Working both with Debian and Windows7PRO, I routinely use the default Debian disk utility (gnome-disks) to format and re-format all varieties of USB drives, including flash sticks and mechanical drives by WD, Seagate, and Toshiba. I format to FAT or VFAT. I have no difficulty transferring files between Window$ and Linux; things "just work".
On a few occasions I have attempted to reformat a flash drive using Windows7, and Windows has become hopelessly confused, unable to recognize the device. But Debian always has been able to recover the drive and format it properly. RLH
