On Tuesday 18 February 2025 18:54:07 Greenwich Mean Time Philip Webb wrote:

> So yes, at least  1  of the sticks is unusable & probably both.
> I can take/mail them back to the store & ask them to test them with Linux
> & refund my CAD if they confirm they're defective.

I would refrain from stating anything which could well be outside their sphere 
of knowledge or understanding.  Hence I would not mention Linux, ext2, 
gparted, or anything exotic for the average MSWindows user, beyond:

"I just cannot format these sticks - they took many, many hours and eventually 
failed.  They are not like the previous USB sticks I bought FROM YOUR SHOP.  
Can I please replace them for something more reliable AND FASTER.  If need be 
at a higher price point."


> I would expect this store to be honorable re it
> & to be pleased to have someone report the problem
> st they can report back to their supplier & avoid future trouble.
> 
> Frank had a useful suggestion re alternative devices,
> which I will reply to separately.  Your own comments thereon wb useful.

For reliable NAND flash storage on a modern PC which can make use of the 
higher speeds, I wholeheartedly agree the M.2 small form factor SSD drive 
within a USB enclosure must be a consideration.  Or one of the external SATA 
SSDs which are physically bigger, with a USB cable. 

There are also USB enclosures (caddies), in which you can buy and install a 
suitable M.2 or 2.5" SATA SSD of your choice; e.g.:

https://plugable.com/products/usbc-nvme/

The SSDs come with a fast DRAM cache which accelerates transfers of smaller 
files, so the difference in speed from your flaky USB sticks will be very 
noticeable.