Apologies this is not an answer but a plee to ask if you have had any joy in contacting anyone that has been able to repair or retrieve the data from your pen drive.
I have one with exactly the same symptoms which holds vital data and I am desperate to retrieve it.
Please email me on wezzleekolleeuh(AT)googlemail(DOT)com if you have any information.
Thanks
Wes
October 2007