Flash drive won't open; I'm asked to format the disc

Hi,

After removing my flash drive from my Windows XP, PC when it wouldn't start, I now get the following message when I try to open my flash drive disc, "Do you I want to format the flash drive"? When I click the flash drive disc's Properties, Properties says that the flash disc is empty: the flash drive disc has 0 free space and 0 used space. None of my files is in my Recycle Bin.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the flash drive disc in my PC, but I get the same above mentioned message. Since formatting the flash drive disc erases, I gather, all of the data in my files, does anyone know what, if anything, I can do to gain access to the important papers I have put on the flash drive disc? Or is all the data formerly on the flash drive disc irrecoverable?

When I click flash drive Properties, then Hardware, I'm told the device is working properly. Clicking Troubleshoot is not helpful since it does not address my particular problem: flash drives didn't exist when I bought the PC.

Would the program Recuva be of any use in solving my flash drive disc problem?

Any help in enabling me to recover these important flash drive papers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks