USB Flash Drive....Fat32 or NTFS ?

Steve C · 04 Dec 2023

I just had to reformat a drive using NTFS to transfer a large file over 4GB

Fabler2 · 04 Dec 2023

I don't know how old the laptop is but try turning off secure boot.

Del 80 · 04 Dec 2023

It's at least ten years old, and have tried everything.......I suspect that there is a problem with the motherboard, I've tried two other flash drives that work on other machines, but not this one .....I think maybe the time has come to pull the plug, and cannibalise the machine for parts, to keep the others running.....

Berton · 04 Dec 2023

Steve C said:

I just had to reformat a drive using NTFS to transfer a large file over 4GB

For that I keep a 64GB drive formatted as exFAT, gets around the Windows issue with 32GB FAT32 and limit of 4GB single-file size, also makes it read/write on Mac OS X without need for a NTFS-write app added to the Mac. Don't know about the newer macOS. Linux Mint no problem, can use several formats.

Megahertz · 04 Dec 2023

Del 80 said:

The laptop has thee USB ports, and the flash drive won't work in any of them.......it does however work on TWO other laptops.....I am fast running out of options I think.......

I'm sure the BIOS isn't set properly to boot from USB drive.
Enter BIOS and look for USB settings. Some BIOS setting can block from booting from USB drive (for security reason).

Berton · 04 Dec 2023

Another point about the BIOS, usually they have support for USB 2 but have to get USB 3 support from the OS loading the driver for it. Newer ones may support USB 3 or combination ports.
USB 2 = black centers in the plug and socket while USB 3 have blue centers.
Device Manager for USB will list Enhanced for USB 2 and eXtensible/SuperSpeed for USB 3 entries.

Del 80 · 04 Dec 2023

Thanks for all the replies.....I have finally given up on the old laptop, as I tried everything I could think of, and what was suggested, to no avail.....I shall use it for spare parts, to help keep my other four machines running, and have already removed the RAM, and installed it in Laptop No. Two, which it has speeded up considerably........

Helmut · 05 Dec 2023

"The laptop has thee USB ports, and the flash drive won't work in any of them......"

You have a partial chipset failure that provides the USB ports.
The Laptops are around 10 years old so not really surprising.

The only fix is to have the parts replaced on the MOBO, not worth it on such an aged Laptop.

Marie SWE · 05 Dec 2023

Del 80 said:

Thanks for all the replies.....I have finally given up on the old laptop, as I tried everything I could think of, and what was suggested, to no avail.....I shall use it for spare parts, to help keep my other four machines running, and have already removed the RAM, and installed it in Laptop No. Two, which it has speeded up considerably........

Is all three laptops Toshiba Satellite C50-A-1 as you specified in My computers?

Is any of those USB flashdrives have an LED indicator?

If you have one with led indicator and you have the computer booted in to windows.
Does the LED light up on the flashdrive /USB memory?
If it light up, does it show in Disk manager
If not Check the device manager if you have any warnings

on the USB devices.

If the LED dont light up on the USB flashdrive
Does a keyboard or mouse work on the USB ports? and does numlock light up on the keyboard, or does the Led under the mouse light up?
Is USB devices enabled in BIOS

If no on all questions but Yes on enabled in Bios and no warnings on USB devices in device manager then the 5V rail is probibly damaged..
But often there is two 5V rails.. to balance the 5V load.. and that mostly kill one pair of USB ports, wile another pair still works.

If the keyboard or mouse light up but USB flashdrive dont.. it can be low 5V voltage as some devices still working when it drops just under 4V while some stop working at 4.7Volt