I/O Magic GigaBank 8gb
On Jan 19, I/O Magic released an 8gb version of its GigiBank portable USB storage device.
Features:
- USB 2.0 connection, backwards compatible with USB 1.1
- The USB connector can be ‘tucked away’ when not in use
- 2″ x0.5″ x2.5″
- Less than 2 ounces
Full Press Release
I/OMagic Enhances its Portable Storage Line-Up with Release of its GigaBank™ 8.0
Easy to Use, Pocket-Size 8GB(a) Storage Device is Targeted to Mobile Consumers
IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 19, 2006–I/OMagic Corporation (OTCBB:IOMG – News), a leading provider of data storage products, announced today that it is set to ship to retailers the latest product in its portable storage line-up, the new GigaBank(TM) 8.0. The GigaBank(TM) 8.0 has a capacity of up to 8GB(a) of storage space in a miniature and lightweight USB 2.0 unit, designed to store MP3s, video and photos as well as back up documents or transfer files.
Source: I/OMagic Corporation
“We see tremendous growth potential with portable storage devices,” states Tony Shahbaz, president of I/OMagic. “I/OMagic’s product marketing strategy is to try to provide user friendly, stylish products that have the greatest storage capacity possible for consumers. We feel the GigaBank(TM) line fits within this plan, as they are targeted toward mobile consumers and carry large quantities of music, photos, video or documents with them where ever they go.”
The GigaBank(TM) 8.0 is small (2″x0.5″x2.5″) and lightweight (less than two ounces) and it requires no battery or power adapter. It is powered through a USB 2.0 port (which is also USB 1.1 backwards compatible). When not in use, the USB connector can be conveniently tucked into the enclosure. It comes with a USB extension cable for hard to reach USB ports. The GigaBank(TM) 8.0 is plug-and-play compatible and it supports Windows XP/2000/ME/98SE.
The I/OMagic GigaBank(TM) 8.0 will soon ship to national consumer electronics and office supply retailers and has an introductory MSRP of $199.99.
(a) Note: 1 GB=1 billion bytes.
A user’s total accessible memory/storage/data capacity will be less than stated as a result of the user’s operating system and other factors.
About I/OMagic
I/OMagic is a leading provider of data storage products (such as CD-RW and DVD+/-RW drives, USB Portable Storage Devices and floppy drives, including its MediaStation, DataStation and GigaBank(TM) products). The Company sells products under three brand names — I/OMagic®, Hi-Val® and Digital Research Technologies® — through nationally-recognized computer, consumer electronics and office supply superstores and other retailers.
Forward-looking statements in this release with respect to the anticipated shipment date and sale price of the Company’s new GigaBank(TM) 8.0 device, as well as product performance, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the Company’s dependence on the PC and consumer electronics industries and on product lines based on new technologies; the Company’s ability to develop new products based on new or evolving technology and the market’s acceptance of those products; manufacturing capacity, availability and reliability; competition and pricing pressures in the technology industry; general economic and business conditions; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
I/OMagic Corporation
Nancy Andrews, 949-707-4806
nandrews@iomagic.com
or
Investor Contact:
Aurelius Consulting Group
Dan Werneke, 407-644-4256
dan@aurcg.com
www.runonideas.com
I bought your I/O Magic Gigabank 8MB and has been working very well about a month. Than all of sudden when I try to use again nothing happens or virtual drive does not show-up by pluging into USB port. Please call me to suggest what should I do to make it work again. Thank you Tejpal Basra
Same thing happened to me. I called I/O Magic about it and they said I corrupted it and must send it to them in order to have it replaced and my data recovered. That is a major pain. Anyone know how to recover the data myself??
Same here – not detected when plugged into the USB, and no blue light. Anyone know how to fix short of returning the unit to I/O?
Same problem. I have used the drive a total to two times. The rest of the time it has been sitting in a box on my desk. How in the world can a portable drive get corrupted by sitting on a desk? Wow!!! Will definitely find another brand to try.
Same problem here, too. If anyone comes up with (or hears of) a solution short of returning the device, please do share it — I live abroad and it will be a HUGE hassle for me to send this thing back to I/O Magic.
exactly as this one I have. Does this company jump into releasing it without beta testing it first? I’m not sending it back for them to repair it i’m just gonna toss it and recommend my other friends to NOT buy it. period!
i am having the same problem with the gigabank…i have a lot important data on it….i try using all my other computers to open it up but it say its not detecting it…WHATS WRONG WITH IT…is there anyway i can recover all my important files????
