How do I format or partition a read-only USB drive?












7














Whenever I try formatting my Sandisk Cruzer Glide 16GB, I get this error message on Gparted.



GParted 0.11.0 --enable-libparted-dmraid

Libparted 2.3

Create Primary Partition #1 (ntfs, 14.42 GiB) on /dev/sdc 00:00:00 ( ERROR )

create empty partition 00:00:00 ( ERROR )
libparted messages ( INFO )

Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Can't write to /dev/sdc, because it is opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.

========================================


How do I disable / delete the read only filesystem? Is my USB corrupted?










share|improve this question
















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  • What file system do you want to format the drive to?
    – njallam
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:10










  • Is /dev/sdc being used by the system in anyway? such as mounting a partition in it during boot with ro option. Can you provide the output of the command sudo umount -a?
    – Anwar
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:37






  • 1




    Maybe a stupid question -- but did you run gparted as root (via sudo) -- or using a non-privileged account? In the latter case, try the former -- as it requires root privileges to access the devices at that level ;)
    – Izzy
    Sep 1 '12 at 16:36










  • I having this problem too. can't format a USB stick of fat32 bacause it's read-only.
    – yinon
    Dec 2 '12 at 18:03










  • Check the stick --- sometime they have a physical read-only switch on them. Check if you are superuser and if the stick is unmounted. If all this checks fails, try reporting the lines that appears in /var/log/syslog when you plug the stick in. If all else fails, I will suggest to try to zero the device with dd --- but it's a last option kind of thing. (And yes, it can be that it's physically damaged. It happens.)
    – Rmano
    Nov 9 '15 at 9:14


















7














Whenever I try formatting my Sandisk Cruzer Glide 16GB, I get this error message on Gparted.



GParted 0.11.0 --enable-libparted-dmraid

Libparted 2.3

Create Primary Partition #1 (ntfs, 14.42 GiB) on /dev/sdc 00:00:00 ( ERROR )

create empty partition 00:00:00 ( ERROR )
libparted messages ( INFO )

Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Can't write to /dev/sdc, because it is opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.

========================================


How do I disable / delete the read only filesystem? Is my USB corrupted?










share|improve this question
















bumped to the homepage by Community 2 days ago


This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.















  • What file system do you want to format the drive to?
    – njallam
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:10










  • Is /dev/sdc being used by the system in anyway? such as mounting a partition in it during boot with ro option. Can you provide the output of the command sudo umount -a?
    – Anwar
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:37






  • 1




    Maybe a stupid question -- but did you run gparted as root (via sudo) -- or using a non-privileged account? In the latter case, try the former -- as it requires root privileges to access the devices at that level ;)
    – Izzy
    Sep 1 '12 at 16:36










  • I having this problem too. can't format a USB stick of fat32 bacause it's read-only.
    – yinon
    Dec 2 '12 at 18:03










  • Check the stick --- sometime they have a physical read-only switch on them. Check if you are superuser and if the stick is unmounted. If all this checks fails, try reporting the lines that appears in /var/log/syslog when you plug the stick in. If all else fails, I will suggest to try to zero the device with dd --- but it's a last option kind of thing. (And yes, it can be that it's physically damaged. It happens.)
    – Rmano
    Nov 9 '15 at 9:14
















7












7








7


2





Whenever I try formatting my Sandisk Cruzer Glide 16GB, I get this error message on Gparted.



GParted 0.11.0 --enable-libparted-dmraid

Libparted 2.3

Create Primary Partition #1 (ntfs, 14.42 GiB) on /dev/sdc 00:00:00 ( ERROR )

create empty partition 00:00:00 ( ERROR )
libparted messages ( INFO )

Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Can't write to /dev/sdc, because it is opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.

========================================


How do I disable / delete the read only filesystem? Is my USB corrupted?










share|improve this question















Whenever I try formatting my Sandisk Cruzer Glide 16GB, I get this error message on Gparted.



GParted 0.11.0 --enable-libparted-dmraid

Libparted 2.3

Create Primary Partition #1 (ntfs, 14.42 GiB) on /dev/sdc 00:00:00 ( ERROR )

create empty partition 00:00:00 ( ERROR )
libparted messages ( INFO )

Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.
Can't write to /dev/sdc, because it is opened read-only.
Unable to open /dev/sdc read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sdc has been opened read-only.

========================================


How do I disable / delete the read only filesystem? Is my USB corrupted?







usb gparted format read-only






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Sep 1 '12 at 5:41









jokerdino

32.5k21118186




32.5k21118186










asked Sep 1 '12 at 4:36









Johnny Boy

36113




36113





bumped to the homepage by Community 2 days ago


This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.







bumped to the homepage by Community 2 days ago


This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.














