Hi Rick,
Your format problem is strange to say the least. It could be a bad area on the drive where the MBR must be located, a worn contact point on the drive or on your pc’s USB port, malware on your pc attacking USB drives, low power from your power supply, etc, etc.
Try formating it on a friend’s or neighbor’s pc and see what happens.
As for arguing with people that like arguing, ignore them. They’re looking for attention and ignoring them is the best reponse.
