How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu? [SOLVED]
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu? [SOLVED]
Hello,
I placed an Xubuntu distro on a flash drive to try out.
I now want to clean the drive off and reset to the original Fat32 partition.
Apparently, Xubuntu created two partitions on the drive.
Gparted cleared one partition but not the partition that has Xubuntu files.
Gparted gives a 'libparted' error.
The drive is a Sandisk Cruzer 4GB.
The Xubuntu iso was installed by YAPI.
My working distro is Dpup Stretch run from a flash drive sda1.
How do I clean this drive back to original configuration?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
Sky
I placed an Xubuntu distro on a flash drive to try out.
I now want to clean the drive off and reset to the original Fat32 partition.
Apparently, Xubuntu created two partitions on the drive.
Gparted cleared one partition but not the partition that has Xubuntu files.
Gparted gives a 'libparted' error.
The drive is a Sandisk Cruzer 4GB.
The Xubuntu iso was installed by YAPI.
My working distro is Dpup Stretch run from a flash drive sda1.
How do I clean this drive back to original configuration?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
Sky
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Last edited by Sky Aisling on Fri 15 May 2020, 01:25, edited 1 time in total.
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
pcplague2 writes:
Sky
Thank you, pcplague2, however that doesn't work.You have to unmount before or do it on other pc
Sky
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- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun 01 Mar 2020, 16:17
Probably removing/deleting all files from sdb4 will help?
After this delete all partitions and create new ones will do the job?
After this delete all partitions and create new ones will do the job?
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- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
O.F.I.N.S.I.S. writes:
Thanks O.F.I.N.S.I.S., all the files shown are 'Read Only' restricted files, no deleting.Probably removing/deleting all files from sdb4 will help?
After this delete all partitions and create new ones will do the job?
Sky
Found this
Backup all your data from that drive, we will overwrite it.
Find the device using blkid
It will be like /dev/sdd.
Now run:
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdd bs=4M count=10
This will overwrite the partition table and the first 40MB. After doing this, just create the partitioning the way you want it.
Backup all your data from that drive, we will overwrite it.
Find the device using blkid
It will be like /dev/sdd.
Now run:
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdd bs=4M count=10
This will overwrite the partition table and the first 40MB. After doing this, just create the partitioning the way you want it.
Paulo Pestana <- All the way from Portugal 8)
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- Joined: Sun 01 Mar 2020, 16:17
If the none of the above solutions won't work, try to format it using Windows - if somehow possible.
Windows will see ext formatted flash drives as not formatted.
Don't use quick format then.
Windows will see ext formatted flash drives as not formatted.
Don't use quick format then.
Our Future Is Not Set In Stone
[url]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfyaxCNMduwyXlQFRQKhhQ[/url]
[url]https://soundcloud.com/user-633698367[/url]
[b]My own build of Bionic64[/b]
[url]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfyaxCNMduwyXlQFRQKhhQ[/url]
[url]https://soundcloud.com/user-633698367[/url]
[b]My own build of Bionic64[/b]
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
Terry H writes:
Gparted won't let new partitioning happen in this case.
Terry, my apologies...I was looking at 'Partition' drop down not 'Device' drop down. Looking at 'Device' drop down would have helped solve the issue.
Thanks, Terry HHave you tried creating a new partition table? GParted > Device > Create new partition table. This should erase all data on the drive.
Gparted won't let new partitioning happen in this case.
Terry, my apologies...I was looking at 'Partition' drop down not 'Device' drop down. Looking at 'Device' drop down would have helped solve the issue.
Last edited by Sky Aisling on Sat 16 May 2020, 17:56, edited 1 time in total.
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
Hi, pcplague2, O.F.I.N.S.I.S., Terry H
Thank you all for your suggestions.
Actually, I think there is a better place to post this question.
I created the Xubuntu flash stick here:
How to use Puppy to install a non-puppy .iso to flash drive?
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 1768062989
I'm going to see if I can contact Flash and switch this thread as a post to http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 1768062989 so that some more of the background can be seen.
Sky
Thank you all for your suggestions.
Actually, I think there is a better place to post this question.
I created the Xubuntu flash stick here:
How to use Puppy to install a non-puppy .iso to flash drive?
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 1768062989
I'm going to see if I can contact Flash and switch this thread as a post to http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 1768062989 so that some more of the background can be seen.
Sky
I run into this problem all the time. Somehow when writing an iso to a USB decides to make more than one partition so as to include a boot directory for EUFI boot it creates problems with flash drives. I have no trouble with "legacy boot only" isos but now, with EUFI can expect less than 10 uses before my thumb drives are toast (smoked,nuked beyond repair).
