Resolved USB key on Win98SE: can read but can't write

Hi there,

I realize there are many posts about hunting down Windows 98 drivers for USB keys, but I've got a slightly different problem. I've inherited an ancient IBM ThinkPad running WIndows 98SE and I plan to use this only for word processing. I have a USB memory stick (almost as ancient) that came with an old Dell computer. It holds a whopping 64MB and the model is SMART SM9FLAU. I've been hunting for days for a driver that will work, but I can never get the right combination. I downloaded the generic nusb33e.exe file and installed it, and although it seemed at first this would not work (when I tried to update the driver for the USB key the computer couldn't find the driver, then the driver would install but I still couldn't use it), I redid everything for the 400th time and it finally installed the new hardware with what I assume is the nusb33e.exe driver and all was (I thought) well.

I can open files on the USB key with no problem on the computer. When I try to save a file to the key, however, I get a blue screen and a Disk Write Error. What has gone wrong? Does this mean the driver is entirely wrong, or is there something else I can do to enable the computer to write to the USB.

Many many thanks in advance.

 

Go to Start -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scandisk (from memory, or look it up in Start -> Help). Run Scandisk on that drive with the checkbox "Automatically fix problems" (wording?).

 

Thanks, mattman. I tried running Scandisk, though it didn't find any errors on the drive. Now, however, when I try to write to the USB drive, instead of getting the blue screen for the disk write error, I get the pop-up message "the directory or file cannot be created." That doesn't sound good...

 

Well, the problem is that the USB drive works fine on my mac and on other windows computers, which leads me to believe this still might be a driver issue.

Are there particular brands of USB drives that have readily available drivers for Windows 98SE? I might just have to get one to dedicate to the old clunker machine.

 

It is uncertain what operating system formatted the drive.

If you can see the drive and work (albeit limitedly) on it, it probably has the correct drivers, but from my opinion, the wrong formatting.

If you understand that "something might go wrong ", I would save all the data off the drive, then connect it to the Win 98 computer. Open My Computer, right-click on the drive and you should be able to format it. Format and cross your fingers

It should either work like a dream or....

Matt
Edit: See what formatting options are available and that might depend on the size of the drive, the options could be FAT or FAT32.

 

Ah, wonderful! It did, indeed, "work like a dream." Many thanks!

 

Ah, that's good. Don't forget to mark the thread resolved if there is a result.

Thanks for letting us know.