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Post Info TOPIC: formatting a USB drive
barina


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formatting a USB drive
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Hi all

 

Does anyone know please how to format at USB stick if your computer lists it but I cannot see any files and the right mouse format won't come up....



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Judy

"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
Sheba


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I'm no "techie" but you won't get anything on your Flashdrive until you upload some-thing on it yourself.

As far as I know, no "formatting" is necessary.   I just plug them in, and transferr whatever I want to to them.  If there is another option, I'm sure Wombat will let you know.

If you already have files on it, click on Start, then My Computer, which will bring up all the thingys on it.  Then click on the USB thing, and that should bring up all the files on it.  [Sorry about so many "things" but I can't remember the correct terminology.]

Cheers,

Sheba.



-- Edited by Sheba on Friday 27th of April 2012 08:02:59 AM

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barina


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Thanks sheba, I did have some files on it but now I cannot get them to load up so I thought if I could re format it and start again......but although the comp shows it as a drive I can do nothing else with it......

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Judy

"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
PeterD


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First of all try the tip above. If you can not copy a file to it then try this if you have Win 7:

Plug your thumb drive into a USB port.

Open Windows Explorer

In the LH pane click on "Computer" - you then should see your drive on the RH panel

Highlight your thumb drive and right click on it

Then click format and follow your nose.


Best of British luck, if this does not restore your drive then it probably is stuffed.

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Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top
Retired radio and electronics technician.
NSW Central Coast.

 
barina


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Thanks all...stuffed I think it is....................... and that is the reason as I cannot get it accept the right click or open...............I was just hoping there was some little trick I did not know about.....

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Judy

"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
Sheba


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Not a problem with the  Mouse [if you use one] at all ?  Sorry, I forgot to say I was running XP before.

Cheers,

Sheba.



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Pam


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try different usb port on your computer?
turn everything off and on again?
try on someone elses computer?
Check for any locking device, not sure if usbs have them but the old square floppys used to have a slide lock on them.

get a new usb and start again?

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_wombat_


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have you tried that stick in another pooter?

have you recently had a windows update?

do you update windows automatically?

have you tried another (new) stick?



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jetj


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I wonder if it is write protected, maybe right click and check the properties, if it is viewable in my computer. A link to some possibilities to make it usable. Don't throw it away yet.

http://www.ntfs.com/quest22.htm

Janette

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Janette
_wombat_


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jetj wrote:

I wonder if it is write protected, maybe right click and check the properties, if it is viewable in my computer. A link to some possibilities to make it usable. Don't throw it away yet.

http://www.ntfs.com/quest22.htm

Janette

 barina's problem is her pooter is not finding these USB sticks but it can see other one's, I suspect it is a case of the drive letter for those USB sticks is not showing and needs to be reassinged, but to do that it really needs to be seen by her pooter and that is not happening.

They also cannot be seen on any of my system's XP, Vista & Win7



-- Edited by _wombat_ on Wednesday 9th of May 2012 08:29:11 AM

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chaslib


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RE: formatting a USB drive - accidental reformatting??
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I know this goes back a while ( i have been surfing back through a lot of topics that i feel may be of interest to me). My issue  was an external drive and not a USB, but may be related?

i had a similar problem to this and was told that the external drive (1tb Seagrate) probably reformatted itself when i used it with my HP laptop. The drive was originally used on my IMac. The drive has about 200 movies, photos, music and TV series on it which I progressively added to so we had plenty on hand while Travelling and the ext drive was less cumbersome than stacks of DVDs. While the drive is labelled for both Mac and Windows, the problem was going from one to another. After using it with my windows laptop, the Mac does not recognize it at all -  I can still play on all our TVs. The other twist is the drive is accessible on hubbies MacBook!!!??? My IMac does not even recognize it anymore??? I have tested the drive with all the USB ports on the iMac and still no luck. Also ran a diagnostic on tha iMac and the drive was not discoverable.  All very strange.

I recently looked to buy another ext drive and it was the salesman/tech person who advised me what the problem most likely was.  i also have a recollection of seeing something on the net about problems with this particular drive, but cant remember what it was.

i would be interested to have some thoughts from any GN techies out there.



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2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.

 
Baz421


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RE: formatting a USB drive
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Doesn't reformatting wipe all EXISTING files????? I think so, be careful.

TRy to right click on the drive and scan for viruses.

Also right click drive and see if you can search, copy anything or "open with.

Did you shut down computer with drive still plugged in as this can cause problems?



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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
Baz421


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or try this method if you can't use any other

http://www.ehow.com/how_2006214_format-flash-drive.html

 

 



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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
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