Transfer docs to PC - Thumb drive 'partitioned' and docs invisible

[Kerrymeaway]

My problem:
I work on a Macbook pro using Adobe Creative Suite. I export the documents as pdfs (and sometimes Word, Excel, Powerpoints, etc.) to a Verbatim Thumb drive and they are then taken to PC laptops. Apparently the drives are partitioned (this happens when they come back to my mac too) and/ or documents (pdfs, powerpoints, etc) are invisible on a pc. Everyone gets mad at me. Wah.

Have looked at forums, but cannot seem to grasp what it is I'm doing wrong. Or even what the problem might be...

Help?...

 

[awer25]

I'm not sure how you're doing it, but the simplest way is just to format the drive in FAT32, single partition, and drag and drop files to it.

 

[Kerrymeaway]

Transfer docs to PC - Thumb drive 'partitioned' and docs invisible

Let me try that now.... Thanks!

 

[Kerrymeaway]

It's the single "partition part" I'm having problems with... I can reformat the drive using Fat 32, but it's in three partitions now. I can't seem to figure out how to select all three and combine them into one.

 

[Kerrymeaway]

Disk Management - delete partition option = grey

The option to delete partition in Disk Management is "greyed out" and I can't choose it. ... ugh.

 

[snaky69]

The option to delete partition in Disk Management is "greyed out" and I can't choose it. ... ugh.

Plug it into a PC and format it using windows, FAT32 all the way. You should have no problems anymore.

 

[Kerrymeaway]

greyed out

I'm actually working on a PC and I'm trying to format it. The choice to repartition is still grey and after formatting it FAT 32, it's still split into 3 partitions....

Reformatting is not the same as "repartitioning" it, right? Or is it?

 

[Kerrymeaway]

usb reformat

it's an 8GB drive and I can only reformat 200MB of it... the rest is "disabled"

 

[awer25]

You have to delete all the partitions first, then format. The computer will see each partition as an individual drive, so you're only able to format 200MB of it because you are only formatting the 200MB "drive". The rest is unpartitioned space or Mac-formatted if it's not showing up in Windows.

To fix: In Windows, you have to go to Computer Management, then Disk Management (in Win7, just click the Start button and start typing "computer management" like you would in Spotlight). From there, be sure you select the right drive by checking the size to make sure it matches the thumb drive - you don't want to delete a data partition on your computer. Right-click on each partition and delete all partitions, volumes, etc. Once it's all deleted and the whole disk says RAW, then right click on it and "Create New Volume" or something similar. Quick format with FAT32.

This is all done within the Disk Management window.

 

[Kerrymeaway]

Stubborn USB drive.

I'll try to upload a screenshot if what I'm looking at. I've tried to do what you're telling me- delete partitions - and it won't give me the option. All the instructions I've read are totally clear and each step is right there, but the only problem is that I can't choose 'Delete Partition' from the drop down menu when I right click.

Is there some other condition that's not met re: this drive? Something I'm (obviously) overlooking?

 

[Kerrymeaway]

Screenshot attached

Forgive me, I'm new to this- can you see the file I uploaded? It's called forum.jpg

 

[awer25]

Forgive me, I'm new to this- can you see the file I uploaded? It's called forum.jpg

Yeah, you're in the right place. Right click on the white bar that says 6.94GB and delete it, then right click on the 200MB part and delete that too. You want it all to be like the black section, Unallocated. "Unallocated" is the remainder - when you delete partitions it'll add it to the Unallocated amount. Once it's all Unallocated, then right click on the white section and choose something like "Create New Volume" (or something similar).

 

[Kerrymeaway]

USB drive

Thanks, awer25- the problem is that when I right click on those partitions Delete Partition is grey in the drop down menu. I'm not allowed to choose it. When I tried to take a screen shot, it didn't display the drop down menu. Everything else makes sense to me, but that...

 

[lesyork]

'Delete Partition' is greyed out because the drive is active (in use by the operating system). Ejecting or unmounting the drive does not solve this problem. You may have to resort to a more powerful disk management tool, such as something in Linux/OS X, or a program such as Partition Magic.

(Of course, I could be completely wrong )

 

[Kerrymeaway]

Partition Magic

I'm going to try Partition Magic- wish me luck. Installing software and using PCs has never been my thing.....

 

[awer25]

I'm going to try Partition Magic- wish me luck. Installing software and using PCs has never been my thing.....

Good luck Programs like Partition Magic are great and will work. I was hoping that using the built in Windows tools would be easier but I forgot about the whole "drive in use" issue.

 

[DustinT]

Just use Disk Utility on your Mac to do it. No need to download and install anything. Take a look at the two screen shots I attached. All you need to do is change the volume screen to 1 partition and hit apply.

Thats it.

 

[Kerrymeaway]

solved!

THANKS everyone!