From 787249ee53a9f0fa104abadd3a8a4e033afde5de Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: 00xNetrunner Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2023 01:19:43 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] reformat USB Cheatsheet --- Reformat_USB.md | 133 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 133 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Reformat_USB.md diff --git a/Reformat_USB.md b/Reformat_USB.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c914254 --- /dev/null +++ b/Reformat_USB.md @@ -0,0 +1,133 @@ +# Guide for Reformatting USB Drives + +This guide provides instructions for reformatting USB drives on Linux and Windows platforms. + +## Table of Contents +- [Linux](#linux) + - [Identify the USB Drive](#identify-the-usb-drive) + - [Unmount the USB Drive](#unmount-the-usb-drive) + - [Format the USB Drive](#format-the-usb-drive) + - [Create a File System](#create-a-file-system) + - [Mount the USB Drive](#mount-the-usb-drive) +- [Windows diskpart](#windows-diskpart) + +## Linux + +### Identify the USB Drive + +First, you need to identify the drive you want to reformat. You can list all the storage devices in your computer with the following command: + +\`\`\`bash +lsblk +\`\`\` + +This will give you a list of devices along with their mount points. Your USB drive will usually be something like `/dev/sdb` or `/dev/sdc`. + +### Unmount the USB Drive + +Before reformatting, you should unmount the drive. This can be done with the following command: + +\`\`\`bash +sudo umount /dev/sdX +\`\`\` + +### Format the USB Drive + +Now you can start the process of reformatting. You can use `fdisk` to manage the partitions on your USB drive. Use the following command to start `fdisk` for your drive: + +\`\`\`bash +sudo fdisk /dev/sdX +\`\`\` + +Once you're in the `fdisk` utility, you can use the following commands: + +- `p` - Display the partition table to confirm you're working with the correct drive. +- `d` - Delete a partition. If there are multiple partitions, it will ask you which one you want to delete. Repeat this step until all partitions are deleted. +- `n` - Create a new partition. Follow the prompts to accept the defaults. +- `t` - Change the partition type. If asked for a code, use `b` for FAT32 or `83` for Linux. +- `w` - Write changes and exit. + +### Create a File System + +Now that you have a new partition, you can format it with a file system. If you want a FAT32 file system, you can use the following command: + +\`\`\`bash +sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdX1 +\`\`\` + +Or if you want an ext4 file system, use this command instead: + +\`\`\`bash +sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1 +\`\`\` + +### Mount the USB Drive + +Now you can mount the drive again: + +\`\`\`bash +sudo mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt +\`\`\` + +Now your USB drive is reformatted and ready to use! + +> **IMPORTANT:** Be very careful when using these commands, as choosing the wrong drive can result in data loss. Always double-check the drive name (`/dev/sdX`) before running these commands. + +## Windows diskpart + +1. Open Windows PowerShell as an administrator. + + \`\`\`powershell + diskpart + \`\`\` + +2. List all the connected storage devices. + + \`\`\`powershell + list disk + \`\`\` + +3. Identify your USB drive by its size and replace X with its disk number. + + \`\`\`powershell + select disk X + \`\`\` + +4. Delete all data and partitions on the drive. + + \`\`\`powershell + clean + \`\`\` + +5. Create a new primary partition. + + \`\`\`powershell + create partition primary + \`\`\` + +6. Select the newly created partition. + + \`\`\`powershell + select partition 1 + \`\`\` + +7. Format the partition to FAT32 or NTFS (replace "fs=fat32" with "fs=ntfs" if you want NTFS file system). + + \`\`\`powershell + format fs=fat32 quick + \`\`\` + +8. Assign a drive letter to the partition (replace "Y" with your desired drive letter). + + \`\`\`powershell + assign letter=Y + \`\`\` + +9. Exit DiskPart. + + \`\`\`powershell + exit + \`\`\` + +> This guide will completely erase all the data on your USB drive and prepare it for fresh use. Be sure to replace X with your disk number and Y with the desired letter for your drive. +