read by Microsoft Operating System. Centon Total Formatted Capacity divided by 1 MB (as defined by the Operating System) equates to the following: 63,934,464 BYTES / 1,048,576 BYTES = 60,972,656 BYTES, 60.9MB displayed by OS.
Security overhead
SD-8
"The total card capacity of 8 million bytes is divided into a security area and a user accessible area (of approximately 6.7 million bytes)."
SD-16
"The total card capacity of 16 million bytes is divided into a security area and a user accessible area (of approximately 14.6 million bytes)."
SD-32
"The total card capacity of 32.1 million bytes is divided into a security area and a user accessible area (of approximately 30.5 million bytes)."
SD-64
"The total card capacity of 64.2 million bytes is divided into a security area and a user accessible area (of approximately 62.3 million bytes)."
SD-128
"The total card capacity of 128.4 million bytes is divided into a security area and a user accessible area (of approximately 125.8 million bytes)."

NOTE: Products with SecurFlash Data Encryption are discontinued.

Overview: 
This guide will give you step by step instructions on how to install USB Memory.

SecurFlash (PRO/Sport) Data Encryption User Manual: SecurFlash User Manual

While copying files to a flash device an error appears stating the card is out of memory. The total size of all files is less than the capacity of the media card.

The limit for the root of a FAT formatted device is 255 entries. Create a new folder and then the files can be copied into the new folder.

Formatting the card will erase all data stored to the card.

Please follow the steps below to reformat the card. Note: certain cameras may require you also format the card in the camera.

For Secure Digital (SD/SDHC/SDXC) cards:

For best results, Centon Tech Support recommends using the SD Card Organization's software tool for formatting SD, SDHC and SDXC media.

SD Formatter 4.xx for SD/SDHC/SDXC

https://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter_4/

1.) Place the card in the reader 
2.) Start the SD Formatter software, and select the drive for the SD card.
3.) Choose format 
4.) Choose Options and choose full format
5.) Finish the format 
6.) Test the card - it should now be working correctly

For CompactFlash (CF) Cards:
1.) Place the card in the reader 
2.) Right click on the drive letter for the reader 
3.) Choose format 
4.) Choose full format with no label 
5.) Finish the format 
6.) Test the card - it should now be working correctly

NOTE: Products with SecurFlash Data Encryption are discontinued.

Issues/Questions for SecurFlash Data Encryption flash Drive 
SecurFlash Software is powerful data encryption for your DataStick Pro USB flash drive! 
Ideal for personal and professional use, SecurFlash offers an easy-to-use solution for protecting any type of content on your DataStick. (SecurFlash installs and runs directly from the flash drive allowing you to work with your files on any PC.) SecurFlash features an intuitive interface and drag-and-drop file encryption and decryption - backed by industry-standard, powerful AES 256-bit encryption. A FIPS 140-2 certified version is also available for government or enterprise customers. SecurFlash uses tamper-resistant password protection that can defeat password guessing software attacks.

What is Encryption and how does it work? 
Centon’s Data Stick Secure Flash Drive uses Symmetric-key encryption. Symmetric-key encryption is based on a sophisticated algorithm developed to protect information stored on computers. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) uses keys that have as many as 256 different codes for each piece of information sent, be it letters, numbers, or pixels. What this means is, a computer hacker would have to try millions and millions of different code combinations before he'd even come close to guessing the one being used. Whenever the AES system is used, both computers—the hacking computer and your computer--must have the ability to code and decode information in this format which is nearly impossible. Centon's Data Stick Pro with Encryption utilizes the Symmetric Key Encryption format to prevent attacks on the end user's private information.

What do I do if I lose my password? 
All of our Data Stick Secure Flash USB Drives have a password reset option. There is a help document installed on each drive when shipped. In that document are instructions to reset your password.

When resetting your password- If you are able to give the correct answer to the hint question, you can gain access to your drive and your data will still be intact. If you are unable to remember your password after reviewing the hint the user has previously set you will be forced to reformat the drive. After reformatting and reinstalling the software and any content will be lost!

How do I know my data is encrypted? 
Once you have installed the software and set your password for the drive your drive is now encrypted. Meaning anything you drag and drop on to the drive will now be password protected and encrypted.

