Flash Drive

Hello I posted a message about a problem I suddenly had with a flash drive in another forum. That message was larger than just the flash drive so I hope I am not cross posting. In trying to resolve the issue I noticed you can format a drive such as a flash drive. I chose to do so because I have formatted my o.s. to wipe all out and thought perhaps formatting the flash drive will wipe everything out and let me begin anew. I hope I have not done damage here because I remember a while ago that formating caused the drive to only work with a particular machine or set up, and was no longer universal. Is the formatted drive as good as buying a new one? Thank you

Hello
I posted a message about a problem I suddenly had with a flash drive in another forum. That message was larger than just the flash drive so I hope I am not cross posting.
In trying to resolve the issue I noticed you can format a drive such as a flash drive. I chose to do so because I have formatted my o.s. to wipe all out and thought perhaps formatting the flash drive will wipe everything out and let me begin anew.
I hope I have not done damage here because I remember a while ago that formating caused the drive to only work with a particular machine or set up, and was no longer universal.
Is the formatted drive as good as buying a new one?
Thank you

Hi Grampy Pete

Flash drives are normally formatted with 'FAT' rather than 'FAT32' and if you have formatted in 'FAT', there shouldn't be any problems, it'll be universal as you say.

Some flash drives do come with software built into them. My Kingston flashdrive did but i got rid of the software that was built in. I forget what the software was called now, i'd have to look it up.

A formatted drive is virtually as good as a new one, there really isn't much difference unless you want me to get technical and that involves talking about recovering data from a flash drive since data is never deleted as such. It gets more technical but i think i've answered your question.

Let me know if you need any more help.

'Bob

Hi Bob Thank you for the information and the kindness not to take me to places I could not handle. You are talking to a guy who still uses floppies. Glad to hear I can still use my flash drives . I have a PNY flash drive which is password protected and a bunch of software some being self serving like shopping in their store yet some is intesting I wrote to What the Tech in the Windows forum with the thread entitled ? flash drive/odd change and of course my name as a reference point. It might be an interesting read for you and I can use all the helpI can get. I use this forum as a great place to keep the 'ole brain busy. Between trying to learn about pcs and using language cd's I am doing ok. We live 18 miles north of D.C. so it'll be busy for a few days now. Thank you

Hi Bob
Thank you for the information and the kindness not to take me to places I could not handle. You are talking to a guy who still uses floppies. Glad to hear I can still use my flash drives .
I have a PNY flash drive which is password protected and a bunch of software some being self serving like shopping in their store yet some is intesting
I wrote to What the Tech in the Windows forum with the thread entitled ? flash drive/odd change and of course my name as a reference point.
It might be an interesting read for you and I can use all the helpI can get.
I use this forum as a great place to keep the 'ole brain busy.
Between trying to learn about pcs and using language cd's I am doing ok.
We live 18 miles north of D.C. so it'll be busy for a few days now.
Thank you

Hi again Grampy Pete,

I did read the topic, i just don't quite understand what it's about. It seems to be you copy data from one PC to another via a USB pen and the process failed.

I don't know whether you have sorted it out but maybe if you could elaborate on the problem a little bit in the other thread i may be able to help out.

glad this helped though.

'Bob

Hi again Bob I just left there where some things were concluded yet the issue remains open. I have a few trials to do here and then I'm going back for more. Glad you took an interest.