Question Formating USB creates unallocated

[xra7en]

Odd issue.
trying to format a USB, to make a linux bootable. but its not working. It used to some time ago.

1. Insert USB
2. Format fat/ntfs/exfat (doesn matter)
3. Unable to format drive
4. Look again, and it is UNALLOCATED
5. Load a partition manager.
6. create volume, format, drive is fine
7. Windows format - FAILS again, see #4
8. Repeat 5 & 6
9. use RUFUS -
10. RUFUS fails.
11. see #4-6
12. Tried Etcher - Fails

13 see #4-6

Tried this on all my usb ports (2x 3.0 and 1x 2.0) same results.
My wireless mouse works fine, even if i switch it to usb 3 or usb 2 slot. it keeps on working.

But for some reason, I cannot format anything. I tried various sized from 1.G to 16G, both 3.0 or 2.0, and all kinds of brands (even a red tipped USB stick)
Using a thinkpad w530, 32GB 2TB ...
thanks ahead to anyone that can help with this one.



Can read a USB just fine, just trying to format one.

Anyone have an idea what is going on? running out of sticks to use LOL.

 

[RealBeast]

Try using Unetbootin to create a Live Linux USB stick.

I've found that after I have changed the format and used a stick for a long time that I often need to do a full erase using a diskpart clean all command -- it takes some time but it seems to get them back to working condition.

 

[xra7en]

i'll try that, however doesn't explain why widows format is failing too,
I was doing tails img, but that was failing hard, then went back to iso, no matter what I do it wipes my usbs and makes them unallocated, easy to fix, but its just strange.. will try unetbootin

 

[xra7en]

no go, got farther, all it did was write the boot files, and skipped over the iso

 

[xra7en]

update.. so doing some more experimenting, on all these drives, once I create a volume and format (all this through partition wizard) I did find out I can directly copy stuff to it, but for some reason, cannot use rufus, netbootin or etcher successfully

 

[xra7en]

OK, so took a couple of the usb's to another laptop, (dv7 HP), copied the software from the usb to the desktop, and ran it again, this time worked flawlessly.
So thinkpad I can format, and copy files over, but if i try to make some type of boot or img with it, it messes up the USB.