This keyword is highly technical and appears to correlate with a hardware identifier—likely a USB device, chipset, or controller recognized by operating systems when drivers are missing. The article is written to address troubleshooting, driver solutions, and hardware context.
ALCOR MICRO UNKNOWN FA00 - F/W 3613 is a cry for help from a dying or misconfigured USB flash drive controller. While you can often revive the drive as a usable storage device using Alcor’s MPTool, do not trust it with important data afterward. The root cause—poor NAND quality or counterfeit design—remains.
If the drive contained critical files, stop all DIY attempts immediately and send it to a professional lab like DriveSavers or Ace Laboratory (for PC3000 Flash). Otherwise, consider the drive e-waste and replace it with a reputable brand (SanDisk, Samsung, SK Hynix).
Need a specific MPTool version or further debugging? Provide the exact NAND chip marking (e.g., “H27UCG8T2BTR”) and I can narrow down the configuration.
The "Unknown [FA00] - F/W 3613" error typically appears when using diagnostic tools like ChipGenius or Flash Drive Information Extractor on a corrupted USB flash drive. This status indicates that the operating system recognizes the Alcor Micro controller but the firmware (F/W) is corrupted, preventing the drive from being accessed or formatted normally.
To fix this, you must use a specialized Mass Production (MP) Tool to re-flash the controller's firmware. Steps to Restore Your Drive
Warning: This process will permanently erase all data on the flash drive.
Identify the Controller: Confirm your drive's VID/PID. Most Alcor Micro drives with the FA00 controller use VID 058F and PID 6387.
Download the MP Tool: You need a version of AlcorMP that explicitly supports the FA00 (often synonymous with the AU6989SN-TA chip).
Versions such as AlcorMP v16.09.30.00 or newer are typically required.
Reliable repositories include sites like FlashBoot.ru and USBDev.ru. Preparation:
It is highly recommended to use a 32-bit Windows XP or Windows 7 environment, as these tools often fail on 64-bit Windows 10/11 due to driver signature requirements.
Run as Administrator: Always right-click the AlcorMP.exe and select "Run as administrator". Flashing Process: Open the tool first, then plug in the USB drive.
If the drive is detected, click Setup (S). If prompted for a password, leave it blank.
Set the "Scan Level" to Full Scan4 and "Optimization" to Capacity Optimize for the best chance of recovery.
Click Start and wait. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Why this happens ("The Long Story") alcor micro unknown fa00 - f w 3613
These "unknown" errors usually occur because the Flash Translation Layer (FTL)—the internal map the controller uses to find data on the memory chips—has crashed. This is often caused by: Unplugging the drive while it was writing data. Physical wear on the NAND flash chips (bad sectors).
The drive being a "fake capacity" drive where the controller is programmed to report more space than actually exists.
If the AlcorMP tool gives an error like "Too many bad blocks," the memory chip is likely physically failing, and the drive cannot be repaired.
Do you have the VID and PID numbers for your specific device from a tool like ChipGenius? AlcorMP Tool for Generic 32GB Flash Disk VID 058F PID 6387
The identifier Alcor Micro Unknown [FA00] - F/W 3613 (or similar firmware versions like F006 or C2DE) typically appears when a flash drive's controller is corrupted, malfunctioning, or is a "fake" device. The Story of the "Unknown" Drive
When a computer reads a USB drive, it asks the controller (the "brain" of the USB) for its identity. In the case of Alcor Micro chips, [FA00] is a generic status code rather than a specific model number.
The Identity Crisis: The "[FA00]" designation often means the software (like ChipGenius) cannot communicate properly with the chip's internal firmware. It is effectively the controller saying, "I know I'm an Alcor chip, but I don't know who I am exactly".
The Firmware Mismatch: Firmware versions like 3613 or F006 are specific instruction sets loaded onto these controllers. If the firmware becomes corrupted, the drive may show up as "No Media," have 0MB capacity, or become write-protected.
The "Clone" Factor: Many devices reporting this specific error are found in "no-name" or fake high-capacity drives (e.g., a "2TB" drive that is actually 16GB). These often use Alcor AU6989 series controllers or Chinese clones that mimic them. Common Technical Profile Controller Vendor: Alcor Micro. Status Code: Unknown [FA00].
Typical Hardware: Often related to the AU6989SN-GT/TA family of chips.
The "No FID" Problem: Sometimes the Flash ID (FID) also shows as "Unknown" or all zeros/nines, which suggests the controller can't even "see" the memory chips it's supposed to manage. How People "Fix" the Story
For many users, this is the beginning of a repair journey using specialized "Mass Production" (MP) tools:
Identification: Users use tools like ChipGenius to find the VID (often 058F) and PID (often 1234).
The Repair: They seek out the AlcorMP utility. This software "re-flashes" the firmware, essentially giving the controller a new brain and resetting the memory capacity to its true physical limit.