How do I delete files off my encrypted drive? 
Deleting files off your encrypted flash drive is the same as deleting them off your hard drive. It is as simple as selecting the single file or multiple files you wish to delete, right click the mouse button and select delete. Windows will ask if you are sure that you want to delete. Select yes if so, and they will be deleted.

Is this software compatible with MAC operating systems 
Unfortunately due to the difference in file structure for MAC OS and Windows OS this software is not compatible with a MAC. However there is software available for purchase for Apple computers that enables the user to run programs meant for Windows.

What is the difference between hardware encryption and software encryption? USB encryption software, although effective, is a software program like any other software program. As such, it can be hacked into the same way that computer games and windows programs are hacked every day. This hacking isn’t easy, but a well created software program does have the ability to be unlocked by skilled programmers. Hardware encryption is more secure but can cost up to 10 times as much as software encryption!

What happens if I format the drive on accident or on purpose? 
If you format the drive all of your data including the encryption software will be deleted. Centon recommends that you save the encryption software file on to your desktop so that in case you accidentally or on purpose format your drive you will be able to re install the software. Centon will not be able to send you a new copy of the encryption software per the disclaimer on the packaging and the website, so please be careful!

What is AES? 
AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard, in the simplest terms it is a format of encryption excepted by industry professionals world wide. If AES is the form of encryption being used, the people utilizing it can know it is using the most advanced and widely accepted form of encryption available.

Can I have some files Encrypted and some not? 
Yes you can! After you have finished the installation of the software, plug your drive into the computer and you will see what is on the drive. If you haven’t loaded anything on to the drive yet all you will see is the “Run Secure Flash” icon. Once you have entered the program everything you drag and drop is encrypted. Everything outside of the program is public, meaning it can be seen by anyone who accesses the drive so be careful! Make sure anything that is not in the secure flash folder is something you are ok with someone seeing should you misplace the drive or someone else gains access to it.

Why do I get a "The disk is write-protected" message when I transfer files to my SD memory card?

For SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards:

SOLUTION 1 - Unlock the memory card.

There is a Lock switch on the left side of the SD card. Make sure the Lock switch is slid up (unlock position). You will not be able to modify or delete the contents on the memory card if it is locked.

NOTE: If you are using a microSD card with an adapter your issue may be caused by a faulty adapter.  Please try using a different adapter or device that accepts microSD cards without an adapter to verify.

SOLUTION 2 - Toggle the lock switch.

If the lock switch is loose and moves easily It is likely the switch is sliding to the locked position as the card is placed in your host device. In this case the card will need to be replaced. Please contact Centon Customer Care for warranty inquiry.

Most (not all) Centon retail microSD / micro SDHC / micro SDXC products include a microSD to SD card adapter.  The micro SD card adapter looks like a regular-sized SD card with a slot in it for the micro SD card. The SD card reader or SD media port on a computer can accommodate the adapter just like a normal-sized SD card. A variety of small electronic devices--such as cell phones, GPS devices and games--use micro SD cards. When placed inside an SD card adapter, they allow you to transfer data between your device and a computer.

Instructions

1. Remove the micro SD card from your device. (If microSD card is not yet inserted in device, skip this step.)
2. Insert the micro SD card into the adapter. Hold the adapter face up and insert the micro SD card into the slot face up with the gold pins going in first. (see photo below)
3. Insert the adapter card into the media slot on your computer. The media slot should say “SD”, "SDHC" or "SDXC" next to it. If your computer does not have a media port, you must use a USB SD card reader.
4. Open the SD card drive on your computer. On Windows computers, it should show up as a “removable” drive which you can open and view the files. On Mac OS systems, it should show up as an icon on the desktop. Once the card is seen, you can copy and paste the files to your hard drive.  You can also take media files from your hard drive and put them in the folders on the card.

IMPORTANT NOTE - Backwards Compatibility for SD Media cards.  

• SDXC memory cards must use only with SDXC devices.
• SDXC devices can use SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
• SDHC memory cards can be used with SDHC and SDXC devices.
• SDHC devices can use both SD and SDHC memory cards.
• SD devices can only use SD memory cards.

Question:

I recently purchased a 64GB SDXC card. It is not recognized properly by my computer or camera. Is there some type of compatibility issue?

