I'm looking into something. Give me about 15 minutes.

It involves performing a RAW format. Basically the disk is completely erased and would be as it is as soon as it is manufactured in the factory.

Then hopefully you can put a file sytem on it (FAT32 or NTFS)

I'll let you know how it goes, I'm just testing it on my pen drive.

EDIT: The software is saying 20 mins to format (8GB USB drive). Come back at half past

Okay, try this software:

http://download2.lsoft.net/KillDiskSuiteFree-Setup.exe

For the installation, select Windows Version only (you dont need DOS or bootable versions).

Click OK after running it for the first time (no need to go PRO)

Then when you run the program tick your USB drive in the list on the left. DO NOT tick your hard drive or any other drive letters.

Then choose 'Kill' either from the menu or by right clicking and when prompted type ERASE-ALL-DATA. Choose First Pass: All-Zeros.

If you have any data on the drive you want to keep then back it up beforehand as it will be completely gone.

Once it has completed its RAW format (may take awhile) click Start > Run > CMD > OK

and type in format x: /FS:fat32

Where x is the letter of the external drive.

Press enter again when prompted. Type in a name for the drive when prompted.

Hopefully that will fix it. I just tried it on my drive and successfully copied a file to the drive.

Does this memory stick work on another PC?

no not at all. The problem started on my computer I took it to my landlords office tried her computer I tried the library computer and even my friends laptop it's like the guy said above me it's like it was just made straight from the manufacturer which makes sense so I'm gonna go home and try this program see how it goes and hopefully I'll have good results. In any event that this fails does that mean the pen drive is dead inside?

Yeah, if a RAW format doesn't work then the drive is dead. I know that the process itself works because I've tested it.

The only way it wouldn't work is if there are damaged sectors of the hard drive which can't be accessed/erased. In this case you wouldn't be able to complete the steps needed to completely wipe the drive and reinstall the file system.

Hope it works for you.

What if you try to access the USB from pure DOS?
I mean boot from a floppy -with the USB still attached to the system and then change the -current-drive.
If the system cannot boot -even from a floppy-when the usb drive is attached, I'm afraid the drive is gone.

You can also try booting from a Linux live CD, or from other media (try to accesss the USB drive with programs like ntfsDOS or Partition Doctor)

tried using killdisk suite and I load it up to kill the drive it doesn't give me a check box next to removable device for my usb drive and says on the right side window drive is not ready. I then tried to go to usb disk drive maker and it said drive is not ready so I don't know what else to do and as for your suggestion georgeks I'm kind of confused on what you said means.