usb flashstick working on mac, but not on windows

[mrgreeneyes]

hi, i have a usb flash stick (16gb)
and when i plug it in to my macbook pro it mounts nadi can see the files. but when i plug it into a windows pc, i see it in "my computer" but i cannot click to open it. i have tried formatting the flash drive as a master boot record and as a GUID and it still gives me the same error for windows.

i have no idea what the problem is.


thanks

 

[Frosties]

Did you wait for it to mount in windows and the "open with" screen to appear. If not then do so. Could be that it has U3 programs that it tries to start.

Second thing is to do a full format in windows or osx of the stick. Master boot record? What? Why? Just do a regular fat32 format (choose Ms Dos file system in osx) of the stick. Don't use any other file system on the usb memory.

Windows can't read apple's own file system, which is why you should at the moment only use fat32 on usb memory sticks.

 

[mrgreeneyes]

Did you wait for it to mount in windows and the "open with" screen to appear. If not then do so. Could be that it has U3 programs that it tries to start. Second thing is to do a full format in windows or osx of the stick. Master boot record? What? Why? Just do a regular fat32 format (choose Ms Dos file system in osx) of the stick. Don't use any other filesystem on the usb memory.

my usb stick doesnt have the U3 feature.
and when i plug it into my windows pc, the open with box doesnt show up.

 

[Frosties]

my usb stick doesnt have the U3 feature.
and when i plug it into my windows pc, the open with box doesnt show up.

1. try different usb port
2. reformat in fat32

 

[mrgreeneyes]

1. try different usb port
2. reformat in fat32

it is formatted in fat32. on my windows pc, the icon for the usb drive is a folder. and i cant open it. on my mac i can open it, copy files, delete files. but not on my pc. and its my only usb stick that i have at to moment

 

[fhall1]

Does your Windows box work with a different USB stick?

 

[mrgreeneyes]

Does your Windows box work with a different USB stick?

i dont have any other usb sticks to test.

 

[fhall1]

i dont have any other usb sticks to test.

I'd borrow one or buy a cheap 2GB one....maybe your PC won't work with any thumb drive for some reason.

 

[mrgreeneyes]

Does your Windows box work with a different USB stick?

i have found an old usb stick and yes the stick works with windows.


UPDATE: i have tried formatting the usb stick on my mac, and it did format, then i went to my pc and plugged it in, and it shows up in "my computer" but when i click on it, nothing happens.

 

[fhall1]

Even though it should work being formatted first on the Mac, I'd try formatting your original USB stick on your PC first so that it will read it, then see if the Mac will read it too.