Answer:

There are three versions of the Secure Digital standard:

• SD – Secure Digital v1.0/1.1 (Secure Digital Standard Capacity) – supports card capacities up to 2GB
• SDHC – Secure Digital v2.0 (Secure Digital High Capacity) – supports card capacities from 4GB up to 32GB
• SDXC – Secure Digital v3.0 (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) – supports card capacities from 64GB up to 2TB

Please check the manufacturer specification or website for your computer, card reader, camera, or other device to see if it supports SDXC cards. If unsure, please contact the computer or device manufacturer to verify if their product supports SDXC or not.

If you wish, you may also contact our team Customer Support with your computer, camera, card reader or other device make and model information and they can research whether SDXC is supported or not on your device.

SDHC cards do not require device drivers. The card reader in which the SD card is inserted is what requires device drivers. In order for your card reader to read your SDHC memory card, the card reader must support either Secure Digital 2.0 (SDHC) or Secure Digital 3.0 (SDXC) media cards. Earlier generation card readers that only support Secure Digital 1.0 (SD) media cards are not capable of reading/recognizing SDHC media. Check with the manufacturer of the card reader to verify if it supports SDHC cards or not.

Troubleshooting

• Do other SDHC cards (4GB to 32GB) work in your PC card reader?
• If no, please use/purchase a SDHC compatible card reader.
• If yes, please verify function of the Centon card in another device or card reader that supports SDHC. Additionally, check with PC and/or card reader’s Support website for any driver updates, or other related updates.
• Does the Centon SDHC card work in other devices or card readers?
• If yes, your PC card reader either does not support SDHC cards, or requires driver update from its manufacturer.
• If no, and if other SDHC cards work in both your PC card reader and other devices, the Centon product may be faulty and requires replacement.

Centon ships many of our MicroSD cards with a standard SD adapter. This will allow you the flexibility to convert your MicroSD card to a standard SD card.

Why would I need a MicroSD card and adapter?

You may have a Secure Digital (SD/SDHC/SDXC) card reader either built-in to your computer, or one that connects externally through a USB port. The reader allows you to move files from your memory card to your computer. By converting your MicroSD card to an SD card with the adapter, you can easily transfer your photos, or videos to and from your computer.

In addition, you may have a smartphone, tablet or other device that requires a MicroSD card to extend your memory capacity, and back up your files. You may also own a digital camera. Most digital cameras on the market require a standard size SD card for photo and video storage. Having the MicroSD card with the SD adapter will allow you to use your MicroSD card for two different types of devices, a mobile handheld device such as a smartphone, as well as a digital camera.

First, please make sure your camera supports the SD card you purchased.  Another way is to verify that the associated SD logo that appears on the card also appears on the camera (see below).

Understanding Backwards Compatibility

• SDXC memory cards must only with SDXC devices.
• SDXC devices can use SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
• SDHC memory cards can be used with SDHC and SDXC devices.
• SDHC devices can use both SD and SDHC memory cards.
• SD devices can only use SD memory cards.

If the card you purchased is confirmed as compatible, your SD card needs to be formatted in the camera. Some digital cameras may require you to format the card within the camera for proper operation. See your camera User Guide for instructions on formatting the card within the camera. Alternately, you can use a Windows or Mac computer to format the drive with the SD Formatter v4 software available at the following link.
www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4

Question: What is an SSD (Solid State Drive)?

Answer:

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a type of computer data storage that emulates a HDD [Hard Disk Drive], however it uses flash memory instead of spinning disks to store data. With no moving parts, SSD are inherently less fragile than hard disks, and therefore are also silent (unless a cooling fan is used). As there are no mechanical delays, they benefit with low access times and lower latency. SSD is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. Some SSD’s use either SRAM or DRAM instead of Flash memory [non-volatile computer memory } and are often called RAM-drives.

SSD are available in standard form factors of, 1.8-inch, 2.5-inch, and 3.5-inch. Since they have no moving parts they can withstand extreme shock, vibration, temperature, altitude and harsh environmental conditions while operating without compromising on data integrity. Standard models operate in temperatures of 0 - 70° C. and special industrial models can withstand operating temperatures of -40 - 85° C.

