How to format a drive so a Windows machine can read it?

[serr]

I thought this was simply a matter of choosing Master Boot Record for the format in Disc Utility.

I just did that with a USB flash drive and a Windows user was unable to read it. (A tax service business. With 'working' Windows machines. I didn't dare ask him to try downloading anything to try as I know those machines are easy to brick.)

So...

How do you format a drive volume so a Windows user (with an out of the box setup and no computer skills) can read it?

 

[Gav2k]

Fat32 or ex fat

 

[serr]

Fat32 or ex fat

Yep, did Fat32.

So... Just Windows shenanigans on their end? One of those mystery hardware incompatibilities they're always talking about?

 

[chabig]

Did your file have an extension? Sometimes Windows users are too naive to realize that all the need to do is add a file extension for the document to open.

 

[serr]

Did your file have an extension? Sometimes Windows users are too naive to realize that all the need to do is add a file extension for the document to open.

Yep. Simple PDF file. Their system couldn't even read the format of the drive. Asked "Do you want to format?"

Double checked when I got back home. Fat32. Master Boot Record. Continues to 'just work' here. No errors or corruption.

 

[chabig]

Double checked when I got back home. Fat32. Master Boot Record. Continues to 'just work' here. No errors or corruption.

It sounds like you did everything right, then. Maybe try a different flash drive, burn a CD, or send it encrypted via network.

 

[serr]

It sounds like you did everything right, then. Maybe try a different flash drive, burn a CD, or send it encrypted via network.

So just sigh, shake my head, mutter "Windows...", and move on. OK. Thanks for the sanity check!

 

[charlyham]

So just sigh, shake my head, mutter "Windows...", and move on. OK. Thanks for the sanity check!

You should have them format the drive on their Windows PC as fat32 and then give it back to you to transfer the file to it. If they format it on their PC and can then read it, you should be good to go.