using a 100g memory stick for my wiiu as a usb storage device. 

just turned it on and my mario maker file doesn't load all the other files work!!!

i call nintendo and they tell me that i have to use a powered usb hard drive.

i go to my local computer store and they tell me they are archaic and all u should need is a regular drive which plugs in with a usb cable

anybody else have this issue? 

What brand and model USB stick were you using? 

If you use a "regular drive which plugs in with a usb cable" then you need to use a y-cable because it needs more power.

Questions: Was it working before?

What's the file system format? FAT, NTFS? ext?

These questions should get us somewhere. I use a 500GB WD Elements Passport and I have no issues with power. It might be a bad sector on your drive or something. If all else fails, format it and redownload the game.

I don't think it matters since the Wii U formats it to it's own file system once you format the drive for use on the Wii U.

True, forgot about that. I would still reformat and download.

I would copy (not move) any save files to another USB stick/drive first.

But reformatting and using the same USB stick might only be a temporary solution, with the USB stick likely to fail again.

I bought a powered one because Nintendo recommended it. I bought a 640 GB powered external HDD that matches all the specifications for Wii U. I've had zero issues with it.

Wow I never knew you had to have powered storages...I kept getting corrupted data messages from my usbs twice, wonder if its the reason.  

So if I wanna use a USB thumbdrive for storage, not an external harddrive then I have to use this?

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Enhancer-Female-Charge-Extension/dp/B00NIGO4NM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1458005575&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+y+cable

Fuck nvm shipping and handling for that was $50, can't even find the cord anywhere else.  Why you gotta make everything complicated Nintendo... 

If you want to use a USB thumbdrive for storage then you don't need a y-cable because it doesn't have moving parts so it doesn't need the extra power.  

The y-cable is only for portable USB drives that have a spinning drive in them (and don't receive power from a wall plug-in).

USB thumbdrives are not recommended by Nintendo though because of limited number of writes of some flash drives.

If you do end up wanting a USB thumbdrive then choose one from a well known brand that has a 5 year warranty because some generic ones are not reliable.