Same as the others. Computer no longer recognizes the drive. What a piece.
Same as the others. Always safely removed hardware. Now no blue light. Compaq usb shows inserted but 8gb doesn’t respond.
This also happened to me. Maybe a little more testing before they release their products would be nice.
I have the same problem, I contacted LIVE tech support, and they CAN’T do anything about it.
I saved the conversation, so if someone want’s it send me an e-mail at: elfory@gmail.com
What a crappy device . . i only worked once. . . I backed-up my data, formatted my PC, and when I tried to restore my data . . . NOTHING!!!
Same as the others. No blue light.
The device doesn’t respond
My usb GIGABANK 8GB is not recognized after araound two months of usage.The Data could not be retreived.It is regretted that my comments mentioned earlier about my problem have not been posted on this web site?.Although I have informed the matter to above given email address but have not received any response.I shall be thankful if any body can guide at my email address:
minamjafri@hotmail.com
All my files are gone!
Magic my ass!
I’m having the same problem as most everyone else here. I bought a IO Magic 80 GB and used it about 4 times. When I pug it in, the computer doesn’t recognize it. A piece of junk!!
Unfortunately, this product looked very tantalizing. I mean, 8GB? Wonderful! I was having a ball this the last couple of months with it. I got this in the first place because I wanted my files backed up in case of a computer crash. Then last night, my computer and the other two computers in the house wouldn’t read it! No blue light either. How frustrating! I had a lot of important files on there- especially some documents I had been working on for months! Does anyone know if the files are corrupted, or the USB connector is the problem? I/O Magic has lost my business.
I have the 500GB and it has the same syptoms as all the 8GB’s on this page. I have 250GB data stored on it. The blue light comes on the PC starts to read it and then a noise from inside the drive ocurrs and the light goes out with a different repeating noise. I/O Magic lost my business tonight. My drive is 2 months old? I would like to take it apart if anyone knows how the case comes apart???
I have a Gigabank 250GB. Was working for 3/4 of a year and now my computer won’t detect the drive. The drive boots up fine. In windows Xp, it just goes “found new hardware” and gets stuck at installing it.
Same problem. Our organization bought this thing and it apparently worked for a short time then nothing. The one I have is a little black and blue box with a swing out USB … not the silver one with cord I see on their web site. Can anyone tell me approximate age of my (presumably) previous generatiion 8gb model?
I had the same damned problem. It worked perfectly, and then it quit. No reason whatsoever. I’m taking it back to Staples.
Read the foregoing 20 responses…kind of says it all – great for a handful of instances and then no recognition of the device (after all the data has been saved to it).
Wow, when I copy and pasted the press release here I did so simply because this little box looked like a pretty slick little device.
After the 20+ posts here all saying it’s basically a piece of junk I’m glad I didn’t go out and buy one.
So, any of y’all that have had problems have any suggestions for something else that has worked for you?
My Gigabank 80 was working between two computers for the past year. Nary a problem. Worked with it last night on both machines (laptop & PC). This morning, nothing! I tried everything on the support site before contacting live tech. Before they even let you through to one, you have to describe everything. Tech gets on and asks what’s the problem… Detailed it all again and he had me do all the stuff you are supposed to do before you get through. Fine, but then when he couldn’t come up with a fix, or didn’t have the OO’s to tell me it’s fried, he left me hanging. I asked if he was still there–no response. Finally I just said when you find an answer, email me & left my email address. I did back up three weeks ago so all is not lost, except my business with I/O Magic.
O.K. Everyone this is not a very good news, but is worth to let this out for those out there who are still interested in buying Portable Storage Devices. My recommendation: always have a backup of some sort. After investigating, and dissecting in detail this GIGABANK I/O MAGIC storage device. I have found that the circuitry of this device may play a great role in this gadget malfuntioning,or dificiency. There is a CompactFlash Card inside this tiny silver box, most likely on every single product of this type as far as I am concern. This CF(CompactFlash) requires specials configurations when connecting and installing the CF to a CARD READER (HINT) or a 50 pin connector, such as the circuitry desing for I/O MAGIC Products. The CF desing by SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY, has a hole on one side of the CF. You can see it for yourself at this link http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/manuals/external/photo/100375652a.pdf
They refer to this hole as ” Breathing Hole”. The design of the small circuitry boad designed for I/O MAGIC products does have a hole as well, but they may have overlooked that the hole is not inline with the breathing Hole to keep the ST1.2 Drive,(as refer per SEAGATE) ,cooler. Which means that if the device is worked pretty rigoursly at morning time, it may very well just fried, and not work by the afternoon.
