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Formatting a USB Flash Drive for Use with a Garmin eLog ELD

Your USB Flash drive may require formatting if you have issues getting the Garmin eLog ELD to recognize or write files to your flash drive. 

To Format the USB Drive Using: 


Windows

1. Insert the USB drive into the computer

2. Press the Windows key + E

 

3. Click This PC (Windows 10 only)

 

4. Locate the drive representing the USB drive

  • To determine which drive is the USB drive:
    • Remove the USB drive from the computer
    • Observe which drive disappears from the list
    • Insert the USB drive again

5. Right-Click on the USB drive

6. Click Format

7. Verify the File System is FAT or FAT32

8. Change Allocation unit size to Default allocation size

9. Ensure Quick Format is checked

10. Click Start

These steps will format the USB drive to be readable by the Garmin eLog ELD. 

Try another USB flash drive if an error is received or formatting the USB drive fails to resolve the issue.


Mac

1. Insert the USB drive into the computer

2. Open Spotlight (CMD + Space) on the keyboard

3. Type Disk Utility into the Spotlight search box

4. Press Return

5. Click the parent icon for the USB drive in the sidebar on the left

  • This is not necessary on Mac OS X 10.12 and newer
  • To determine which drive is the USB drive:
    • Remove the USB drive from the computer
    • Observe which drive disappears from the list
    • Insert the USB drive again

6. Click Erase at the top of Disk Utility

7. Select MS-DOS (FAT) in the Format drop-down menu

red box around MS-DOS (FAT)

8. Type a name/title for the USB drive

  • Do not leave the name as "UNTITLED" or "NO NAME"

red box around word garmin

9. Click Erase

These steps will format the USB drive to be readable by the Garmin eLog ELD.

Try another USB flash drive if an error is received or formatting the USB drive fails to resolve the issue.