help needed - car can't see USB memory stick

[MartinAustin]

Hi folks -

I have a PNY 256GB USB memory stick containing about 300 tracks of music in a folder tree. My laptop can see the USB drive just fine and play the files.

When I put the stick into my car, the "USB" tab never shows up on the display, so it can never play any of the music.

I have another USB memory stick (only 8GB) and the car can see that fine and play the music from it.

Whenever I format the 256GB stick, the options on my Windows 10 laptop are NTFS and ExFAT. Does it matter which I select? Anyone got any other ideas?

Also note - this USB stick used to work in the car! Can't recall what could have happened to it. It's only since I reformatted to try to fix the post-7.1 issues (not playing codecs) that I have run into these problems. Bear in mind, the stick works perfectly w/ my laptop.

 

[animorph]

Sorry I have no details, but yes it does matter how you format it. And it is entirely possible to be able to read it on the laptop but not the car. Check some of the older threads to see which format you want, but I would guess it's not the one you chose.

 

[R0b_]

I'm pretty sure it needs FAT32.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Here's a guide that you may find helpful. FAT32 is most compatible (although there may be other formats that work).
https://teslatap.com/usb-flash-drives-for-music/

Window's formatting tool, won't let you format drives larger than 32GB with FAT32 (I suspect when you reformatted it, it selected NTFS by default), but you can download other free programs that will let you do so (the linked guide mentions a few).

 

[BigMskiman]

My FAT32 formatted music was somehow zapped on my thumb drive, while in car USB slot in front.

Reformatted and copied iTunes music and good to go again.

 

[MartinAustin]

FAT32 is kind of a crappy requirement, if the limit for that sort of media is 32GB.

I wonder how it was formatted when it used to work...