PM11- Free: Cannot create partition nor format Kingston USB

[Calle2006]

Friends

I am trying to understand what is going on here. I have a 4 GB Kingston Data Traveler G2 USB thumb drive. I use Windows Vista 64 bit, and I have Partition Manger 11 Free installed.

When I look a the Kingston from the Partition Manager it says that the disk is not formatted, but when I look at it from the Vista Computer Management/Disk Management, then it shows up as formatted with Fat32 and healthy Primary partition.

When I look at the properties of the Kingston (from Partition Manager) then it tells me this about this disk:


Volume letter: (*)
Type: Primary
File system: Not formatted


Partition ID: 0x04 FAT16, less than 32 MB.
Volume Size: 3.7 GB
Partition size: 3.7 GB
Activity: No
Hidden state: No

When I try to format it from Partition Manager it tells me that "Volumes on this disk cannot be formatted".

I suspect that it has something to do with the Partition ID wihch looks suspicious to me. I mean, in Vista I formatted it as FAT32 (full format), and it shows up as FAT32 too in Vista Disk Management.

Maybe changing the Partition ID would help,but the free version does not give me that option.

It is not really a problem, as I can very well use if in my Vista but it bothers me that it shows up in PM as not formatted and it does not let me format it.
Also, earlier, when I tried to create a partion in it using PM, then it did not let me do that either. in PM I can assign a drive letter to it, but it does not let me assign the same letter as it already has under Vista, but offers the next free one.

So for Vista it looks like a perfectly normal disk,but under PM it looks like it has problems.

Any ideas what is going on? ???

Thanks
Calle

[MudCrab]

Have you tried using the Windows DISKPART clean command on the flashdrive? It may be that it just needs reset. (Instructions can be provided if you need them.)

Have you tried another flashdrive to check if it's just the Kingston or if it's flashdrives in general? Sometimes there can be conflicts or incompatible drivers installed that cause problems with removable devices.

If you boot to the PM media and look at the flashdrive, does it report the same information and have the same problems?

[Calle2006]

Thanks, MudCrab

I wrote a loong nice comment, but unforunately I pressed something that caused all to disappear. But I try again. :-)

1. The Diskpart did not help.

2. I have four Kingston Thumb drives, and they ALL behave the same way!
Show up fine in Vista Computer Management, formatted and with drive letter.
In Partition Manager 11 free they all appear as non-formatted and no drive letter. I can give them a drive letter but not the same they already have in Vista Computer Manager. I cannot format the drive in PM11 but I can delete the partition.

3. I do not have a PM boot media. Don't think the free PM 11 has it.

Does the Kingston use it's own drivers or something? I have never used any CD to install anything when using them for the first time. The Driver File details for the thumb drive's use the following (normal?) drivers:
...\system32\DRIVERS\disk.sys
...\System32\drivers\partmgr.sys

Kingston DT101 II USB deivice
Driver date 6/21/2006
Driver version 6.0.6002.18005

I have Vista Business 64 bit SP2

Thanks for any good suggestions!
Calle

[Calle2006]

Ok, I think I know why I have these problems. >:(

I am using the free version of Partiton Manager 11, on a 64 bit Vista! And I just now found out that the free version does NOT support 64 bit systems!

So, all my problems are hopefully no problems at all. I assume the Kingston thumb drives show up fine under a 32 bit system or under a non-free version of PM. ::)

Sorry for the confusion.

Calle

[MudCrab]

No problem. If you try it on another computer with a 32-bit version of Windows, post back if they aren't detected correctly.