So, use your best judgment or ask a friend whose familiar with this type of gadgets if you are planning on buying one soon.
My suggestion Flash Drives.
For those who may still have their GIGABANK in their possesion, try a CompactFlash Type II Reader, you may have luck pulling your data out this dead box.
Good Luck!
Pman
FYI!
A few steps to open this tiny box.
1> Use a flat head screw driver to lift the edges of the aluminum covers as this may be glue to the surface.
2> Use a small phillip screw driver to remove the only one screw attaching both pieces.
3> Remove CompactFlash Card from the pin connector very careful as you may bend and break a pin inside the tiny holes on the CF Card.
4> Now, just insert CF Card to the CompactFlash Type II reader.
These steps are only
applicable to GIGABANK 4.0 through
8.0 GB Portable Devices.
Good Luck!
Pman
Thanks for the great tip, Pman. Not quite there for my poroblem. Per your suggestion, I carefully removed the ST1.2 from the Gigabank 8gb case and put it into a Compact Flash reader. Got some clicking like it wanted to start, it showed up as a detected drive very briefly but wouldn’t read, and then nothing. Still nothing, including no detection now of the drive in My Computer/Properties/Manage. Any other help you might be able to provided, I’d greatly appreciate! Thanks. Jim
Help, I’m not a tech wiz, so taking my defunct 8Gb Gigabank apart and replacing the CF reader is not going to happen. Does anyone know of where I can restore the information for cheap?
Thanks!
O.K. Guys,
I have determined that the CompactFlash is Out!
Jim, I am looking for a solution on how to remove data from the tiny registers use to cache data in to this tiny device.
May not be so lucky
Kelly, Are you trying to restore Data or Pics?
Try this option to restore Pics…
http://www.flash-memory-recovery.com/, you may also try the links in this URL.
Good luck!
Pman
Thanks, Pman! The dat I have on the card is also mostly image-type files – PDF’s, TIF’s; JPG’s (as paint shop pro files), GIF’s and the like. I’ll try your suggestion to Kelly later today. The amin problem seems to have been that the device is not detected so far. I’ll let you know. Thanks again! Jim
I have a combination of data/image files. I’m very annoyed as this has the past 5 years of data history for me.
thanks for the suggestion, I will try that and let you guys know if it works. Cross your fingers!
Hey, I just had the same thing happen to my Gigabank 8.0 today where it is no longer recognized by my computer. looks like i’m not the first. Anyone figure out a way to retrieve/recover data on it???? Does opening the case work? HELP!!
This is how my gigabank 500 story ends:
This drive has been returned to Future Shop.
The FS technicien declared this drive defective and asked me frankly, ” Why did you buy this piece of crap? Get yourself a real hard drive from a real company. ”
Apparently, so many of your products are defective that FS will not be ordering any more product from you. i/omagic trick = dissapearing data. I lost 100GB of data. Good job guys! Hang your head low in your cubicle with the knowledge that your work for a truely low grade company.
I dare you to answer this email with a meaningful reply!
I’m off to install my new Seagate drive.
Good ridens to i/omagic
Well, I don’t know who you’re daring to reply since this isn’t the iomagic site.
Heck, I just posted this press release because it looked like a pretty cool little product. Glad I didn’t buy one like I was planning.
Well Guys,
At last after all the hard work, we have recover all data from this tiny little magical piece of…..art!
Just kidding…I’ll will never ever suggest an I\O Magic product to anyone in my life, unless they start some realistic magical products that can be of good usase for a while and for a good reasonable price. We sent our storage device to a Data Recovery Center….got the data for for a few benjamins…Yeah when your data is worth lots of money, you are better off spending a few Benjies..
Good luck!
Pman
Prognoxman, I have same problems like everybody here… Where you sent your storage?and how much cost? and how about the information privacy?
This ” magic” company should pay for everything.
