Flash Drive

Question

Level 1

5 points

Flash Drive

One flash drive doesn't work on my mac for some reason. It worked yesterday but today I can't edit any files, I can only read them. I have 2 other flash drives connected and they work perfectly fine.

Posted on Aug 17, 2022 10:45 AM

Reply

Answer 1

mlpaps Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:18 AM in response to -Bubba-

Yes, I realize it's "read-only". Per my question, up until today it was not a read only. I was able to make edits. Mysteriously today, I can't edit because it has changed to read-only. I created the content on the flash drive and I am the only one that uses it so it doesn't make sense that it suddenly is "read-only"

Reply

Answer 2

Niel

Level 10

732,083 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:24 AM in response to mlpaps

There's either a problem with the directory structure, or the drive has sensed that it's about to fail. Copy your data off immediately.

den.thed: The volume is formatted as FAT32, which doesn't support file permissions.

(223043)

Reply

Answer 3

-Bubba-

Level 6

10,326 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:58 AM in response to mlpaps

exFAT is generally better than FAT32 (at least in my opinion). It's faster and has less limitations. Once you copy them to your computer, open Disk Utility, select the USB stick, and click "Erase" at the top, reformatting it to exFAT. You can then try to re-copy the files on to the drive.

Reply

Answer 4

den.thed

Level 10

82,312 points

Aug 17, 2022 12:14 PM in response to Niel

Good point Niel, thanks for the challenge.

I admit that I was having a hard time seeing the OPs image on my iPhone.

I can’t test the permissions thing at the moment, but I’m sure that I have a half dozen MS/DOS Fat-32 flash drives around that I can read and write to on my latest Mac’s running Monterey. Perhaps your first instincts about a failed directory is spot on.

Reply

Answer 5

-Bubba-

Level 6

10,326 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:10 AM in response to mlpaps

See den.thed's answer- and here's why.

Reply

Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

82,312 points

Aug 17, 2022 10:59 AM in response to mlpaps

Check the read/write permissions at Get Info for that Flashdrive.

Reply

Answer 7

-Bubba-

Level 6

10,326 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:29 AM in response to mlpaps

Do you need the USB drive as FAT32 or can it be macOS Extended or similar?

As Niel wrote, you should copy the 3.9 GB to your computer, then reformat it and see if that resolves the issue.

Reply

Answer 8

mlpaps Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:34 AM in response to Niel

Thank you, I appreciate your help!

Reply

Answer 9

mlpaps Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2022 11:37 AM in response to -Bubba-

Thanks! Yes, I need to be able to switch between MAC and Windows. Once I get my files copied to my computer, do I need to reformat to ExFAT, or is there a better format type?

Reply