My best results have been with using Windows to format them however even that has it's limitations.
Buy lots of them and buy em for as cheap as you possibly can because you are going to need a bushel of them
My best results have been with using Windows to format them however even that has it's limitations.
Buy lots of them and buy em for as cheap as you possibly can because you are going to need a bushel of them
--
Cheers
Gordie
Slackware64-Current, Thinkpad W510, Intel i7, 8G/500G, Lilo / Legacy.
Fatdog64 + 6 Puppies on USB flash drives.
Windows 10 / Slackware64-Current, HP desktop, Intel Core2 Duo, 4G/500G/250G, Lilo / Legacy.
Cheers
Gordie
Slackware64-Current, Thinkpad W510, Intel i7, 8G/500G, Lilo / Legacy.
Fatdog64 + 6 Puppies on USB flash drives.
Windows 10 / Slackware64-Current, HP desktop, Intel Core2 Duo, 4G/500G/250G, Lilo / Legacy.
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
Semme writes:
Sky
Thanks Semme. That looks like the answer. I remember having this same issue years ago when UEFI firmware came into play.
Sky
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
Question:
Unetbootin works to install an iso on a flash drive.
Can it also be used to reformat a drive?
https://unetbootin.github.io/#distros
Thank you,
Sky
Unetbootin works to install an iso on a flash drive.
Can it also be used to reformat a drive?
https://unetbootin.github.io/#distros
Thank you,
Sky
- perdido
- Posts: 1528
- Joined: Mon 09 Dec 2013, 16:29
- Location: ¿Altair IV , Just north of Eeyore Junction.?
Hello Sky,
If you are still running into that obstacle you may wish to try the following.
Forum member saintless described a way to wipe a flash drive in the following post.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 026#849026
Here is the info from that post that applies.(its a long post)
Make sure you have the drive identified as this will wipe the drive.
The top line is the command you type, then hit enter. dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=1k count=2048
Change sdb (in red) to your drive ID (sdb, sdc, sdd, etc.)
It should return similar info as saintless' example after running.
Have fun!
Edit:
I just noticed that forum member pcplague2 already suggested this method.
.
If you are still running into that obstacle you may wish to try the following.
Forum member saintless described a way to wipe a flash drive in the following post.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 026#849026
Here is the info from that post that applies.(its a long post)
Make sure you have the drive identified as this will wipe the drive.
The top line is the command you type, then hit enter. dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=1k count=2048
Change sdb (in red) to your drive ID (sdb, sdc, sdd, etc.)
It should return similar info as saintless' example after running.
I have used this numerous times, make sure you aim at the correct drive if you use it because it wipes the drive.Plugin the flash drive and wipe it: In my example it is /dev/sdb. Be careful to type the correct drive if it is different for you.Code: Select all
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=1k count=2048 2048+0 records in 2048+0 records out 2097152 bytes (2.1 MB) copied, 5.07566 s, 413 kB/s
Have fun!
Edit:
I just noticed that forum member pcplague2 already suggested this method.
.
- Sky Aisling
- Posts: 1368
- Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
- Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA
How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
pcplague2, perdido
I think I fried the flash drive.
Sky
PS -That's ok. Worst things could happen. lol
I think I fried the flash drive.
Sky
PS -That's ok. Worst things could happen. lol
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- No Partition Table Found.png
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- Unrecognized Disk Label.png
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- perdido
- Posts: 1528
- Joined: Mon 09 Dec 2013, 16:29
- Location: ¿Altair IV , Just north of Eeyore Junction.?
Re: How to clear a flash drive of Xubuntu?
Hi Sky,Sky Aisling wrote:pcplague2, perdido
I think I fried the flash drive.
Sky
PS -That's ok. Worst things could happen. lol
Don't throw it away yet!
Screen caps look normal, now proceed to the following.
Try making an msdos partition table using gparted
Device-->Create Partition Table (msdos should be default choice in window)
Then format the drive, voila! (I hope)
.
Any drive has to have two things.
First, a partition table.
Second, at least one partition, formatted in some format.
Whatever you did, probably deleted the partition table.
With no partition table, there cannot be any partitions.
First make a partition table.
Than make a partition(s) and format the partition(s).
First, a partition table.
Second, at least one partition, formatted in some format.
Whatever you did, probably deleted the partition table.
With no partition table, there cannot be any partitions.
First make a partition table.
Than make a partition(s) and format the partition(s).
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected
YaPI(any iso installer)
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected
YaPI(any iso installer)