When I plug in a random USB flash drive, it's recognized in the file
manager and I can transfer files between the home sub-directories back
and forth with the flash drives. However, if I should format the flash
drive, it's no longer recognized in the file manager. How do I get it to
be recognized?

--
-- Greg

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On May 31, 2026 7:32:09 PM Gregory Forster <debian4greg@gmail.com> wrote:

When I plug in a random USB flash drive, it's recognized in the file
manager and I can transfer files between the home sub-directories back
and forth with the flash drives. However, if I should format the flash
drive, it's no longer recognized in the file manager.

How did you format?
Which file manager?

. How do I get it to
be recognized?

--
-- Greg

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sun, 31 May 2026 21:31:31 -0500
Gregory Forster <debian4greg@gmail.com> wrote:

When I plug in a random USB flash drive, it's recognized in the file
manager and I can transfer files between the home sub-directories
back and forth with the flash drives. However, if I should format the
flash drive, it's no longer recognized in the file manager. How do I
get it to be recognized?

After formatting, you create a filesystem on it. The command line mkfs
will allow you to do this, but it is much easier to use a graphical
disc manager such as gparted. You will need root privileges to do this,
and make very sure you know which drive you are modifying. It is easy
to destroy your computer's operating system with careless use of
a disc manager.

You may want partitions on the drive, though USB sticks often do not
use partitions and the whole drive is formatted with one filesystem.
Using an MBR partition table allows partitions to use different
filesystems, if you need that facility.

The standard Linux filesystem is ext4, but a Windows computer may not
be able to read this. The Windows NTFS file system can be read by all
Windows versions since Win2000, and also Linux. Some other hardware
that accepts USB sticks may only recognise the older Windows FAT
formats, which again Windows and Linux can read, but is limited in file
and partition size compared to the modern formats.

https://www.kingston.com/unitedkingdom/en/blog/personal-storage/understanding-file-systems

Most of this applies to USB sticks and also SD and microSD cards. I use
very few USB sticks nowadays, but mostly microSD cards in a USB adaptor.

--
Joe

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

I use the Nautilus file manager (Files) and Disks to format.
On 5/31/26 10:24 PM, Peter Ehlert wrote:

On May 31, 2026 7:32:09 PM Gregory Forster <debian4greg@gmail.com> wrote:

When I plug in a random USB flash drive, it's recognized in the file
manager and I can transfer files between the home sub-directories back
and forth with the flash drives. However, if I should format the flash
drive, it's no longer recognized in the file manager.

How did you format?
Which file manager?

. How do I get it to
be recognized?

--
-- Greg

--
-- Greg


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

I discovered the app "USB Stick Formatter" in Software, so I downloaded
it and installed it. It works GREAT!
On 6/1/26 8:45 AM, Gregory Forster wrote:

I use the Nautilus file manager (Files) and Disks to format.

On 5/31/26 10:24 PM, Peter Ehlert wrote:

On May 31, 2026 7:32:09 PM Gregory Forster <debian4greg@gmail.com> wrote:

When I plug in a random USB flash drive, it's recognized in the file
manager
and I can transfer files between the home sub-directories back
and forth with the flash drives. However, if I should format the flash
drive, it's no longer recognized in the file manager.

How did you format?
Which file manager?

. How do I get it to
be recognized?

--
-- Greg

--
-- Greg

--
-- Greg


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)