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USB Flash Drive Not Discoverable on Desktop

I was in the middle of partitioning my Flash Drive so I could put a password on it. When I plugged it in, it would always appear on my desktop. However, I made the stupid decision to unplug it while it was doing something in the Disk Utility app. I tried to plug it back in, but it didn't appear on my desktop like it always did. I opened Disk Utility, and it showed that it was there. I opened Finder, but it wasn't discoverable. It was plugged in all the way. Can anyone please help me with this so that my Flash Drive can become discoverable again so I can put content into it? I need to put school work on it. Thank you!

Posted on Aug 1, 2015 1:30 PM

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Posted on Aug 1, 2015 1:41 PM

Drive Partition and Format


1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.


2. After Disk Utility loads select your flash drive (this is the out-dented entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the Disk Utility main window.


3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Apply button and wait until the process has completed.


4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.


5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.


6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.


Steps 4-6 are optional but should be used on a drive that has never been formatted before, if the format type is not Mac OS Extended, if the partition scheme has been changed, or if a different operating system (not OS X) has been installed on the drive.

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Question marked as Best reply

Aug 1, 2015 1:41 PM in response to 19Jonathon95

Drive Partition and Format


1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.


2. After Disk Utility loads select your flash drive (this is the out-dented entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the Disk Utility main window.


3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Apply button and wait until the process has completed.


4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.


5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.


6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.


Steps 4-6 are optional but should be used on a drive that has never been formatted before, if the format type is not Mac OS Extended, if the partition scheme has been changed, or if a different operating system (not OS X) has been installed on the drive.

USB Flash Drive Not Discoverable on Desktop

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