[markwilliamson2001]

Windows disk management is appalling IMO.
See if one of your friends has a mac, or even pop into an apple shop, and see if you can mount your usb stick there.

If you want my opinion as an IT employee, then I would get everyone signed up to dropbox or similiar, then its dead easy to share files!
Pen drives really are crap, and a last resort IMO, nothing more than a bigger floppy disk, I.e. so much more to lose because of the massive capacities nowadays too.

You get 2gb for free on dropbox, and can get upto 10gb i think for a fee.
I wouldnt use it as my only method though, just always keep backups.