I am no tech geek by any stretch. But it was a simple task. I took mine apart using a small screwdriver, plugged it into the flash drive and was able to recover all my data. thanks pman
Really disappointing product though.
after reading all of these comments I opened up my 80GB gigabank and pull the flat part inside. it looks like your motheboard and attach to a set of pins. after taking it out and making sure the pins were secure and snap it back together and my 80GB harddrive WORKED!!!! I copied all 46GB of files onto my 500 segate portable harddrive.
to Debbie F
I also have a 80GB gigbank..
How does this sucker come apart ?
Same story here with my 80gb ext. drive which has “magically” gone incognito. Same story with IO’s live chat help desk. My local CompUSA guy suggested we could take out the drive and intall it into another reading device for under $50 so I’m going to try that first. If not, the lowest data recovery quote I got was just under $200. What pisses me off is that I ordered my unit through Dell. Anyone intersted in a class action suit?
Ok, I’m back. I bought a CF Reader and am ready to dismantle this piece of cr*p like the comments advised to do. One thing did cross my mind. Doesn’t this device have a disk in here and not a CF Card? Is this a lame question or what?
I’ve lost access to data on my 8 GB Gigabank too! I just disassemble the case to discover that the black, light red and white wires going into the USB port are broken. How do I fix that???? If no fix, how do I proceed getting my data?
Ok, it’s me again, I meant the USB cable, not the port. A bit frazzled by this situation! So it’s the wires from the circuit board to the USB cable that are broken. Any suggestion for next steps?
Same problem here. I am “lucky” that my 8Gb Gigabank worked roughly 30 times in 2 years and was not carrying important stuff when it died a few days ago… A class action suit would be in order, I guess!
I opened the case per Pman’s instructions. I hoped I could reuse the CF card, which is a Seagate microdrive. No luck with that either. The drive appears kaput.
Incidentally, I used an IBM 1Gb microdrive in a camera, and it also died on me recently. Microdrives are far from being as reliable as solid-state memory, it seems.
I had this stupid thing for about 9 months!!! I had tons of corp. files and pictures for the last past three years!!!!!
Please if anyone has recovered thier data please let me know how you did!!! Please!!!
The problem with this device is 99% of the time is the wires to the USB connector. The wires will come off the drives circuit board that the USB connector is attach to inside the case. I was able to open my one time and fix the wires. Gave it about another month and the wires came off again. The neat hide away USB connector is well neat and thats about all I can say. For as usable with out any wires coming lose is another question that should be asked.
No blue light indication, its not working at all. I have lost my all the important stuff. Hi..God please save me …Hello I/o Magic do some magic man.
Mine quit today – what a shock! And then I found this forum. I was sorry I had not backed up. I was ready to tear the thing apart, but kept trying to wiggle the connector and get it to recognize the drive – it worked! I held it tightly in that position while I copied to my hard disk. What a long 20 minutes, but it copied all my files. I then took it apart – will not trust it again. No sign of the wires being frayed or off the drive, but something happened. I was lucky – just keep trying, you might be also. Good luck!
This is exactly what happened to me. It’s sad that I’m not the only one that’s had a drive, which had been working perfectly the day before, all of sudden unable to load anything and have the computer not recognize the drive. I am now looking up data recovery centers to hopefully recover this info.
I also bought the I/O Magic 100GB Gigabank 2.5 USB drive. Item: IUSB100HD25
I used about once every 2-3 months. This morning I plugged it in and copied some files. I then disconnected (properly) and then after Windows said it was ok to unplug my device I did. After a few minutes I remembered some other files I wanted to copy. Plugged it back in. NOTHING. I do get blue lights, just doesn’t show in Windows. Tried other USB ports, and on my desktop. Drive lights come on and appears to spin up (you can hear it if you place your ear close), but no drive appearing! I went through their live chat, all kinds of nonsense steps, USB drivers, confirm via Disk Management tool, the idiot even tried to get me to install updated intel IDE drivers, that weren’t compatible with my mobile device. Finally he (she?) gave up and sent me RMA details. I said I really just wanted my data back, I could care less about the PoS drive. Tech support gave me some links to 3rd party drive restore services and said they (iomagic) would only replace the drive, not repair or recover my data for me. Can you believe it? I will NEVER, I mean NEVER buy from these guys again. What idiots, to put something out that you RELY on for backups and then it just QUITS after only a few uses. I’m so pissed. I’m going to try later at home using the second USB connection (maybe it needs more juice now that more data is on the disk, causing reads closer to the edge, or?) and then will try to disassemble and repair myself (will post here if positive results). Rest assured companies like these won’t survive. Now, if the rep had admitted that there was a problem with these drives, offered to overnight (free) my drive and get it fixed or at least get my data back on DVDrs for me then I would be singing a different tune. Obviously the customer ISN’T first for this outfit.
