I have two computers and on both two removable drives I have are not recognized or mounted. They do not appear with an icon in "My Computer"... No name or size...

I bought a 16 GB USB drive that mounts... but my new 240 GB SSD with optional an USB connector is blank and so is an old 32 GB micro sd card that connects via an adapter.

If I install the SSD to the computer, can I install a Linus OS on it anyway? Such as Mint?

Or do I need to perform another function to use them?

Gparted only found the Base SSD not the 16 GB or the 32 Gb micro sd card. Disk formatter only found a 1 GB device, but don't have one such plugged in. This is in Mint 19 64 bit Mate, on a desktop.

Does your kernel see the drives? If you open a terminal and use
you will be able to see any kernel messages that contain the string "usb". The fact that gparted apparently can't see the drives suggests to me that there might be a basic fault in the connection.

If the kernel recognises the drives, then gparted should recognise them, but you can't actually mount anything until you have created some partitions.

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Thanks, I have an old computer with 8 built in USB 2.0 ports, and I added a 3.0 card. They all work, but the old 32 GB sd card and the new SSD don't seem to show up.

Currently for the terminal reading, I have three USB sticks in and the Western Digital 240 GB SSD plugged in.

user@user-HP-Compaq-8100-Elite-SFF-PC:~$ sudo dmesg|grep usb
[sudo] password for user:
[ 0.185449] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[ 0.185449] usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[ 0.185449] usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[ 1.148097] usb usb1: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0002
[ 1.148101] usb usb1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[ 1.148103] usb usb1: Product: EHCI Host Controller
[ 1.148106] usb usb1: Manufacturer: Linux 4.15.0-112-generic ehci_hcd
[ 1.148108] usb usb1: SerialNumber: 0000:00:1a.0
[ 1.168086] usb usb2: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0002
[ 1.168089] usb usb2: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[ 1.168092] usb usb2: Product: EHCI Host Controller
[ 1.168094] usb usb2: Manufacturer: Linux 4.15.0-112-generic ehci_hcd
[ 1.168097] usb usb2: SerialNumber: 0000:00:1d.0
[ 1.484097] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-pci
[ 1.504096] usb 2-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-pci
[ 1.640582] usb 1-1: New USB device found, idVendor=8087, idProduct=0020
[ 1.640586] usb 1-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
[ 1.660582] usb 2-1: New USB device found, idVendor=8087, idProduct=0020
[ 1.660587] usb 2-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
[ 1.928083] usb 1-1.1: new low-speed USB device number 3 using ehci-pci
[ 1.948093] usb 2-1.8: new full-speed USB device number 3 using ehci-pci
[ 2.044045] usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=04b4, idProduct=120f
[ 2.044047] usb 1-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=4, Product=3, SerialNumber=0
[ 2.044048] usb 1-1.1: Product: Salient UP V-Mouse
[ 2.044048] usb 1-1.1: Manufacturer: Salient Technology
[ 2.059887] usb 2-1.8: New USB device found, idVendor=0a5c, idProduct=21e8
[ 2.059890] usb 2-1.8: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 2.059893] usb 2-1.8: Product: BCM20702A0
[ 2.059895] usb 2-1.8: Manufacturer: Broadcom Corp
[ 2.059898] usb 2-1.8: SerialNumber: 5CF370801AEA
[ 2.124023] usb 1-1.5: new low-speed USB device number 4 using ehci-pci
[ 2.209825] usb usb3: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0002
[ 2.209826] usb usb3: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[ 2.209827] usb usb3: Product: xHCI Host Controller
[ 2.209828] usb usb3: Manufacturer: Linux 4.15.0-112-generic xhci-hcd
[ 2.209829] usb usb3: SerialNumber: 0000:18:00.0
[ 2.213160] usb usb4: We don't know the algorithms for LPM for this host, disabling LPM.
[ 2.213174] usb usb4: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0003
[ 2.213175] usb usb4: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[ 2.213176] usb usb4: Product: xHCI Host Controller
[ 2.213177] usb usb4: Manufacturer: Linux 4.15.0-112-generic xhci-hcd
[ 2.213178] usb usb4: SerialNumber: 0000:18:00.0
[ 2.238277] usb 1-1.5: New USB device found, idVendor=413c, idProduct=2003
[ 2.238279] usb 1-1.5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 2.238280] usb 1-1.5: Product: Dell USB Keyboard
[ 2.238281] usb 1-1.5: Manufacturer: Dell
[ 2.385816] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
[ 2.385817] usbhid: USB HID core driver
[ 2.418060] input: Salient Technology Salient UP V-Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.0/0003:04B4:120F.0001/input/input5
[ 2.418177] hid-generic 0003:04B4:120F.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Salient Technology Salient UP V-Mouse] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.1/input0
