Strange USB problem

So I just attempted to install ubuntu to a jumpdrive... just to see what would happen... and what happened was I got a "missing operating system" error, even after configuring the bios to boot from USB first. So that's all fine, but when I booted into XP again and tried to format the usb drive, it showed it as only a little over 200MB. It was a gig when I started...
Do I have *nix hackers stealing my megahertz?

[rabbitweed]

ubuntu probably made several partitions on the USB drive (swap, boot, etcetera) and windows is only picking up some of them.

that's my best guess.

[Prometheum]

Yeah, thats probably right. I don't think Linux can boot from FAT, nor can you put / on a FAT partition I think.

Open it up on the partition editor that's hidden away somewhere in Control Panel and you'll be able to get at the whole disc.

[Zok]

http://oopsilon.com/Booting-Linux-from-Flash