Sandisk 32GB Superdrive issues

[Kipsley]

Hi everyone. Frustrated to the max and I don't know what to do.

I have a Sandisk 32GB Superdrive that I use to transfer movie files from my Mac to watch on my TV. I have noticed however that when I "erase" an old movie, the space does not free up on the USB stick. So it eventually filled up and I had to format it.

I copied the two sandisk files on it to my Mac, then formatted it to free up it 32GB again. I then placed back the sandisk files and added an AVI movie. But now my TV no longer recognizes it. I formatted it as MS-DOS and then again as EXFAT. Same result.

This was expensive. What did I do wrong? and can I fix my Superdrive?

 

[AidenShaw]

Hi everyone. Frustrated to the max and I don't know what to do.

I have a Sandisk 32GB Superdrive that I use to transfer movie files from my Mac to watch on my TV. I have noticed however that when I "erase" an old movie, the space does not free up on the USB stick. So it eventually filled up and I had to format it.

I copied the two sandisk files on it to my Mac, then formatted it to free up it 32GB again. I then placed back the sandisk files and added an AVI movie. But now my TV no longer recognizes it. I formatted it as MS-DOS and then again as EXFAT. Same result.

This was expensive. What did I do wrong? and can I fix my Superdrive?

"MS-DOS" is not a filesystem, did you mean FAT16 or FAT32?

I would check the manuals for the TV to see what formats the TV supports.

 

[Weaselboy]

I have a Sandisk 32GB Superdrive that I use to transfer movie files from my Mac to watch on my TV. I have noticed however that when I "erase" an old movie, the space does not free up on the USB stick.

Try emptying your trash after you delete the files and before you eject the USB key.

 

[Kipsley]

Well... emptying the trash before ejecting the USB is no good. I moved the movie on it "to trash", but there was nothing in the trash bin to empty even though the movie was now gone. The memory however, did not free up on the Superdrive.

As for MS-DOS not being a file system, my Mac gives me the options MS-DOS(FAT), exFAT, and the various OS X formatting options.

As we all know, exFAT is only used on 32GB or greater and is not any good for files under 4GB in size. So I'm trying to use the MS-DOS(FAT) filing system on the Superdrive but my TV no longer even recognizes the drive. I have tried the exFAT just to be sure with same result.

Online instructions seem to be more towards Windows users and recommend NTFS and FAT32 (all of which seem to be Windows options only) so was just wondering if anyone has a 32 GB Sandisk Superdrive, could you maybe tell me what file system it shipped with as i did not check before formatting mine, and I can't find anyplace online to tell me.

 

[AidenShaw]

Well... emptying the trash before ejecting the USB is no good. I moved the movie on it "to trash", but there was nothing in the trash bin to empty even though the movie was now gone. The memory however, did not free up on the Superdrive.

As for MS-DOS not being a file system, my Mac gives me the options MS-DOS(FAT), exFAT, and the various OS X formatting options.

As we all know, exFAT is only used on 32GB or greater and is not any good for files under 4GB in size. So I'm trying to use the MS-DOS(FAT) filing system on the Superdrive but my TV no longer even recognizes the drive. I have tried the exFAT just to be sure with same result.

Online instructions seem to be more towards Windows users and recommend NTFS and FAT32 (all of which seem to be Windows options only) so was just wondering if anyone has a 32 GB Sandisk Superdrive, could you maybe tell me what file system it shipped with as i did not check before formatting mine, and I can't find anyplace online to tell me.

It would help if you would specify which utilities/apps that you are using - it can make a difference.

MS-DOS is not a filesystem, but MS-DOS supports at least three versions of FAT (FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32). None of them support files of 4 GiB or larger.

exFAT and NTFS support larger files.

What does your TV manual say about USB drive file system support?

 

[Kipsley]

It's not the TV and I don't have the manual anyhow. I'm using the Mac's "Disk Utility" version 15 to format. The USB Superdrive worked fine till I formatted it. I also have a 16GB Lexar and it works fine even though I have formatted it several times. Once again, when I remove a movie from any USB to Trash, the memory does not free up and eventually the USB drive is full and needs to be formatted.

"Disk Utility" gives me the following format options:

OS X Extended (Journaled)
OS X Extended (Case-sensitive Journaled)
OS X Extended (Journaled Encrypted)
OS X Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted)
MS-DOS (FAT)
ExFAT

MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFat comes up as "Unknown USB Device" when inserted into the TV.

I only wish to know what the factory spec formatting was so i can return the USB Superdrive back to how it was.

 

[Weaselboy]

MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFat comes up as "Unknown USB Device" when inserted into the TV.

I only wish to know what the factory spec formatting was so i can return the USB Superdrive back to how it was.

Just so I'm clear... you need to delete the file then empty the trash, even though nothing is showing in the trash can. Is that what you did?

I would be very surprised if the TV supported ExFAT. Most of those are FAT32, an that is what format you get with the MS-DOS option in Disk Utility. Every USB key I can think of I ever bought came out of the package formatted in FAT32.

What format is the Lexar drive?

 

[Kipsley]

Lexar is MS-DOS(FAT).

When I erase a movie from the USB it does not free up the memory. To make it simple.... I begin with 32 GB of free space. Add a movie of say... 2GB. Now I have 30GB. I watch the movie then erase it from the USB. No movie, but also still only 30GB available. Eventually it all gets used and so i have to format the USB so as to free up the space. I've done this many times with my Lexar. No point doing anything with the trash can. There is nothing in it.

Doesn't seem to be so straight forwards with the Superdrive though. And I tried formatting to MS-DOS(FAT). Still no joy.

 

[Weaselboy]

No point doing anything with the trash can. There is nothing in it.

I'm trying to explain when there is something in the trash on an external USB key like that, the trash can icon will still appear empty, so you need to empty the trash.