The utility's firmware library does not contain instructions for your memory layout.
: Alcor Micro (安国) – This is the manufacturer of the controller chip inside your USB flash drive. Alcor Micro is a Taiwanese company founded in 1999, specializing in USB-related control chips and integrated circuit designs. They are one of the most common controller vendors for budget-friendly and mass-produced USB drives.
Drives with this firmware identification often show 0 bytes , No Media , or "Write Protected" in Windows.
When diagnostic utilities like ChipGenius read the drive, they display Controller Part-Number: Unknown [FA00] paired with firmware code F/W 3613 (or similar variations like F/W F103 or FA05 ). The text below explains what this error code means and provides step-by-step instructions to flash the controller and restore your USB drive. Understanding the Error: What is "Unknown FA00"?
If you plugged in your USB flash drive and discovered it is completely inaccessible, showing up in tools like ChipGenius as you are dealing with a severe controller firmware corruption. alcor micro unknown fa00 - f w 3613
The "Alcor Micro Unknown FA00 - F/W 3613" designation refers to a that is often misidentified or corrupted . This specific string typically appears when diagnostic tools like ChipGenius or Flash Drive Information Extractor cannot find a matching entry in their database for the hardware. Key Identification Features
: NAND flash memory wears out over time. If critical system areas of the chip fail, the controller enters a "safe mode" or "error mode" (FA00) to prevent further damage.
This is the primary reason people seek F/W 3613 tools. The MPTool is the only way to reset the "read-only" flag triggered by the controller's safety firmware.
Download versions targetting the AU6989SN series (typically versions dated from late 2015 up through recent compilation bundles like ALCOR U2 MP v23.08). Step 3: Configure AlcorMP for Flashing The utility's firmware library does not contain instructions
If the computer doesn't detect the drive at all, you may need to "short" the pins on the controller chip (Hardware Test Mode) to force the PC to recognize it as a generic device. If you'd like to proceed with the repair, tell me: Controller Model did ChipGenius show? What is the (the long code)? Are you getting a specific error code (like 30100 or 50400) when you try to run a tool?
: Set to AutoECC or manual value 15 . This provides the engine with error-correction overhead to bypass bad blocks.
Users encountering this "Unknown FA00" status often face several issues:
: The brand of the underlying controller chip (microprocessor) managing data routing between the USB port and the NAND flash memory. They are one of the most common controller
The firmware on the Alcor controller chip has been corrupted, making the device appear as a generic or "unknown" device.
Method A: Using ChipGenius or Flash Drive Information Extractor
Click on the main panel. Do not disconnect the drive during this process. The status bar will transition through analyzing, erasing, and bad-block scanning. Once complete, the status box will turn green. Step 4: Force Hardware Test Mode (Last Resort)
: Set to Auto so the utility probes the correct NAND configuration.