[ 2.418330] input: Dell Dell USB Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.5/1-1.5:1.0/0003:413C:2003.0002/input/input6
[ 2.476214] hid-generic 0003:413C:2003.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [Dell Dell USB Keyboard] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.5/input0
[ 2.548075] usb 3-3: new high-speed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[ 2.698351] usb 3-3: New USB device found, idVendor=23a9, idProduct=ef18
[ 2.698353] usb 3-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 2.698354] usb 3-3: Product: DISK
[ 2.698355] usb 3-3: Manufacturer: USB
[ 2.703096] usb-storage 3-3:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 2.703248] scsi host6: usb-storage 3-3:1.0
[ 2.703321] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[ 2.704830] usbcore: registered new interface driver uas
[ 8.095875] usbcore: registered new interface driver btusb
[ 6713.447311] usb 2-1.6: new high-speed USB device number 4 using ehci-pci
[ 6713.557301] usb 2-1.6: New USB device found, idVendor=0781, idProduct=5583
[ 6713.557305] usb 2-1.6: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 6713.557308] usb 2-1.6: Product: Ultra Fit
[ 6713.557310] usb 2-1.6: Manufacturer: SanDisk
[ 6713.557312] usb 2-1.6: SerialNumber: 4C530001310401117393
[ 6713.557864] usb-storage 2-1.6:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 6713.558143] scsi host7: usb-storage 2-1.6:1.0
[22460.804680] usb 1-1.1: USB disconnect, device number 3
[22461.067071] usb 1-1.1: new low-speed USB device number 5 using ehci-pci
[22461.191069] usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=04b4, idProduct=120f
[22461.191074] usb 1-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=4, Product=3, SerialNumber=0
[22461.191076] usb 1-1.1: Product: Salient UP V-Mouse
[22461.191079] usb 1-1.1: Manufacturer: Salient Technology
[22461.196561] input: Salient Technology Salient UP V-Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.0/0003:04B4:120F.0003/input/input12
[22461.196703] hid-generic 0003:04B4:120F.0003: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Salient Technology Salient UP V-Mouse] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.1/input0
[84471.506607] usb 2-1.6: USB disconnect, device number 4
[85394.902561] usb 2-1.8: USB disconnect, device number 3
[85501.751617] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 5 using ehci-pci
[85501.835606] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[85502.023629] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[85502.215618] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 6 using ehci-pci
[85502.295603] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[85502.483578] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[85502.591665] usb 2-1-port6: attempt power cycle
[86623.343354] usb usb3: root hub lost power or was reset
[86623.343359] usb usb4: root hub lost power or was reset
[86623.706226] usb 3-3: reset high-speed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[86624.513446] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 8 using ehci-pci
[86624.597450] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[86624.785429] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[86624.977408] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 9 using ehci-pci
[86625.061432] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[86625.257459] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[86625.365546] usb 2-1-port6: attempt power cycle
[86625.973424] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 10 using ehci-pci
[86626.389322] usb 2-1.6: device not accepting address 10, error -32
[86626.469376] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 11 using ehci-pci
[86626.885370] usb 2-1.6: device not accepting address 11, error -32
[86626.885614] usb 2-1-port6: unable to enumerate USB device
[96801.059281] usb 2-1.6: new low-speed USB device number 12 using ehci-pci
[96801.143261] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[96801.335281] usb 2-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[96802.207178] usb 2-1.7: new high-speed USB device number 14 using ehci-pci
[96802.316363] usb 2-1.7: New USB device found, idVendor=0781, idProduct=5583
[96802.316368] usb 2-1.7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[96802.316370] usb 2-1.7: Product: Ultra Fit
[96802.316372] usb 2-1.7: Manufacturer: SanDisk
[96802.316374] usb 2-1.7: SerialNumber: 4C530001310401117393
[96802.316790] usb-storage 2-1.7:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[96802.317175] scsi host7: usb-storage 2-1.7:1.0
[97448.973024] usb 2-1.8: new high-speed USB device number 16 using ehci-pci
[97449.162498] usb 2-1.8: New USB device found, idVendor=152d, idProduct=0578
[97449.162503] usb 2-1.8: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[97449.162506] usb 2-1.8: Product: USB to ATA/ATAPI Bridge
[97449.162508] usb 2-1.8: Manufacturer: JMicron
[97449.162510] usb 2-1.8: SerialNumber: 0123456789ABCDEF
user@user-HP-Compaq-8100-Elite-SFF-PC:~$

