formatting an already installed USB hard drive

g_jakes · 05-26-2005, 09:43 AM

Can someone tell me how to format an installed usb drive. I want to make maximum use of it. I can use it, but the OS (Suse 9.3) can not tell me how much space is available. So, I'd like to format it.
Thanks.

azucaro · 05-26-2005, 12:58 PM

From wiki:

Repartitioning the USB memory
Sometimes the stick is seperated in up to four partitions, and Linux can't read anything. To fix this you have to repartition the stick with fdisk. Make sure that there are no files left on the stick (if you used it before in Windows, Mac OS or anywhere else). Type:

# modprobe usb_storage
# fdisk /dev/sda

Delete all available partitions (d and partition number), create a new partition with n (I would suggest you use a single partition), press q to write everything and quit.

Create a filesystem on the stick:

# mkfs.vfat /dev/sda1

g_jakes · 05-27-2005, 06:25 PM

but I think I need a little more help, if you'd be so generous.
First, I'm installing a USB drive, not a stick (if that makes any difference). It's an 80 gig external drive.

Second, it's base URL is: file:////media/usbdisk

Third, its device node is: /dev/sda5

When I do what you told me to do, it tells me that the max size of my partition is 9962. Can I make it bigger than that?

Also, after deleting the partitions, if I choose "q" it'll quit WITHOUT saving the changes. How do I save the changes?

Thank you very much for your help.

azucaro · 05-27-2005, 07:31 PM

Did you get rid of all the partitions and replace them with only one? If you have one partition on there now, you can format for a filesystem:

log in as root

umount /dev/sda5

mke2fs -jc /dev/sda5

That should create a filesystem while checking the device for bad blocks.

rose_bud4201 · 05-27-2005, 09:38 PM

To save the changes after you've deleted/changed anything with fdisk, choose 'w' to Write the changes to disk. It will probably tell you to reboot, but if you've not changed a disk that's actively being used at the moment you can most likely ignore that.
Once you've saved the changes, press 'q' to Quit.

Edit: Incidentally, typing 'm' will bring up a small menu with all the fdisk commands and their descriptions. That might help for future dealings with fdisk