[Searchernow]

I have used USBs for a few linux installs - I failed previously to re-format these, ie to empty them and revert to FAT format. Re-formats usually "succeeded" but only showed a tiny free space, ie didn't effect the live ISO. It's a while ago but I think I tried the formatting on both LL and Win7.

I want to try the 4.0 upgrade, I'm reluctant to use my last clean (32GB!! ) usb. Any suggestions please?

[DeepThought]

Open gparted and select the usb drive you wish to format.
Click on Device in the top menubar and choose to create partition table, make sure msdos is chosen and click ok. This will wipe the drive clean.
Once done choose the drive again, click new and Fat32 format, click ok, then apply.
Hopefully that will work.

[TMG1961]

Restoring your USB key to its original state using Linux:

A. First we need to delete the old partitions that remain on the USB key.

Open a terminal and type sudo su
Type fdisk -l and note your USB drive letter.
Type fdisk /dev/sdx (replacing x with your drive letter)
Type d to proceed to delete a partition
Type 1 to select the 1st partition and press enter
Type d to proceed to delete another partition (fdisk should automatically select the second partition)
B. Next we need to create the new partition.

Type n to make a new partition
Type p to make this partition primary and press enter
Type 1 to make this the first partition and then press enter
Press enter to accept the default first cylinder
Press enter again to accept the default last cylinder
Type w to write the new partition information to the USB key
Type umount /dev/sdx1 (replacing x with your drive letter)
C. The last step is to create the fat filesystem.

Type mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/sdx1 (replacing x with your USB key drive letter)
That's it, you should now have a restored USB key with a single fat 32 partition that can be read from any computer

[kpanic]

I have used USBs for a few linux installs - I failed previously to re-format these, ie to empty them and revert to FAT format. Re-formats usually "succeeded" but only showed a tiny free space, ie didn't effect the live ISO. It's a while ago but I think I tried the formatting on both LL and Win7.

I want to try the 4.0 upgrade, I'm reluctant to use my last clean (32GB!! ) usb. Any suggestions please?

Hi,

You don't need to be worried about formatting the USB, since you can always reformat it after using it
for Linux installation. And, the USB does not need to be formatted at all when you write the LL iso image into it.

I assume you are using Windows. If so, just "burn" the LL iso image to the USB and that's it.
(If you use Linux, and let's say your USB drive seems to be /dev/sdc, then just 'sudo cat imagefile > /dev/sdc' )

[Searchernow]

Thanks to all for the replies.

I did try gparted on a few USBs and an SD, but none appeared in the list.

I tried TMG's method and that did see the usb and SD which I tried. I got as far as "type 1 to select....." but the response was "could not delete partition". 
I'm not sure if what I tried previously using some utility or other on Windows hasn't scrambled things a bit.

KPanic - what does the command 'sudo cat imagefile > /dev/sdc' do?

[Moltke]

Thanks to all for the replies.

I did try gparted on a few USBs and an SD, but none appeared in the list.

I tried TMG's method and that did see the usb and SD which I tried. I got as far as "type 1 to select....." but the response was "could not delete partition". 
I'm not sure if what I tried previously using some utility or other on Windows hasn't scrambled things a bit.

KPanic - what does the command 'sudo cat imagefile > /dev/sdc' do?

Did/do you use this USB stick in Windows too? I mean, have you recently plugged it in into a Windows pc? It might be infected with some virus. A friend of mine recently asked me to see if I could fix her USB flash drive cause she couldn't access it, she uses windows and she told me it is infected and by extension the flash drive, so I took the drive home and tried to format it using different methods; gparted, dd, shred, testdisk and a few others I can't remember now, none of them worked; the drived ejected itself every time. After a week trying to fix it I gave her back and told her that I was unable to do it, I did rescue the data but the drive was unusable itself. I don't know if this is your case but it might be a good idea to confirm whether it is the case or not.

Hope this helps!

[Searchernow]

Thanks Moltke,

I'll take a look at that possibility.

The situation I'm dealing with - specifically trying to remove linux live osi, has anyone dealt with that and suceeded, as distinct from just a normal re-format?

[Moltke]

Thanks Moltke,

I'll take a look at that possibility.

The situation I'm dealing with - specifically trying to remove linux live osi, has anyone dealt with that and suceeded, as distinct from just a normal re-format?

Well, if you have access to a Windows pc, you could try rufus and see it that helps. https://rufus.ie/en_IE.html

[richtea]

I did try gparted on a few USBs and an SD, but none appeared in the list.

Hard to believe; try again, double-checking the File Manager. It will display DEVICES, and the inserted thumb drive should show up there. If it does, GParted will have it, too.


Just to make sure: There is a hierarchy in GParted, and the required drive needs to be selected manually (drop-down menu, top right).

[TMG1961]

Thanks Moltke,

I'll take a look at that possibility.

The situation I'm dealing with - specifically trying to remove linux live osi, has anyone dealt with that and suceeded, as distinct from just a normal re-format?

I have had several usb sticks on which i installed LL live and afterworths ref-formatted the drive. Always without any problems. Just formatted them using partition drives in LL