I have the same problem, I was told by a rep just mail the device back to them and tape a NOTE on the device DATA MUST BE RECOVED! man I taped it on there good, after about a month I get a new unit and plug it in and it doesn’t work. I call the company and no one knows anything about the recoved data. Amazing this company stays open!!
I opened mine after it stopped working and I think it gets so hot that it melts the glue that keeps the wires connected and it spreads onto some of the solder connections. I have scraped it off then it started spinning up again but could not be used anymore.
Try this!
Gigabank 8 GB
If the drive letter does not appear, goto Admin Tools, Comp Mgt, Disk Mgt, right-click on the disk, Activate the disk, then create a partition but do not format it. Assign a drive letter and exit.
Now that you have a drive letter you can use this software to see if you have salvagable data: http://www.jufsoft.com/badcopy/
If so, make the $40 purchase and retrieve your files!
Matt,
I’ve tried what you’ve written, but in Disk Mgt, it doesn’t even find the drive.
Any other ideas?
I purchased the 8gb driver and it SUCKS!!! for lack of better words. I can plug it in and the blue light will actually come on but it won’t show up on the computer?????????
Had the same problems as everyone else. Took mine apart, pulled the CF card out and plugged it into a generic CF cardreader. Plugged it into the USB port on my laptop and recovered everything on it.
Purchased it on 2006 , thanksgiving for cheap. Today the blue light is on and drive does not show up on my computer. What crap !
I bought the I/O Magic Gigabank 8MB USB drive. I thought to myself “This is cool!” Well after about 4 or 5 uses in died. I called Gigabank and they told me that I corrupted it and I would have to send it in to have it fixed and my data recoevered. Guess what ….. corrupted it my ass! This thing has a Seagate Micro 8gig HDD in it. A substandard piece of crap that should not have ever been sold to anyone for any reason. To whoever said “Class Action” in this blog …. I agree! I/O Magic …. more like I/O Trash. BOYCOT I/O MAGIC and SEAGATE!!! Their HDDs are junk anyway.
Oh …. by the way …. the Seagate Mico 8gig HDD failed! Listen really close … that CaChunk CaChunk CaChunk noise you arehearing is a crashed HDD. It is a hardware failure and ha nothing to do with what any of you put on the drive.
I’m having the same issue as everyone else. The drive just all of a sudden stop being recognized by the computer. It does not show up under disk management either. I might try to open it up and use a CF card reader. I really need to recover the data.
My 8gb GIGAbank had the same problem as the rest. No blue light wont turn on. I read all of the comments on here, went to the Comp store and bought a Sandisk 12-in-1 reader. Used the CF Type II slot and BAM! It recognized it and I transfered the files off of it. NO RECOVERY!!! There was nothing wrong with the Micro HDD, it was the crap from I/O Magic!
Same problem with the 500g device–you know, the one that i used to follow the age old advice about backing up. Just wish I’d backed up my backup, since after shuffling laptops, most of my data over the last 20 years is gone, unless I can crack the case and recover the data using another reader.
Anyone know if the 500g drive can just pop into an external hard drive case?
I am interested in a class action suit for this device if anyone is going forward with it, I’m on. My Hub bought it some time back and backed up years worth of work on it and now there is no way to access it because it “wont start” as says in device manager. The light came on after quite a few times of pulling the USB in and out of the port. So now the light stays on but the comp still does not recognize it. What a waste. Anyway, I need the data so I am gong to do what #61 (Zach) said and go buy the Sandisk reader. So we should all get our money back because if the Sandisk reader was required in the first place, then they should have sold the device with one.
Kate
See youtube video, search GigaBank
My lasted for a year and a half and just recently ‘quit’, when I opened it up, there wasn’t a CF, but I tiny disk drive (?). Is there a reader for the ribbon coming off of this? Is there a reader for this at all….