Low-Level Format: If successful, the tool turns the "Unknown [FA00]" back into a recognized "AU6989" (or similar) device. This keyword is highly technical and appears to
Here’s a cleanly assembled version of the text you provided:
Alcor Micro Unknown FA00 - F W 3613
If this is intended as a device or firmware identifier, it could be read as:
The identification of a hardware component as Alcor Micro Unknown [FA00] - F/W 3613
typically signifies a critical error state in a USB flash drive or memory card controller. In this state, the hardware is physically connected, but the operating system cannot communicate with the underlying flash memory chip, often due to corrupted firmware or physical degradation. Understanding the "Unknown [FA00]" Identifier
The Alcor Micro [FA00] code is not a specific model number but rather a generic status reported by diagnostic tools like ChipGenius or Flash Drive Information Extractor when the controller (the "brain" of the USB drive) fails to initialize correctly.
Firmware Mismatch: The F/W 3613 designation refers to a specific version of the internal firmware. If the controller reports "Unknown [FA00]" alongside this version, it often indicates the controller is alive but the Flash ID (FID)—the unique code identifying the memory chip—is missing or unreadable.
Hardware Mapping: Documentation suggests that "Alcor [FA00]" is frequently associated with the Alcor AU6989SN-TA or AU6989SNCS-TA controller families. These are widely used in low-cost or "generic" flash drives. Root Causes of Failure
When a device presents this error, it is usually "dead" to the operating system, showing 0 Bytes capacity or "No Media". This occurs due to:
Firmware Corruption: The low-level instructions (F/W 3613) have become desynchronized from the hardware, preventing the controller from mounting the memory partition.
Bad Blocks: 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.
Physical Faults: A broken trace or cold solder joint between the controller and the flash chip can lead to a failure to read the FID, triggering the "Unknown" status. Potential Recovery Steps
Fixing this error requires "Mass Production Tools" (MPTools), which are specialized utilities designed to re-flash the controller and re-map the memory.
Identify the Controller: Use tools like ChipGenius to confirm if the actual hardware is an AU6989 series chip.
Find the MPTool: Locate the version of AlcorMP or FC_MpTool that specifically supports the 3613 firmware or the identified AU6989 chip. Final Verdict ALCOR MICRO UNKNOWN FA00 - F/W
Low-Level Format: Running these tools will perform a low-level format. Note that this process destroys all data on the drive but can often restore the device's functionality for future use.
For drivers related to working Alcor Micro hardware (like integrated card readers), official sources such as the Lenovo Support or manufacturer-specific portals should be used.
Alcor AU6989SN-TA Firmware Issues | PDF | Usb Flash Drive - Scribd
Please see the following from UsbDriveInfo: Код:[Выделить] [Развернуть] НОВИЧОК Volume: D: Controller: Alcor 0xFA00. Сообщения: 6.
The problem with "Unknown FA00" is that the MPTool might also struggle to identify the NAND flash. If the tool can't identify the memory type, it can't format it. You may need to manually edit the configuration file (.ini) in the MPTool to force a generic setting, which is a trial-and-error process.
Let's break the string into its components:
| Component | Meaning |
|-----------|---------|
| ALCOR MICRO | The manufacturer of the USB controller chip. Alcor Micro (often stylized as AlcorMicro) is a Taiwanese semiconductor company known for budget-friendly USB 2.0/3.0 flash drive controllers, card readers, and KVM switches. |
| UNKNOWN | Windows cannot retrieve the device’s friendly name or model from its firmware. This usually indicates a corrupted or missing VID/PID (Vendor ID/Product ID). |
| FA00 | This is the Product ID (PID). In Alcor’s ecosystem, FA00 typically refers to a generic or uninitialized flash drive controller—often the AU699X, AU698X, or SC908 (Alcor branded) series. It can also appear when the NAND flash memory is not detected. |
| F/W 3613 | Firmware version 3613. This is a relatively old firmware (likely from ~2012–2015) for USB 2.0 controllers. Newer Alcor firmware versions are 5xxx, 6xxx, or 8xxx. |
Key insight:
FA00is not a normal operational PID. A healthy Alcor flash drive would show something likeAU6989orSC908AN.FA00signals that the controller is in a firmware recovery mode, manufacturing test mode, or has lost its NAND mapping table.
Before we dive into the error, let’s identify the player. Alcor Micro is a Taiwanese semiconductor company famous for one specific thing: USB flash drive controllers.
If you buy a promotional USB drive, a generic SD card reader, or an unbranded flash stick from an online marketplace, there is a very high chance the "brain" inside that stick is made by Alcor. They are the industry standard for cost-effective, mass-produced flash memory controllers.
Do not panic. The device is almost certainly not physically broken. Follow these steps in order.
By Technical Hardware Desk
Encountering an "Unknown Device" in your Windows Device Manager is a moment of frustration for any user. But when that device is labeled with the specific string "alcor micro unknown fa00 - f w 3613," it points to a very particular piece of hardware. This combination of identifiers—the vendor (Alcor Micro), the product code (FA00), and the firmware version (3613)—is a digital fingerprint.
In this comprehensive guide, we will dissect what this device is, why Windows fails to recognize it, and the exact steps to resolve the driver issue permanently.