[b]Question: How do I use a SSD?[/b]

Answer:

Like a traditional hard disk drive, it can be installed into computer as usual and then formated and installed with operating system like Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OSX and others.

Question: Why SSD? 

Answer:

Compared to a HDD, a SSD can accelerate performance of high availability applications and significantly reduce total cost of ownership because they are:

* Faster. With reads speeds up to 120 MB per second and write speeds up to 90 MB per second, SSD’s drastically improve HDD performance.
* Longer lasting. An intelligent algorithm ensures advanced wear-leveling and even usage of the entire flash memory region.
* More reliable. SSD's have a mean time between failures (MTBF) of one million hours. Plus, it provides enhanced data integrity due to its 7-bit error correction code (ECC) and advanced bad block management.
* More robust. With no moving parts, an SSD is more tolerant of extreme shocks, vibrations and temperatures.
* More power efficient. Due to its solid state, an SSD uses less power and therefore emits less heat, reducing data center management costs.
* Noiseless. Reduces ambient noise in data centers and offices.
* More Portable. SSD's weight is significantly less, making systems much more portable and lighter. This opens the way for new classes of ultra-portable laptop and handheld computers, and new applications.

The SSD drive comes unformatted.  The reason for this is that the SSD drive can be used on a variety of platforms (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Unix, etc.) that may employ different file systems (NTFS, HFS+, Ext3, Ext4, etc.)  You will need to partition and format the drive for use on your system so that it can be mounted as a usable storage volume on your system.

SSD for use as Primary drive

If you plan to use it as the primary drive for the computer, you may need to obtain a data migration software that is supported on your operating system version, whether that is Windows 7, 8 or 10, or Mac OS X v??.??.  To migrate the OS and data from your existing primary drive to the SSD, you may also need additional equipment to connect the SSD to your computer (such as a USB 3.0 2.5-inch external drive enclosure) in order to copy the current primary drive to the SSD.  The data migration software will take care of the partitioning and formatting of the drive during the data migration process.

SSD for use as Secondary drive

If the drive is being installed as a secondary drive, you will need to use the disk utility provided with your operating system to partition and format the drive for use.

Windows - use the Windows Disk Management utility ('diskmgmt.msc').  Click here for instructions from Microsoft.

Mac - use the Mac Disk Utility - see links below for instructions.

·         Disk Utility (El Capitan): Partition a physical disk

If your operating system is not listed above, try an Internet query using your preferred search engine to search for "partition" + the name of your operating system version.

A USB flash drive (or other flash storage device such as Secure Digital or CompactFlash) that is no longer seen by your computer as an available storage volume may not necessarily be due to faulty product, and in some cases can be corrected.  This problem may be due to a damaged/corrupted/lost MBR or partition.  Causes of this are numerous – some possible causes are loss of power during a write/erase cycle, disconnecting USB from port during a write/erase cycle, ESD (Electrostatic Discharge), power spike, etc.  To correct this…

1. Recover data, if needed.  Recovery software links… 
   • NOTE: for USB disk or flash device (SD, MicroSD, CompactFlash) recovery, partition recovery software is recommended
2. Perform a low level format – software and instructions.
3. Perform a regular system format to prepare the drive to accept new data (recommended formats: up to 2GB = FAT16; 4GB to 32GB = FAT32; 64GB and larger = either NTFS or exFAT). If needed, instructions are here.  For SD cards, please format with the SD Formatter software available here.

If either the low level format or regular format fails, the drive may have malfunctioned and requires replacement.  If so, please either exchange at the store, or respond to this message for warranty claim instructions.

Centon does not provide any repair or data recovery services on Centon storage products. We only replace the product if they are not functional and are within the terms of Centon warranty.

If the product is completely non-functional, a specialized data recovery company may be able to help. To locate such a company, query your preferred search engine or your local yellow pages to find a data recovery company that can attempt to recover the data for you.

NOTICE: Centon's warranty does NOT provide reimbursement for data recovery services. The Centon warranty covers the product itself, but does NOT cover any damages due to data loss, or other financial loss arising out of the use of Centon products. It is recommended to make regular backups of all your data and pictures.

