corrupted USB flash

[pmdubey]

Hi All,

I have read the previous threads and it didnot help.
I have a 4GB USB flash which was working in Win XP then I decided to format it in Mac OS Tiger because it wasn't working on Mac.It got stuffed somewhere, somehow.
Now It shows as 2GB on WinXP- will not format - I have used disk management -or work in either WinXP or Mac.
Keeps showing up as 2.0GB- "healthy", file system- is blank in Computer management.

Even linux cannot get it working.

Is it totally gone or there is some hope??
Thanks

PM

 

[DelJo63]

hum; you took the 4gb device to a 2gb by allowing it to format as FAT32.
FAT32 will mount on any OS, but 4gb will need to be OS specific,
eg NTFS for Win/NT and above or ext3 for Linux.

Try attaching the device to Window and use the Admin Tools->Comp Mgr->Disk Mgmt

you need to DELETE the partition, create a partition, and format /fs:ntfs

 

[pmdubey]

Thanks,I tried.
I cannot delete or create new partition. It doesnot let me complete either.
Tried it in gparted- same result.

Pankaj

 

[joked u 2]

A mac will usually format it in the default mac FS. I not sure whats that is but I think is either only supports 2gb removible storage or it is only mac compatable. and when I say only mac compatable, I mean Its OS locked. Which means you need to use disk utilies on a mac and format as FAT, FAT16, or FAT32.

 

[SNGX1275]

Why can't you format 4GB as FAT32? You can have FAT32 partitions much larger than that on real disks, 4GB is just the single file size limitation.

Why wouldn't it work in Tiger? I've connected a USB HD that was 500 gigs formatted as NTFS and it read (didn't try to write). Anyway, over on the Tiger system you should be able to format that thing as 4 gigs FAT32 through the Disk Utility (Applications:Utilitiesisk Utility)

 

[joked u 2]

I never said it was originaly formatted as a FAT file system. I think it was formatted as a mac file system. or only formatted 2gb.

 

[DelJo63]

deleted-----------

 

[pmdubey]

.... Anyway, over on the Tiger system you should be able to format that thing as 4 gigs FAT32 through the Disk Utility (Applications:Utilities: Disk Utility)

Tried that.
Mac OS Tiger Disk utility freezes in erase function.

Pankaj

 

[kitty500cat]

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic45947.html

 

[pmdubey]

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic45947.html

I have already tried the Linux distro- Kanotix Live and Gparted.
I do not have win98.

thanks

Pankaj

 

[SNGX1275]

You are kind of on your own then. If there were any more well known fixes out there someone here would know about them.

See if you can get some partitioning program to delete the partition(s). Try different OSs different USB controllers.

 

[joked u 2]

try using your windows install disk, put it in, and when the where do you want to install windows pops up, tell it to install on to your flash stick. and format the drive when it is done formatting, hard restart the computer

 

[pmdubey]

try using your windows install disk, put it in, and when the where do you want to install windows pops up, tell it to install on to your flash stick. and format the drive when it is done formatting, hard restart the computer

Unfortunately, it didn't work.

Given up.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

PMD