Balling 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 7th Apr 04
 Location: Denmark 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
Not sure what the hell is going on here. 
 
I load a USB stick with files and give it to a colleague. 
She transfers the files to her hard drive and unplugs the stick. 
 
Now, if I get the stick back it continues to work. If I put on some new files, it'll continue to work. 
 
However, if she needs to use the stick a second time, without me putting on new files, the stick will break and need reformatting. 
 
Any clue what's causing this? I'm guessing this has something to do with the different file formats.
 
 
    
 | 
AlunJ 
Member 
 
Registered: 3rd Apr 07
 Location: Newport 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
I find on my mac if I delete stuff on a memory stick, it never actually physically deletes it so you can't then put other files on until it's formatted if it was previously full.
 | 
Balling 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 7th Apr 04
 Location: Denmark 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
Probably forgetting to empty the trash?
 
 
    
 | 
evilrob 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 16th Mar 12
 Location: Your mum's house 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
Is she ejecting the drive properly before physically removing?
 | 
Balling 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 7th Apr 04
 Location: Denmark 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
Apparently so, yes. 
 
This pattern happens every time, btw. Not just once in a while. 
 
If she tries to use the USB stick more than once it breaks. 
 
[Edited on 16-12-2013 by Balling]
 
 
    
 | 
Gaz 
Member 
 
Registered: 24th Aug 03
 Location: Widnes, Cheshire 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
Is this not to do with the original format of the stick, eg FAT32 won't be written by Mac but can be read...?
 | 
Balling 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 7th Apr 04
 Location: Denmark 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
Every time the error occurs, I format the disc in MS DOS FAT. The other format options aren't readable in Windows.
 
 
    
 | 
Dom 
Member 
 
Registered: 13th Sep 03
 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
What filesystem are you formatting the drive? 
 
And by 'break' what do you mean? Does the Windows system display? Is it the 'Found errors, click Yes to fix' type error? 
 
Try a different USB drive to rule out it being faulty. And format the drive ExFat or Fat (that order). 
 
 
Rob - Not saying you shouldn't unmount drives but Windows tends to be pretty lenient with drives being pulled; OSX/Linux not so much. 
 
 
 
quote: Originally posted by Balling 
Every time the error occurs, I format the disc in MS DOS FAT. The other format options aren't readable in Windows. 
   
 
Format it on the Windows system as ExFat   
 
[Edited on 16-12-2013 by Dom]
 | 
Balling 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 7th Apr 04
 Location: Denmark 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
quote: Originally posted by Dom 
And by 'break' what do you mean?
  "The disk you mounted needs formating." 
 
Something along those lines. Only option I get (on both OS X and Win) is to format it. 
 
Will try formatting it on the Windows machine, see if that helps. Cheers.
 
 
    
 | 
Dom 
Member 
 
Registered: 13th Sep 03
 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
quote: Originally posted by Balling 
quote: Originally posted by Dom 
And by 'break' what do you mean?
  "The disk you mounted needs formating." 
 
Something along those lines. Only option I get (on both OS X and Win) is to format it.
   
 
Suggests the drive is corrupted. 
 
I'm guessing you get the same issue on another Windows system in that scenario? And it works fine if you use it on another Mac? 
 
As said, try formatting the drive as ExFat as it's designed for removable storage and cross-compatibility between OS's unlike FAT.
 | 
Balling 
Premium Member
 
Registered: 7th Apr 04
 Location: Denmark 
User status: Offline 
 
 | 
 
quote: Originally posted by Dom 
Suggests the drive is corrupted. 
 
I'm guessing you get the same issue on another Windows system in that scenario? And it works fine if you use it on another Mac?
  I've tried three USB sticks of different brands. 
 
Yes, the error happens with different PCs, but can't be replicated with other Mac's. 
 
Will try the ExFat format.
 
 
    
 |