Yes, Mine just went out too after one year. They don’t answer their phone. Does anyone know who can retrieve the data? If so please email me at
I managed to recover all the data from an 8gb with the Seagate st1.2 drive by taking it apart and plugging it into a CF card reader. Guess I’m one of the lucky ones.
DONOT BUY THIS!!!!!!!!!! I BOUGHT ONE AND 5 MONTHS LATER THE USB WIRING RIPPED. AND WHEN YOU CALL COSTUMER SUPPORT ALL THEY SAY IS IF YOU HAVE A RECEIPT WE CAN HELP YOU IF NOT ITS YOUR PROBLEM. LOOK FOR ANOTHER BRAND I\O MAGIC IS THE WORST YOU CAN BUY!!!!!!!!
MY I/O MAGIC 8.0 GIGABANK DOES NOT WORK EITHER. WHEN I PLUG IT IN THE USB, THE COMPUTER DINGS TRICE AS USUAL, BUT UNDER MY COMPUTER THERE IS NO DRIVE DETECTED FOR THIS UNIT. MINE IS 1&7/8″ WIDE BY 1&3/4″. IT IS BLACK IN COLOR AND THE BLUE LIGHT COMES ON ONE TIME AT HALF BRIGHTNESS WHEN PLUGGED IN, BUT IT COES NOTHING AND NO COMPUTER WILL DETECT IT. I HAVE A DELL INSPIRON 9400 WITH DUO CORE PROCESSORS AT 2.83 EACH. IT HAS 2 GB RAM AND A 160 GB HD.
GIGABANK 8GB is a piece of CRAP!! I had two and both went DEAD. lost all DATA, but was able to recover most data with ” TESTDISK 6.10″
Testdisk is FREE, try it. GOOD-LUCK.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
I/O Magic my ass. The only magic it does, is wipe your data away and you’ll never get it back!. Please don’t waste your time with this product. Useless piece of **&^(%$#@ SHIT!!
My 8 GB drive just stopped working, could not be recognized at all and I immediately began to blame Vista (after all, that has been the cause of most of my woes in the last year…) then I tried Laura’s KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method and fiddled around with the rotating wire harness until I heard the rewarding “kaplunk” sound of the device being recognized…15 minutes of holding the device stationary while copying the files to my laptop (wait, wasn’t that where I was backing up from?)
Obviously the “cute” rotating hide-away USB port isn’t really meant to be used for any length of time.
i cant believe this sucker died on me. bought it at office depot in 06 when it was new. just 4 days ago, i wanted to put some video files in it but it wont open.
i plug it on the comp usb, i hear that bell sound that tells me its connected but thats it.
-no pop up of ‘view open files’ like it used (SUPPOSED) to.
-no blue blinking light to indicate connectivity
-no GIGABANK icon to be clicked on ‘My Computers’
VERY F’N PISSED.
My son stored all of his architecture drawings on this drive. It failed and he needed it for college or fail his class. I followed your advice above but could not retrieve any data. I sent it to Drivesaver in CA and in 1 week they retrieved all 200 pictures. It cost me over $1,300. Ouch.
I/O Magic GiGaBank 4.0 GB micro drive “click-click-click-click” and on and on. Pried off the cover w/LED hole is on. Glue is rubber cement, you will bend it.. undid the tiny screw, and removed the tiny magicstor ata/ide drive (paper sticker) breathing hole is fine.
usb wires “seem” ok, will DD check later. May try card reader, but WHICH Direction is pin#1? The seagate PDF link above was GREAT! I know this click noise, I do NOT like my odds. BUT HOW??? maybe try the freezing thing, I mean cold shot. Whack that flea on the floor
if I get mad enough. One point to all the “cant see drive letter” folks. First try unit in as many other computers as possible. Take it to the store and plug it into sales units. It HAS worked for many dead USB thumbs and small ext pocket drives. Good Luck all.
Piece of crap = don’t buy!!
Why on earth would you store important stuff on a USB drive? When even the 300 gb hard drives fail.. just using it for backup and transfer files. I just got the 12 gb Gigabank. Probably shoulda known something was up when I went to the site for the encryption software and the site didn’t fully finish with my order, never gave me the activation number, charged me the $5 and their ordering emails both bounced. Knew it was a Seagate right away though because all their model numbers start with ST.
