I purchased a SanDisk Ultra Backup USB Flash Drive. Running Windows 7 the U3 software for this device will NOT work. You have to update the U3 software from a Windows XP system. For more information visit the hardware review of this device or the software review of the U3 software from the Review page.
This is the first application I have found that will NOT work under Windows 7, even in compatibility mode. Way to go SanDisk!
SanDisk’s Knowledge Base article
WARNING: Before uninstalling or updating the U3 Launchpad, please manually backup your data.
The latest U3 Launchpad as of December 2009 is version 1.6.3.9. This version is compatible with Windows 7.
Things to check for before updating:
1. Password protection must be disabled.
Please DISABLE password protection, If password protection is ENABLED, see instructions on how to disable password protection, then proceed with update.2. Device version
If the Device Version on your flash drive is 2.17, 2.18, 2.19 or 2.20, you will NEED to run the U3 LP Installer in a Windows XP environment to do an update.
First major issue is:
You can NOT check the VERSION of the Device without the U3 application. Since it is the U3 application that is not functioning, how would anyone know what version of the device they have?
If you attempted to update the U3 Launchpad under a Windows 7 environment and is now experiencing errors, see answer ID 4432.
Checking the Device Version
1. Open U3 Launchpad.
2. Mouse over Help and Support, and then click on About U3 Smart Drive.
3. Check the Device Version.
Note that there are two never ending loops in the trouble shooting procedures, if you have Windows 7, and do not have access to a Windows XP system. Step 1 to Step 2 is a never ending loop. Step 2 to Step 3 is a never ending loop also. If we could open the U3 Launchpad we would not need to update it for Windows 7 in the first place.