Drive capacity can be confusing due to the different measurement standards that are used. Operating systems typically measure the drive capacity in binary. Hard disk drive, flash drive, SSD, flash card, optical drive and other computer storage manufacturers measure the storage capacity in decimal. In either case, the capacity is measured by the total number of bytes available on the drive.

Decimal vs. Binary:
For simplicity and consistency, the above mentioned manufacturers define a megabyte as 1,000,000 bytes and a gigabyte as 1,000,000,000 bytes. This is a decimal (base 10) measurement and is the industry standard. However, certain system BIOSs, FDISK and Windows define a megabyte as 1,048,576 bytes and a gigabyte as 1,073,741,824 bytes. Mac systems also use these values. These are binary (base 2) measurements.

To Determine Decimal Capacity:
A decimal capacity is determined by dividing the total number of bytes, by the number of bytes per gigabyte (1,000,000,000 using base 10).

To Determine Binary Capacity:
A binary capacity is determined by dividing the total number of bytes, by the number of bytes per gigabyte (1,073,741,824 using base 2).

For a 16GB drive, that is defined as 16,000,000,000 bytes (base 10/decimal). When the operating system reads the drive capacity, it reports in binary, or approximately 14,901,161,194 bytes (or 14.9GB). (16,000,000,000 / 1024^3 = 14.90116119 bytes ----> 14.90116119 * 1000^3 = 14901161194 bytes, 14.9 gigabytes)

The actual available capacity of the drive may be less than the above stated "Approximate Binary Capacity".  There are a few possible reasons for this.  For one, the storage device firmware will occupy a portion of the available NAND flash storage on the device.  The firmware is an integral part of any flash based storage device to ensure proper operation in your system.  Some flash storage devices may also implement provisioning.  Provisioning can increase the endurance of a flash storage devices by distributing the total number of writes and erases across a larger population of NAND flash blocks and pages over time.  Provisioned blocks are not visible to the host as available storage.

We are sorry for the inconvenience.  Here is the information you need:

Product Key: PSG-198-PEE-VL-571159395

Product Serial: 09884-86934-52F99-B5996

Centon SSD Installation Kit -

SSD Installation Kit Guide

Adding Random Access Memory (RAM) is an easy and cost effective way to boost your computer's performance. PCs that had more than enough RAM when they were new often have trouble keeping up with the demands of the latest programs after a few years. New operating systems almost always call for more memory, too. When a computer runs short of RAM, it's forced to swap the overflow data on and off of the hard drive, which can significantly slow performance. 

How to Install your new Memory Upgrade

1. Shut your computer down and disconnect all cables from the back of the tower.
2. Pick up the tower and place it on a hard surface workspace such as a table or counter that has decent lighting
3. Look at the back of the tower where the cables plug in. You should see a screw holding one side of the tower wall in place
4. Remove this screw using the screwdriver. Some screws allow you to remove them by hand
5. Remove the side panel of the tower and place it some place safe
6. You should be able to see a memory module already installed on the motherboard. It will look very similar to the memory module you have purchased. There should also be an available slot next to the existing module.
7. Look at the base of your new memory module and align the metal contacts with the open slot. Note the small plastic levers at each end of the slot
8. Press the module into the slot. Use care when doing this so you do not damage the module. If the module is lined up correctly, the small plastic levers should automatically close in on the memory module and "clip" it into place.
9. Check to make sure the memory module is properly seated. Once you are done checking, return the side panel that was removed in Step 5 and tighten the screw.
10. Plug all cords back into the tower and turn the computer on. Your computer should automatically recognize the new memory module during the bootup.

General Tips

• Before removing or installing any memory upgrade, you must disconnect your device from its power source including laptop batteries. This will help guard against damage due to power surges.
• To prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD), remove any static charge you may be carrying by touching the system chassis before you begin. You should be wearing some form of commercial grounding strap.
• For additional detailed safety information, please refer to your system manual.

Proper Handling of Memory Modules:

• Always handle any memory upgrade carefully; do not flex or bend;
• Do not use excessive force when installing into a memory socket; too much force could cause damage to both the upgrade and the socket.
• Do not apply pressure to exposed black memory chips.
• Only apply pressure to the exposed corners of the PCB (Printed Circuit board).

This guide will give you step by step instructions on how to install memory into your Laptop.
 
