Can't format memory stick for Windows anymore

[davidoloan]

For several years I have formatted memory sticks in MS DOS FAT using Disk Utility to give to people using Windows computers and have never had a problem.

But now when they access the memory stick on Windows it appears that it is unformatted.

When I view the memory stick on a mac all the files I put on it are present and correct and in "Get Info" it says the memory stick is formatted for windows.

I must be doing something wrong?

 

[Falcon16]

take the files off it. Reformat it to X fat using the disk utility. put the files back. That should solve it.

 

[Rodan52]

take the files off it. Reformat it to X fat using the disk utility. put the files back. That should solve it.

Try erasing it first, format for Mac OS Extended Journaled then reformat to Fat 32

 

[davidoloan]

Last week I tried both over the course of hours plus 3 trips to a client, eventually connecting my Mac to his equipment.

Is nobody else having trouble making a memory stick useable on a windows computer?

 

[Koudspeel]

Format as exFAT in disk utility and it should work.

 

[davidoloan]

it didn't for me.

I think I might have picked up that for Windows users to use an ExFat formatted stick they have to download and install a bit of extra software from microsoft, which was the reason it was always recommended to use ms dos even though it limits to 4gb.

Last week on 2 separate clients computers neither would work.

Up until El Capitan I had been doing this for several years with never a problem.

 

[Koudspeel]

Then it might have something to do with the software/driver associated with the memory stick. You could try looking up the memory stick on the website of the manufacturer and see if any software is available. If not.. then I'm out of ideas, sorry.