Can you please use [code][/code] tags for this kind of output in future? It makes it much easier to read. I think this is a usb connection problem. Here is where the disk is detected:
And then you get a lot of this sort of thing:
Maybe you have a bad usb cable there.

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Questioning the working order of the cable, I took it back to the showroom. They used windows, to "initialize" the SSD and give it a letter. The techy used a windows search for disk management, which found the drive and initialized it. Now it registers when plugged in.

How is this done in Linux?

I don't know what "initialise" means in Windows-speak, but my guess is that they wrote a GUID disklabel onto it. A hard drive comes from the shop with nothing on it at all (unlike a memory stick, which is nearly always formatted with vfat). Consequently, there will be nothing mountable there and no way of partitioning it, although the kernel should recognise the drive as a raw device.

Normally you would write the label with gparted. I have done that on ex-Windows hard drives that I have cleared completely, but you seem to have had a problem with gparted seeing the drive. Maybe with an external drive you have to give the drive device name to gparted explicitly.

I believe you can also write disk labels using fdisk but I don't know how that's done.

Can you try with just one USB device connected?
or use another USB connector?
May be the connector or the cables/internal connectors are damaged, or the port can't deliver the power needed to make it working properly.

my suggestion would first check if the machine even sees the device in a different manner.

What you originally posted shows the kernel recognized the device.

Before you can do anything else you need to know what device it is registered as and the way to do that is really simple.

Boot the PC then do an In the output of that you would look for something like
sda is the bare device. sda1, sda2, etc are the physical partitions on the device and if they have been formatted with a filesystem they can be mounted and accessed. The drive shown as sda is the first drive the machine sees and configures and usually (although not necessarily) is the boot drive for the system.

then plug in the usb drive and redo the "ls /dev" command
Now you should see a change with the added device as something like
you may not see anything more than "sdb" but if the techie initialized it for windows I do suspect you will see the "sdb1" as well. Yours may not be sdb, it could be sdc, sdd, or more depending on how many physical drives the system sees. Other USB devices get identified in the same way, so you have to look and see how the system actually identifies it.

If the added device appears there then you can use fdisk, gparted, etc to create partitions you desire, or just install it in the machine and then do an install to it.

Any device (SSD or HDD) that has never been used will have no partition table written to it and the only place you will be able to actually see the device is in the /dev directory. Once a partition table has been created and a partition formed with a filesystem on it you can mount it and use it as any other device.