Author Topic: Format Kingston USB drive (Read 7989 times)

Brad Johnson · « **on:** April 30, 2010, 06:50:35 PM »

Buddy has a Kingston Data Traveller 200 (128 gb) that's not working with his car stereo. Sometimes it's not even playin nice with Windows, coming up as unformatted. I think it just needs a needs a good nuking. Unfortunately Kingston doesn't seem to have a utility for it on their less-than-helpful web site. Also unfortunately my Win 7 machine only offers 2 format options, NTFS amd exFAT. Formatting to exFAT makes the drive totally unreadable by the stereo.

Any advice on a decent freeware utility for reformatting USB drives?

Brad

(obligatory "install linux" response in 3... 2... 1...)

sanglant · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2010, 06:57:32 PM »

not install, just use the installer to format

edit: if the linux install disk won't work, got a win95/90/2000/xp disk handy?

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2010, 07:01:20 PM »

Nah, but there are plenty of XP machines in the office. I'll borrow someone's tomorrow and give it a shot.

Brad

sanglant · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2010, 07:38:44 PM »

let me know if that doesn't work, i has _.

lee n. field · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2010, 08:40:50 PM »

Quote

(obligatory "install linux" response in 3... 2... 1...)

gparted live cd.

Mabs2 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2010, 08:42:32 PM »

You need some of that stuff...what is it called....
Oh right, bangstring.

zxcvbob · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2010, 10:29:06 PM »

You're having troubles because the device is set up as a single partition that is too big for FAT or FAT32 file systems.

Goto the Control Panel. In the search box in the upper right corner, type "partitions". This will bring up a list that includes AdministrativeTools->CreateAndFormatHardDiskPartitions. (I don't know why you can't get to it directly) Select that, and you can repartition the USB drive to have four 32GB partitions and then Win7 should be able to format each to FAT32. (actually you just need one 32GB partition, the rest can probably be larger.) HTH

sanglant · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2010, 11:04:37 PM »

link i need a memory upgrade, me not my computer it has 4GB.

GigaBuist · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2010, 11:20:27 PM »

Quote from: zxcvbob on April 30, 2010, 10:29:06 PM

You're having troubles because the device is set up as a single partition that is too big for FAT or FAT32 file systems.

Goto the Control Panel. In the search box in the upper right corner, type "partitions". This will bring up a list that includes AdministrativeTools->CreateAndFormatHardDiskPartitions. (I don't know why you can't get to it directly) Select that, and you can repartition the USB drive to have four 32GB partitions and then Win7 should be able to format each to FAT32. (actually you just need one 32GB partition, the rest can probably be larger.) HTH

FAT32 can do up to a 2TB partition with the default cluster size. You can get it up to 16TB if you use a 64k cluster.

Wouldn't hurt to kill the partition and re-create it though. Windows 7 might be particular about the partition type ID in the partition table. Maybe not.

Vodka7 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 01, 2010, 12:13:16 AM »

Been a while since I've used windows, but I'd be surprised if 7 got rid of the format utility.

Open a command window, maybe as Administrator, and try format driveletter /fs:fat32

sanman · « **Reply #10 on:** May 01, 2010, 12:38:39 AM »

Had to change a fat32 500GB external drive to NTFS as I had video files to save for editing that were 25GB....too large for fat32. Running Vista Ultimate, selected cmd prompt and right clicked and chose run as admin. Then used the convert cmd to change to NTFS. Shouldn't loose any data but I always back up everything anyway.

I think I'm remembering that right....

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2010, 02:26:24 PM »

I need to see what kind of format his stereo will handle. Maybe I can go NTFS.

Brad

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2010, 04:28:43 PM »

Just figured out the thing is a fake. He bought it from some company called Super Duper Deals for eighty bucks (the real deal goes for over $300). I found an HP utility that's supposed to be the cat's meow for formatting USB drives. I've going to try it when he gets back.

From what I'm seeing the fakes are some kind of goofey memory management trick that takes a garden-variety 4 or 8 gb stick and uses some fancy coding footwork to make the computer see it as a 128. Forcing a complete format with the HP utility will show what the true capacity is.

Yet again, the saying "If seems too good to be true it probably is" proves exactly right. The company promised him a 30-day refund window. We'll see if they actually follow through. I'm not holding my breath.

Brad

CNYCacher · « **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2010, 11:32:58 PM »

And here I am thinking "Where the heck did he find a 128GB thumb drive?"

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2010, 11:55:46 PM »

Quote from: CNYCacher on May 01, 2010, 11:32:58 PM

And here I am thinking "Where the heck did he find a 128GB thumb drive?"

Kingston does sell them. They're about five hundred dollah though. This is way passed "too good to be true" when someone is selling them for eighty bucks.

KD5NRH · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2010, 05:53:11 AM »

Quote from: CNYCacher on May 01, 2010, 11:32:58 PM

And here I am thinking "Where the heck did he find a 128GB thumb drive?"

Maybe he's a parole officer, and picked one up while he was wandering unescorted and unchallenged through various highly secured areas at CTU.

Snowdog · « **Reply #16 on:** May 02, 2010, 07:09:25 AM »

Brad, looks like I got to the thread late but had I seen it earlier, I would have also strongly suggested it's fake. I bought a "64GB Kingston DataTraveler" off Ebay (where you should never look to buy flash drive devices I've learned) for $24 and free shipping with Buy-it-Now.

It was constructed of what looked like quality materials complete with laser engraving of Kingston and their logo as well as other BS. When I plugged it in, it indeed said 64GB and allowed me to place in a few photos. Upon my next attempted use, it said it was unformatted and there was no data on the device. It would not allow formatting. I learned from research that it's actually an 8MB (yeah, MB) that cannot be formatted anyway.

Ebay said they found the dispute in my favor and would refund me if I sent the item back and supplied them with a tracking number. I couldn't get the return address from the seller as they had been banned from Ebay and were from HK. Of course, I wasn't able to supply the tracking number and now have a fancy looking USB plug. I've kept the item in it's original convincing packaging (other than the seemingly cheap blister pack) in the office as a reminder just how clever these overseas gypsies are these days.

I have since purchased a Lacie 16GB for about the same price from Amazon. Works great, it's always on my keychain and I've got no complaints.

Here's the "model" of fake I was suckered for, minus the fancy name and logo laser engraving:

sanglant · « **Reply #17 on:** May 02, 2010, 09:47:18 AM »

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/632077-REG/Kingston_DT200_128GB_128GB_DataTraveler_200_.html

Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas · « **Reply #18 on:** May 02, 2010, 12:12:03 PM »

Quote from: KD5NRH on May 02, 2010, 05:53:11 AM

Maybe he's a parole officer, and picked one up while he was wandering unescorted and unchallenged through various highly secured areas at CTU.

And yet somebody thought it was a good idea to give CTU unmanned drones with missiles installed for use over major US cities.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #19 on:** May 04, 2010, 12:58:29 AM »

At least he got a (hopefully) decent seller. They told him to box it up and send it back for a refund.

BRad

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Author Topic: Format Kingston USB drive (Read 7989 times)