FedEx/Kinkos and StaplesPrint Can't Read MS-DOS (FAT) Formatted Thumb Drive

Fortuney is correct. If you are making an MS-DOS (FAT) formatted thumb drive, then make sure it's partition type is MBR.

If you are going to FedEx/Kinkos, you can likely take a Mac partitioned & formatted thumb drive. Most of the FedEx/Kinkos locations have MacDrive installed on Windows. Just make sure if you go that route that you use APT (Apple Partition Table) as the partition type, and HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) as the file system.

Disclaimer: I work for the people that make MacDrive.

Hi,

check with Disk Utility if these USB-sticks also use the MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table or if they use GPT (GUID partition table).

When formating such sticks with Disk Utility you can use the 'Options' button to set the partition table to MBR.

Hope it helps

Stefan

Hi,

Roll Over DJ wrote:
Thanks, Stefan.

When I tried to format them, I don't see any of the MBR/GPT info.

in Disk Utility click on the USB-Stick in the left pane and ** should tell you what partition scheme is currently used (at the bottom of the main pane).

Under "Partion" the "Options...." button is greyed out.

Odd, just checked and I get the Options button and can choose.
Any chance of a hardware switch on that stick for lock/unlock ?

Stefan

Hi,

thank you for the valuable informations about the MacDrive on these stations.

But are you sure about the APT partition scheme ?
Shouldn't it be GPT (GUID Partition Table) in conjunction with Mac OS Extended file system ?

Never used such stations, only trying to avoid confusion.

Stefan

Fortuny wrote:
Hi,

thank you for the valuable informations about the MacDrive on these stations.

But are you sure about the APT partition scheme ?
Shouldn't it be GPT (GUID Partition Table) in conjunction with Mac OS Extended file system ?

Never used such stations, only trying to avoid confusion.

Stefan, you're incredibly helpful and don't need to worry in the least about me taking your posts the wrong way. 🙂

The combo of APT (Apple Partition Table) and HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) is the most compatible across platforms. GPT doesn't offer any advantages to a USB flash drive unless you are intending to use it as boot drive on an Intel-based Mac. GPT also limits the backwards compatibility (possibly not an issue) with older versions of the Mac OS.

Hi amgqmp1,

thank your for the clarification and the flowers as well 🙂

Being a late bloomer Mac-wise (only in it after the Intel-rollout) I have never used APT.

And being blessed with a Mac Pro and 4-bays full of HDs makes it easier for me to use USB-sticks only with MBR and FAT32 for transfering data to my Office-PC.

For internal use I have a FAT32 partition on one of my HDs.

Happy computing

Stefan