Guides: 

Maximum Memory that can be registered by your computer is limited by your Motherboard as well as your operating system. For a list of maximum support memories on Windows based machines, please visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx

For other operating systems you will need to check the support pages for those distributions as the maximum support can vary between the operating systems.

First, make certain the computer supports the amount of RAM you have installed.  If unsure, please respond with the following information:

• Computer or Motherboard - Make and Model
• Operating system - version and revision (e.g. Windows 7 SP1 64-bit edition)

How to troubleshoot RAM issues?

1. test the memory modules in various combinations
• test one memory module at a time
• test memory modules in matched sets (e.g. pair of two matched parts for dual-channel systems)
• test all slots populated with RAM - if you have lower capacity memory modules that you are replacing, test them in combination with your new Centon RAM.
2. Check existing BIOS revision, and check computer or motherboard manufacturer's support site for a more recent BIOS revision.  Newer BIOS revisions may contain enhancements/fixes that address memory stability, among other things.  Be sure to carefully follow the computer or motherboard manufacturer's instructions for proper BIOS update.
3. Run a RAM diagnostic
• for Windows, see ‘Diagnosing memory problems on your computer’  (also skip to the end of this message for instructions)
• for all PC's see www.memtest.org
• for Macs, use the Apple Hardware Test (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201257).

Other issues which may influence memory stability:

• adequate airflow/cooling for all internal computer components - make sure there is enough cool air entering the system and sufficient exhaust to expel warm air from the chassis.  In some cases, direct airflow over the RAM modules is needed.  Additionally, make sure the system is clean and free of dust.  Dust blocking the air intakes, or accumulated on the motherboard or other system components can lead to system instability.
• Marginal or insufficient power supply - though this is a less likely culprit, if the power supplied to the system components is marginal or insufficient, then system instability may ensue.

If further support is needed, please respond with the following information:

• Computer or Motherboard - Make and Model
• Operating system - version and revision
• results of the above troubleshooting tips

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Accessing Windows Memory Diagnostics 

Windows Memory Diagnostics can also been accessed via Windows Boot Manager or Boot Menu with the following steps:

1. Restart the computer.
2. On initial boot up screen, press F8 to bring up Advanced Boot Options menu.
3. On the “Advanced Boot Options” menu, press Esc key to go to Windows Boot Manager screen.
4. In “Windows Boot Manager” screen, press Tab to select Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Tools section.
5. Windows Memory Diagnostic utility will launch, and continue to follow steps listed above.

Note: On some systems, Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool may be selected on the first boot menu screen. On some dual-boot or multi-boot systems, Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool may be accessed via F8 key.

What is DDR4 RAM?

DDR4 SDRAM is the abbreviation for “double data rate fourth generation synchronous dynamic random-access memory,” the latest variant of memory in computing. DDR4 is able to achieve higher speed and efficiency thanks to increased transfer rates and decreased voltage.

DDR4 memory is expected to support transfer rates between 2133 MT/s (million transfers per second) and 2400 MT/s. By comparison, DDR3 technology supports from 800 to 2133 MT/s. This significant memory transfer boost will enable hardware developers to produce more powerful processors and more capable devices. This new memory also uses less power -- 1.2 Volts compared to 1.5 Volts of standard DDR3 chips. This reduced power consumption should lead to better battery life in portable devices such as phones, tablets and laptops. DDR4 doesn’t fundamentally change the way memory operates, but it features a new command signal to indicate the active command. The /ACT command consolidates the previous process, which demanded three separate commands when an active command is in use.

Major technology manufacturers have already started integrating DDR4 chips into their lines of products. AMD and Supermicro have been sampling DDR4 in its latest chip sets. Intel also announced that it would use DDR4 technology in an upcoming computing product. Consumers may not celebrate this significant advance in memory technology, but they will appreciate the performance it provides and new features it enables. Under-the-hood technology is the engine that drives computers, and DDR4 is compact piece of muscle.

What are the benefits of DDR4?

DDR4, the latest generation of RAM, offers increased speed and efficiency for computing devices. This new memory chip technology boasts increased transfer speeds that will boost performance of your favorite desktop PC, tablet, and smartphone devices. The previous generation of dynamic RAM offered speeds between 800 and 2133 MT/s (million transfers per second), but DDR4 supports speeds of between 2133 and 2400 MT/s. Along with its increased speed, DDR4 also is more efficient, using a maximum of 1.2 Volts compared to DDR3’s standard voltage of 1.5 volts, and maximum of 1.65 Volts.

