Dead memory stick?

[cheddar-caveman]

I have a 4Gb memory stick which has been fine until now. Now when I write a file to it I can't "see" it. The info on the stick says:
Format DOS (FAT32)
Capacity 4.13Gb
Available 3,87Gb

Running the disk utility verify I get the error message:
Live file system repair is not supported.
Any idea what has gone wrong and can I do anything to recover it?

Cheers

 

[pm-r]

Try unmounting the drive after making sure it isn't being shared, quit all applications that might have been accessing it and then connect it to your Mac - but use a USB port on the Mac if you weren't doing so previously.

Just might fix the problem…

 

[harryb2448]

Needs formatting to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as it is formatted for Windows. Be aware you will lose anything on it.

 

[pm-r]

Needs formatting to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as it is formatted for Windows. Be aware you will lose anything on it.

Unless they are using the Format DOS (FAT32) formatted drive with both Mac and Windows computers. The Windows machine can't access any Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume. ;P

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Thanks guys - where does one format it as my Mac disk utility - Repair Disk can't do it, I get the same error message as when I tried to "Verify" it.

When I try the "raid" /format I get Couldn't carry out as can't unmount disk????

It will only be used with my Mac.

 

[chscag]

Unless you have data on that 4 GB flash drive that you need to extract, I suggest throwing it away and buy another. I have had numerous problems with inexpensive flash drives and have quit using them. It's actually best to keep them as they were formatted at the factory - usually FAT-32. As a matter of fact, I haven't run across any inexpensive flash drives that were not formatted to FAT-32. Once you start re-formatting them they can develop errors and quickly become useless.

 

[pm-r]

You need to select the flash drive name itself, not the volume name, then select the Partition or Erase tab and then do whatever you want to do with that drive.

And doing so will erase ALL data, so save it first if it's needed!!!

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Thanks guys. Nothing on it I want, free sample from my son's work company so in the bin me thinks!

 

[cheddar-caveman]

I've looked at this on my Windows computer and it is "write protected". This could be why I cannot save anything to it? I Went to re-format it but being write-protected it won't let me so how do I un write protect it please! Appreciate this is a Mac forum but maybe someone has some "Windows" knowledge?

 

[pm-r]

If the software that was used to protect is still on the drive, use it on your Windows machine, or check the drive manufacturer's site for their software to download. But if it's also password protected, you'll need the password…

Or head off to some sites like:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/format-write-protected-usb-flash-drive/

or google:
https://www.google.ca/search?client...&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=4NVsVO_MFMSV8QfToIGwDg

 

[chscag]

I've looked at this on my Windows computer and it is "write protected". This could be why I cannot save anything to it? I Went to re-format it but being write-protected it won't let me so how do I un write protect it please! Appreciate this is a Mac forum but maybe someone has some "Windows" knowledge?

Some flash drives have a small switch on the back that sets it to write protected. Look for that. If no switch, and while in Windows, open the flash drive in File Explorer, right click and select "Properties". Check attributes. If it's read only, remove the read only attribute.

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Some flash drives have a small switch on the back that sets it to write protected. Look for that. If no switch, and while in Windows, open the flash drive in File Explorer, right click and select "Properties". Check attributes. If it's read only, remove the read only attribute.

Ah, that's what I was after! Having switched to Mac's a couple of years ago I have forgotten most of my Windows skills!
Cheers