: Using these tools to "re-burn" the firmware can sometimes restore functionality, though it will erase all data. The "Fake Drive" Context

: Some tools require you to manually add your VID/PID into the tool's InstallDrive configuration to force detection.

Type your specific VID and PID values into the configuration prompt. Click , then click Save/Install Drive .

: The vendor of the USB controller chip inside your drive. Alcor Micro designs mass-storage microcontrollers responsible for managing data flow between your computer and the raw memory cells.

In the settings, ensure the configuration is set to or Low-Level Format . Optimize for Capacity or Speed depending on your preference.

or "No Media," preventing files from being saved or deleted.

When a USB flash drive stops working, reads as "0 Bytes," or shows "No Media," diagnostic software like ChipGenius or Flash Drive Information Extractor is used to see what is happening inside the drive. Seeing (or similar strings like F/W 3653 or F103) means the computer recognizes the Alcor Micro USB controller chip, but the drive's firmware is corrupted, misconfigured, or stuck in a hardware error loop.

Download a modified version of or FC MPTool that includes extended databases for 0xFA00 chips. Modified distributions curated by USBDev (AlcorMP by NAT27) are optimized for this exact issue.

The hexadecimal code is an internal chip identifier used by Alcor Micro. It most frequently points to the AU6989SN-TA or AU6989SNCS-TA controller series. The phrase "Unknown" coupled with an altered firmware version string like FA04 indicates that the controller cannot successfully read the Flash ID (FID) of the NAND flash memory chip, forcing it into a basic fail-safe or bootloader mode.

AU6989 / Alcor Controller Chip +-------------------------+ | | ---->| [ ] Pin 29 (Data I/O) | <-- Short these two pins together ---->| [ ] Pin 30 (Data I/O) | using a sewing needle or tweezers | | +-------------------------+

| NAND Flash Manufacturer | Flash ID Code | Memory Type | CE/Channel Configuration | Total Capacity | Source | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | EC3A94C3A4CA | MLC | 2CE / Single Channel | 32 GB | | | Intel | 8964643C | MLC | 1CE / Single Channel | 8 GB | | | KIOXIA (Toshiba) | 983C98B376E3 | TLC-16K | 1CE / Single Channel | 32 GB | | | SanDisk | 454C85937657 | MLC-16K | 1CE / Single Channel | 16 GB | | | Western Digital | 45DE94937657 | MLC-16K | 1CE / Single Channel | 8 GB | |