DDR4 enables developers to add more powerful processors to their hardware. For consumers, that means advanced computing capabilities on all platforms, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. DDR4 also will enable hardware manufacturers to boost the battery life on their mobile devices.

What is the difference between DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4?

This memory upgrade promises faster, more efficient performance. DDR4 technology has two predecessors, DDR3 and DDR2. The latest edition of this dynamic memory continues its tradition, enabling hardware providers to add high-performance computing functions to devices of all shapes and sizes.

DDR4 operates at speeds between 2133 and 2400 MT/s (million transfers per second). Compare that to DDR3’s speeds from 800 to 2133 MT/s and DDR2’s speeds from 400 to 1066 MT/s, and it’s easy to see how far memory technology has come. Dynamic RAM has also become more efficient over the years. DDR2 operated on 1.8 volts. DDR3 lowered that to 1.5 Volts (or 1.35 volts for DDR3L), and now, DDR4 operates on 1.2 Volts. Consumers will notice this change in the form of increased battery life for laptops, tablets and smartphones.

When will DDR4 be available?

The next generation of dynamic RAM, DDR4 has been in development since 2005, two years before its predecessor, DDR3, was released.

Consumers can expect DDR4 to slowly make its way into their devices in Q4 2014. Desktop and mobile devices are set to hit store shelves in the next year will be powered by this increased type of memory. Developers also will be able to include functions and features that, until now, technology had been holding back. Consumers often celebrate voice control, touch capabilities and high-resolution pictures, but dynamic RAM technology enables those advancements. DDR4 is the foundation for future computing breakthroughs.

What is the value of DDR4?

DDR4 has more than 20 new features compared to DDR3—multiple power-saving, performance, and reliability features. These features, coupled with DDR4’s 1.20V core, can provide as much as 40% power savings compared to standard DDR3. With the new DDR4 architecture and added performance features, a substantial performance boost in bandwidth and command scheduling can be realized for 100% or better effective bandwidth increase. In addition, while mainstream DDR3 is at 1600 MT/s today, DDR4 will start at 2133 MT/s, and is expected to reach 3200 MT/s or higher.

Can DDR4 operate at slower speeds?

DDR4 is capable of clocking back as far back as 1333 MT/s. For systems that do not need speed increases above DDR3-1333 and DDR3-1600, DDR4 can support these slower bandwidth requirements with substantially lower power requirements.

Operating system maximum RAM limits

Here is a breakdown of Windows operating systems.

Windows 8 limits on physical memory:

• 32-bit Edition
• Windows 8 = 4GB
• Windows 8 Professional = 4GB
• Windows 8 Enterprise = 4GB
• 64-bit Edition
• Windows 8  = 128GB
• Windows 8 Professional = 512GB
• Windows 8 Enterprise = 512GB

Windows 7 limits on physical memory:

• 32-bit Edition
• Windows 7 Ultimate = 4GB
• Windows 7 Enterprise = 4GB
• Windows 7 Professional = 4GB
• Windows 7 Home Premium = 4GB
• Windows 7 Home Basic = 4GB
• Windows 7 Starter = 2GB
• 64-bit Edition
• Windows 7 Ultimate = 192GB
• Windows 7 Enterprise = 192GB
• Windows 7 Professional = 192GB
• Windows 7 Home Premium = 16GB
• Windows 7 Home Basic = 8GB
• Windows 7 Starter = N/A

Windows Vista limits on physical memory:

• 32-bit Edition
• Windows Vista Ultimate = 4GB
• Windows Vista Enterprise = 4GB
• Windows Vista Business = 4GB
• Windows Vista Home Premium = 4GB
• Windows Vista Home Basic = 4GB
• Windows Vista Starter = 1GB
• 64-bit Edition
• Windows Vista Ultimate = 128GB
• Windows Vista Enterprise = 128GB
• Windows Vista Business = 128GB
• Windows Vista Home Premium = 16GB
• Windows Vista Home Basic = 8GB
• Windows Vista Starter = N/A

Windows Home Server = 4GB

Windows XP limits on physical memory:

• 32-bit Edition
• Windows XP = 4GB
• Windows XP Starter = 512MB
• 64-bit Edition
• Windows XP = 128GB
• Windows XP Starter = N/A

Source = Memory Limits for Windows Releases

This guide will give you step by step instructions on how to install memory into your Desktop & Server.
 
