formatting a pendrive for Mac use

Question

formatting a pendrive for Mac use

I was given a "new" USB Sony pendrive that is supposed to hold 8 GB of storage. When inserted originally, it showed DOS 32fat formatting and 8 GB. I tried to reformat it for UFS extended and it somehow is corrupted. And it now shows 128 GB capacity. Unable to do much with it, won't show on desktop, but shows in Disc Utility. Tried to partition it into an 8 GB unit and DU is unable to repair the disc to show on desktop. But it will partition into an 8 GB and a 120 GB partition. What gives . I know it CAN"T be a 128 GB but how do I get it to format properly?

G4 DMD 1.0 + 20" G5 iMac 2.1 + MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Nov 16, 2006 4:21 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 17, 2006 1:35 PM in response to David Warren2

Why do you need your pendrive partitioned and formatted for UFS? You are probably better off just formatting that drive in a Windows PC and using it that way, with a single partition.

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Answer 2

Nov 18, 2006 7:49 AM in response to David Warren2

I was told need to reformat to get it to work on some older OS9 machines. Something about OS9 drivers and size limit to recognize. But still it should reformat using Disk Utility under OS 10.4.8 back to DOS fat 32 and it won't. Leads me to believe it might be a fake 8 GB drive. Anyone know of a diagnostic app that shows the chipset and whether it is USB 1.0 limited? That would pretty much confirm the fake part.

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Answer 3

Nov 18, 2006 8:23 AM in response to David Warren2

Who was it that told you to reformat it?

Doing so probably screwed it up. If you have one of these they are supposed to be plug and play compatible with OS X and OS 9.

Under the Notes on Use on Sony's site:
"When formatting the Micro Vault device, use the format software which you can download from this website.To avoid any changes of the specifications, do not format the device in any other way."

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Answer 4

Nov 18, 2006 8:32 AM in response to David Warren2

Do you have access to someone with a PC, who can download that Sony diskUtility thing (that formatter that's mentioned here...).

And can the PC user help you get that drive re-formatted FAT32?
That's kind of a universal file allocation table, which seems to be fine with Mac, DOS, and most other Operating Systems...

You say the drive was a qualified "new". Was it packaged (shrink-wrapped) or had it been unpacked...?
New is new. Opened is not new.

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Answer 5

Nov 18, 2006 12:07 PM in response to David Warren2

Thanks for the insight. Yeh I probably screwed it up trying to format it, but I'm not sure it is a Microvault. Doesn't look like any of the units shown on the Sony page. Smaller and VERY generic with no markings only an activity light hole. So I'll use a PC and download the software and try it. Question though is the Microvault software package compressing the data automatically to get up to 8 GB and thus slows down transfer rates? OR is it possible it is a USB 1.0 unit? How to tell?

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Answer 6

Nov 18, 2006 12:30 PM in response to David Warren2

OK, found this ebay item. Same unit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-GB-Flash-Memory-Drive-USB-Stick-8GB-USB-2-0-NEW_W0QQitemZ1 60052436250QQihZ006QQcategoryZ99247QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

? fake ?

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Answer 7

Nov 18, 2006 1:51 PM in response to David Warren2

Sorry,
You were the one who said it was a Sony. I think that's why the Sony software was suggested.
If you have a PC, you may be able to get more info about this device from the Device Manager.
You may be able to reformat it on the PC, now...but maybe not.
I'm not sure at all now...why is this a Macintosh question?
[Edit] I'm sorry, it is a mac question. You formatted the flash drive on your mac to use a mac file system.

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Answer 8

Nov 18, 2006 4:17 PM in response to David Warren2

The device info on the drive indicated it was a Sony. I have "formatted" many pen drives in the past for HFS extended, whether it was necessary or not and always had success with the device working properly. So I was trying to rule out the possibility that the drive was defective since it showed in DU with some odd specs (ie 128 GB). I was unaware of the Sony software limitation about NOT reformatting and appreciate the heads up. Looking more like this unit is fake and I apologize for confusing you. Thanks for the clarification

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