How-To Geek

Hello, I don't know why all of a sudden recently when I plug my usb drive into the computer [any computer, at home or at work] , after it detects the usb drive signals, and I click on "my computer" , and click on the usb drive [e.g. F: ] , there's a now a window dialogue box that says
"Your F: is not formatted, would you like to format it now?" It doesn't let me access the drive and it's content unless I format the usb drive.

I don't have this dialogue box back then, I just plug the USB drive straight into the computer and I can start accessing the files in it.

What should I do now, there are some important files inside the USB drive, but then if I don't format the drive, it won't let me open the USB drive's contents. But If I let it format the USB drive, will all my important files be DELETED ??? THAT WOULD BE MAYHEM !! What should I do now ???? i need to retrieve some files from the usb drive but it's always stuct in the dialogue box " Do you want to format your F: now "? And I don't dare to click "yes" ... i just "cancel" the dialogue box.

The drive has gone bad. Perhaps by removing it without ejecting it first, perhaps just mechanical failure. There is not much you can do except recover your important data from your backup. Surely if your data is as important as you say you have a backup. Otherwise I'm afraid it is toast.