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[macca]

I've been using a variety of USB sticks for some time (maybe 2 years) with no problems.
Recently I tried to transfer some files to my son's notepad computer (it has no DVD/CD drive) so I copied the relevant files off a CD onto a USB stick.
When I plugged the USB stick into his notepad, up came the message"The disc in drive (X) is not formatted. Format now? Y/N" (or something similar).
So I said Yes, formatted, then re-copied the files and transferred them.
Now, every time I put the *%-!&*# stick into a USB port, on any of my computers, up comes the same message. What's happened? Why do I need to format this stick and not others I have?  Incidentally, the format interface says it will format to FAT32, whatever that means.

Win XP Home SP3 (on all computers)

[Jimbob]

I would say you have a stick that is failing as they will do that after time ...

It may be a cheap chip and after so many writes and rewrites it is starting to fail ...

When it starts asking to be formatted that means the 'Volume" is corrupt and formatting it might squeeze one or 2 uses out of it but it will continue degrading until it is unusable.

Time to toss it before you start transferring corrupt files....

[neonwizard]

What brand and model is the problem USB drive?

[macca]

Its a "Transcend" 4Gb stick, Neon.  Can't recall where I bought it but I don't think it was very expensive. I have had it a couple of years. I bought 2 of them at the same time. The other one seems OK, so far.

[neonwizard]

I had a similar problem with a Corsair Flash Voyager USB flash drive when it was formatted on a Windows machine but when I used the Corsair Format tool from there site the error never happened again.

Now looking on the Transcend site I did see that there is software for download and it may be worth a try. Now there is two link to software you should look at:

http://www.transcend-info.com/Support/DLCenter/index.asp?Func1No=3&Func2No=205

http://www.transcend-info.com/Support/DLCenter/DLSoftware.asp?ID=4&Func1No=3&Func2No=205

[macca]

Thanks Neon. I'll have a look and report back.

[macca]

Neon,
Link #1 gives too many options for selection of the item - I have no idea what model number it is. There is nothing on the casing and a "properties" check simply says it is a Jetfast Transcend 4gb USB drive.
Link #2 is simpler and only requires the unit capacity to be selected but - after downoading and running the program to get access to the "on-line" repair facility, a pop-up message says that there has been an "unknown error" in the connection process.  But an interface panel remains on screen, showing a blue "activity" strip running across the panel and a note saying that the program is "locating drive and connecting to server". This goes on and on with no sign of an outcome.
There is no (obvious) cancel facility on the interface panel and the only way to get rid of it is to reboot the computer.
The stick now seems to be working OK on other computers (At least I don't get a message to say it isn't formatted) and I wonder if the problem might, somehow, have been with my son's notepad.
Thanks for your help anyway.