[SOLVED] Need to format USB flash drive under OpenBSD

hifi100 · 09-24-2018, 02:52 AM

Need to format USB flash drive under OpenBSD.

1) Which filesystem should I use ?

2) What is the command to format an USB flash drive ?

Presently its formatted to Ext4 and mounts only read only.

This is how I am mounting it

Code:

mount -r /dev/sd1i /mnt

Please reply.

fatmac · 09-24-2018, 06:30 AM

Use a disk formatted to ext2 if you want to use it with both Linux & OpenBSD.

(Or else use fat/vfat.)

If you only intend using it under OpenBSD, you can format it under the system to use its own file system.

https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq14.html

Or use one of these.
https://man.openbsd.org/?query=mount_&sec=8&apropos=1

fatmac · 09-24-2018, 06:39 AM

From my own personal notebook :-

fdisk (-e) creates MBR slices/partitions
disklabel (-e) creates BSD partitions

fdisk -e sd0 (a6)
disklabel -e sd0 (unused)
newfs /dev/rsd0c

These are just notes to myself, as a reminder, but may be useful to you.

hifi100 · 09-24-2018, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatmac

Use a disk formatted to ext2 if you want to use it with both Linux & OpenBSD.

(Or else use fat/vfat.)

If you only intend using it under OpenBSD, you can format it under the system to use its own file system.

https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq14.html

Or use one of these.
https://man.openbsd.org/?query=mount_&sec=8&apropos=1

Code:

# newfs /dev/sd1i                                                                                    
newfs_ext2fs: /dev/sd1i: block device

What did do wrong ?

hifi100 · 09-24-2018, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatmac

From my own personal notebook :-

fdisk (-e) creates MBR slices/partitions
disklabel (-e) creates BSD partitions

fdisk -e sd0 (a6)
disklabel -e sd0 (unused)
newfs /dev/rsd0c

These are just notes to myself, as a reminder, but may be useful to you.

Code:

# fdisk -e sd1   
Enter 'help' for information
fdisk: 1> disklabel -e sd1
Invalid command 'disklabel'.  Try 'help'.

Please help me step by step.

Turbocapitalist · 09-24-2018, 08:04 AM

Try 'help'

You need to add a new partition of the type 'ext2fs'

Check section 14 of the FAQ again. Then reread the manual page for disklabel(8) and newfs(8)

Code:

disklabel -E sd2c

# echo -n 'a i\n\n\next2fs\nw\nq\n' | disklabel -E sd2c

newfs -t ext2fs sd2i

That is for sd2, substitute the relevant device.

hifi100 · 09-24-2018, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbocapitalist

Try 'help'

You need to add a new partition of the type 'ext2fs'

Check section 14 of the FAQ again. Then reread the manual page for disklabel(8) and newfs(8)

Code:

disklabel -E sd2c

# echo -n 'a i\n\n\next2fs\nw\nq\n' | disklabel -E sd2c

newfs -t ext2fs sd2i

That is for sd2, substitute the relevant device.

All I did was

Code:

newfs -t ext2fs sd2i

and it worked but now I when I navigate to /mnt using thunar I cant write any files to the partition.

Code:

# mount
/dev/sd0a on / type ffs (local)
/dev/sd0k on /home type ffs (local, nodev, nosuid)
/dev/sd0d on /tmp type ffs (local, nodev, nosuid)
/dev/sd0f on /usr type ffs (local, nodev)
/dev/sd0g on /usr/X11R6 type ffs (local, nodev)
/dev/sd0h on /usr/local type ffs (local, nodev, wxallowed)
/dev/sd0j on /usr/obj type ffs (local, nodev, nosuid)
/dev/sd0i on /usr/src type ffs (local, nodev, nosuid)
/dev/sd0e on /var type ffs (local, nodev, nosuid)
/dev/sd1i on /mnt type ext2fs (local)

Turbocapitalist · 09-24-2018, 08:40 AM

Who is the current owner of the mounted partition? Check that and change it if needed if you want the whole partition.

hifi100 · 09-24-2018, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbocapitalist

Who is the current owner of the mounted partition? Check that and change it if needed if you want the whole partition.

I did

Code:

# chown myusername:users /mnt/pen/

and now its working. Thanks a lot.

hifi100 · 10-09-2018, 09:18 AM

I want to format another USB flash drive.

This time I want FAT32.

Please give me the command.

hifi100 · 10-09-2018, 10:02 AM

Solved. Done the formatting using a Puppy Linux live CD.

jggimi · 10-09-2018, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifi100

Please give me the command.

For next time: see the newfs_msdos(8) man page. To format partition sd2i as FAT32, use:

Code:

# newfs_msdos -F 32 sd2i

hifi100 · 10-09-2018, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jggimi

For next time: see the newfs_msdos(8) man page. To format partition sd2i as FAT32, use:

Code:

# newfs_msdos -F 32 sd2i

I did that. It finished but when trying to mount it failed with some "FFS" message. Sorry I don't remember the exact error. I rebooted but the error was still there.

jggimi · 10-09-2018, 12:00 PM

For next time: record your actions and your error messages. The more accurate you can be when describing a problem, the more likely someone will be able to provide you with either a solution or an explanation.

hifi100 · 10-09-2018, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jggimi

For next time: record your actions and your error messages. The more accurate you can be when describing a problem, the more likely someone will be able to provide you with either a solution or an explanation.

Okay/Thanks.