Guides:

How To Install Desktop/Server Memory

Question: What is a compact Flash card?

Answer:

Compact Flash card is a small, removable mass storage device. First introduced in 1994, Compact Flash cards weigh a half ounce and are the size of a matchbook. They provide complete PCMCIA-ATA functionality and compatibility.

CF Type I

At 43mm (1.7") x 36mm (1.4") x 3.3mm (0.13"), the CF Type I card's thickness is about one-half of a current PCMCIA Type II card. It is actually one-fourth the volume of a PCMCIA card. Compared to a 68-pin PCMCIA card, a CF card has 50 pins but still conforms to ATA specs. It can be easily slipped into a passive 68-pin PCMCIA Type II to CF Type I adapter that fully meets PCMCIA electrical and mechanical interface specifications.

CF Type II

At 43mm (1.7") x 36mm (1.4") x 5mm (0.19"), the CF Type II card's thickness is equal to a current PCMCIA Type II card. It is actually less than one-half the volume of a PCMCIA card. Compared to a 68-pin PCMCIA card, a CF card has 50 pins but still conforms to ATA specs. It can be easily slipped into a passive 68-pin PCMCIA Type II to CF Type II adapter that fully meets PCMCIA electrical and mechanical interface specifications.

The only difference between CF Type I and CF Type II cards is the card thickness. CF Type I is 3.3 mm thick and CF Type II cards are 5mm thick. A CF Type I card will operate in a CF Type I or CF Type II slot. A CF Type II card will only fit in a CF Type II slot. The electrical interfaces are identical. Compact Flash is available in both CF Type I and CF Type II cards, though predominantly in CF Type I cards. The Microdrive is a CF Type II card. Most CF I/O cards are CF Type I, but there are some CF Type II I/O cards.

Compact Flash cards are designed with flash technology, a nonvolatile storage solution that does not require a battery to retain data indefinitely.

The Compact Flash card specification version 4.1 supports data rates up to 133MB/sec and capacities up to 137GB.

Compact Flash storage products are solid state, meaning they contain no moving parts, and provide users with much greater protection of their data than conventional magnetic disk drives. They are five to ten times more rugged and reliable than disk drives including those found in PC Card Type III products. CF cards consume only five percent of the power required by small disk drives.

Compact Flash cards support both 3.3V and 5V operation and can be interchanged between 3.3V and 5V systems. This means that any CF card can operate at either voltage. Other small form factor flash cards may be available to operate at 3.3V or 5V, but any single card can operate at only one of the voltages.

The connector used with CF and Compact Flash is similar to the PCMCIA Card connector, but with 50 pins. Years of field experience in portable devices have proven the reliability and durability of this connector in applications where frequent insertions and ejections of the card are required. Other small form factor flash cards use connector technology that is not reliable or durable in these applications.

Compact Flash cards provide the lowest cost flash storage solution. With the built-in controller, a wide variety of low cost flash technologies can be used. The built-in controller lowers costs further by reducing costs in the host device and allowing defective flash chip cells to be mapped out, thus increasing flash chip yields. Compact Flash provides the lowest cost data storage solution.

Question: Where can Compact Flash cards be used?

Answer: 

Several leading consumer electronics companies, including the CFA's roster of founding members, are designing CF technology into next-generation products being developed for mass markets. The CFA expects CF technology will be widely used in such products as portable and desktop computers, digital cameras, handheld data collection scanners, cellular phones, PCS phones, PDAs, handy terminals, personal communicators, advanced two-way pagers, audio recorders, monitoring devices and set-top boxes. CF technology offers all of these applications new and expanded functionality while enabling smaller and lighter designs.

Question: What operating systems support CF cards?

Answer:

Numerous platforms and operation systems support Compact Flash and the PCMCIA-ATA standard, including DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, , Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows CE, OS/2, Apple System 7, most types of UNIX.