I had a similar experience with i/o Magic’s 320gb external hard drive I got from Target (lesson learned!). After about six months it would crash from overheating. I went through the RMA process and returned the faulty unit (I paid for shipping) only to have them send me either the same one or one that’s just as faulty. I store my music on it and even if I’m just playing the music through iTunes, it will crash after about 45 mins. I have to keep it off for at least 30 mins for it to cool down before it will even turn on again. I want to just crack it open and take the drive itself out (or at least leave the cover off for more air ciruclation) but I can’t figure out how to open it–it’s different than the instuctions listed above. Anyone have any suggestions?
I bought this stuff on dec 21/08. 8 gb gigabank, thought am a proud owner of it. this is the crappy stuff I’ve ever bought. I just jumped on it, because deal was so cool without a time for reading reviews…
whatta crap thing
I have an 8 gb gigaban. Like many others listed, after one month, it does not register.
What is your response to these many people?
We have some inhouse expertise, but they have been unable to open the gigbank
Same story only I guess I was luckier than most of you.
I needed to reformat my system, so I backed up onto a gigabank and it restored well.
Today I needed to move some important files from one system to another and the blasted thing is unrecognized by either computer.
I guess I’ll just hard wire the two systems.
I am also having problems with this product. It is suddenly not being recognized by my two computers. When I troubleshoot, says something about no drivers found. It seems from all the comments above, that this is a product to be avoided, and certainly not to be recommended.
I have one of these on my bench. It is literally in pieces,
as i disassembled it to get at the CF card.
Yes, there is a fake vent hole in the bottom,
and a fake indentation under the label on the top,
to look like a real micro-drive.
Well, this CF module is badged as a “Seagate * GB ST 1.2 Drive”
It is a “hard drive” as opposed to a “floppy drive” LOL!
In this case, the trouble was with fatigued (broken) wires between
the swivel mount and the card reader circuit board. Repairing this
required disassembly. There is a tension pin in the knuckle assembly
which must be driven out with a drift (straight punch), then the bottom
side should be bent out of the way to get at the wires. The wires do not
have to be unsoldered from the circuit board, but due to the plug being
molded, the hinge plate must be bent out of the way to get at the broken
wires, to splice them. And yes, there is a screw hidden under the bottom
trim plate, which is brushed aluminum, and is fastened with contact cement.
This needs to be straightened after removal, before gluing back on…
…too much monkey business!
Enjoy the CF card (remove the two little foam rubber bumpers on the top side),
and just use it in any old digital camera that accepts CF2 cards.
Note that this is CF2, not CF, so some older Canon Powershots might not
recognize it, or might only recognize it as 2 GB. Of course, externally formatting
it to FAT32 instead of FAT, might be a hack. I don’t know. I haven’t tried it yet
in my PowerShot. This particular Gigabank belongs to a customer, so i don’t dare
format it yet, even though I did manage to copy all the data to one of my
=REAL= hard drives. LOL!
Please help!! I’ve tried all that has been suggested… no blue light, computer doesn’t recognize and I have the first 3 years of my son’s life on this gigabank!! I didn’t think this would happen!!
The only magic going on here is your money disppearing down the toilet. GARBAGE company with GARBAGE products.
Mine has been working fine for a while… Too bad I can’t trust it now.
What I need to know is this:
when I pulled the thing open and gently slipped the CF off the little board, it wouldn’t fit in any of my card readers (Dazzle and my Canon Powershot) because it was too thick for the slot. So I pried off the aluminum foil backing and there’s what looks like a little Motherboard back there with all kinds of crap on it. What kind of card reader are you using that this thing slips into? I want my data back, so I can promtly throw this piece of junk away.
I had mine for 2 years and it worked without a problem and then stopped working within a matter of days. I tried it in every computer available but the tin can didn’t work in ANY of them.
I then took it apart and inserted it into a CF reader as suggested with NO success either. It acted like it was still in its original tin can which wasn’t helpful. So I reread all of the helpful posting and found that I was able to get most of my data from a program listed in JuneBug’s posting. I didn’t think it would work, but it DID. Since it is free and you don’t have anything to loose, try it. I don’t know if I got all of it, but I got what I wanted from the tin can, so I count myself among the truly blessed. Hopefully this helps someone else.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download