flash drive keeps asking if I want to reformat?

[gabagoo]

flash drive keeps asking if I want to reformat?
I know there are files on the device, just can't seem to explore it to find them, instead I keep getting that message. Last person to put a file on came from a mac,could that be the issue?

 

[ProWraps™]

you using vista? vista always crashes when i put my flash drive in. sucks. its very annoying.

 

[gabagoo]

No it's xp. and I tried it in 2 computers with the same result..., has to be the device. I have seen that message before when trying to run a cd that was burnt on a mac I think

 

[SignBurst PCs]

you using vista? vista always crashes when i put my flash drive in. sucks. its very annoying.

Are you using the 64 Bit version of Vista?

We see this too once in a while. It seems to mostly be flash drives with "software" on them, such as certain drives with "U3" on them. I started removing the "U3" from my Sandisk drives (using a utility on their website, here.) and have had better luck. That being said, I have seen this with other brands of flash drives as well. I have been using a PNY flash drive and it doesn't seem to cause the problems that the Sandisk drives were. The PNY has no software on it.

I have even seen this with some of the smaller external drives (with laptop size drives in them). But this doesn't seem to be as prevalent.

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Static has caused this on several of my usb flash drives and either I received format prompt or 'insert CD-rom' prompt.

 

[weaselboogie]

I started removing the "U3" from my Sandisk drives (using a utility on their website, here.) and have had better luck.

You're awesome. This U3 stuff has annoyed me since I've been using this flash drive.

 

[jiarby]

Try deleting the partition in disk management, then recreating a new one and finally formatting.

 

[gabagoo]

I dont want to reformat it has vital info that I need. The strange thing is that I have used it before and it worked. Worse than that it is a customers with his info and it was sitting on my desk and the graphic designer who rents an office from me needed one so came up last night after I left and used that particular stick.

 

[SignBurst PCs]

You're awesome. This U3 stuff has annoyed me since I've been using this flash drive.

I thought that others might hate that crap as much as I did!