  • What file system do you want to format the drive to?
    – njallam
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:10










  • Is /dev/sdc being used by the system in anyway? such as mounting a partition in it during boot with ro option. Can you provide the output of the command sudo umount -a?
    – Anwar
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:37






  • 1




    Maybe a stupid question -- but did you run gparted as root (via sudo) -- or using a non-privileged account? In the latter case, try the former -- as it requires root privileges to access the devices at that level ;)
    – Izzy
    Sep 1 '12 at 16:36










  • I having this problem too. can't format a USB stick of fat32 bacause it's read-only.
    – yinon
    Dec 2 '12 at 18:03










  • Check the stick --- sometime they have a physical read-only switch on them. Check if you are superuser and if the stick is unmounted. If all this checks fails, try reporting the lines that appears in /var/log/syslog when you plug the stick in. If all else fails, I will suggest to try to zero the device with dd --- but it's a last option kind of thing. (And yes, it can be that it's physically damaged. It happens.)
    – Rmano
    Nov 9 '15 at 9:14




















  • What file system do you want to format the drive to?
    – njallam
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:10










  • Is /dev/sdc being used by the system in anyway? such as mounting a partition in it during boot with ro option. Can you provide the output of the command sudo umount -a?
    – Anwar
    Sep 1 '12 at 6:37






  • 1




    Maybe a stupid question -- but did you run gparted as root (via sudo) -- or using a non-privileged account? In the latter case, try the former -- as it requires root privileges to access the devices at that level ;)
    – Izzy
    Sep 1 '12 at 16:36










  • I having this problem too. can't format a USB stick of fat32 bacause it's read-only.
    – yinon
    Dec 2 '12 at 18:03










  • Check the stick --- sometime they have a physical read-only switch on them. Check if you are superuser and if the stick is unmounted. If all this checks fails, try reporting the lines that appears in /var/log/syslog when you plug the stick in. If all else fails, I will suggest to try to zero the device with dd --- but it's a last option kind of thing. (And yes, it can be that it's physically damaged. It happens.)
    – Rmano
    Nov 9 '15 at 9:14


















What file system do you want to format the drive to?
– njallam
Sep 1 '12 at 6:10




What file system do you want to format the drive to?
– njallam
Sep 1 '12 at 6:10












Is /dev/sdc being used by the system in anyway? such as mounting a partition in it during boot with ro option. Can you provide the output of the command sudo umount -a?
– Anwar
Sep 1 '12 at 6:37




Is /dev/sdc being used by the system in anyway? such as mounting a partition in it during boot with ro option. Can you provide the output of the command sudo umount -a?
– Anwar
Sep 1 '12 at 6:37




1




1




Maybe a stupid question -- but did you run gparted as root (via sudo) -- or using a non-privileged account? In the latter case, try the former -- as it requires root privileges to access the devices at that level ;)
– Izzy
Sep 1 '12 at 16:36




Maybe a stupid question -- but did you run gparted as root (via sudo) -- or using a non-privileged account? In the latter case, try the former -- as it requires root privileges to access the devices at that level ;)
– Izzy
Sep 1 '12 at 16:36












I having this problem too. can't format a USB stick of fat32 bacause it's read-only.
– yinon
Dec 2 '12 at 18:03




I having this problem too. can't format a USB stick of fat32 bacause it's read-only.
– yinon
Dec 2 '12 at 18:03












Check the stick --- sometime they have a physical read-only switch on them. Check if you are superuser and if the stick is unmounted. If all this checks fails, try reporting the lines that appears in /var/log/syslog when you plug the stick in. If all else fails, I will suggest to try to zero the device with dd --- but it's a last option kind of thing. (And yes, it can be that it's physically damaged. It happens.)
– Rmano
Nov 9 '15 at 9:14






Check the stick --- sometime they have a physical read-only switch on them. Check if you are superuser and if the stick is unmounted. If all this checks fails, try reporting the lines that appears in /var/log/syslog when you plug the stick in. If all else fails, I will suggest to try to zero the device with dd --- but it's a last option kind of thing. (And yes, it can be that it's physically damaged. It happens.)
– Rmano
Nov 9 '15 at 9:14












1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















0














I had the same problem. The issue at my case was that it was formatted as Ubuntu live CD. And instead of listing the mounpoint of the USB itself in /etc/mtab, the Live-Folder within the USB was listed. Therefore, it was impossible to unmount the USB-drive itself. My solution was to remove the mountpoint of the USB with the command



$ sudo rm -rf /media/<name of drive>


This had the same effect as unmounting the USB and I was able to use gparted for further steps (formatting etc.)






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    1 Answer
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    I had the same problem. The issue at my case was that it was formatted as Ubuntu live CD. And instead of listing the mounpoint of the USB itself in /etc/mtab, the Live-Folder within the USB was listed. Therefore, it was impossible to unmount the USB-drive itself. My solution was to remove the mountpoint of the USB with the command



    $ sudo rm -rf /media/<name of drive>


    This had the same effect as unmounting the USB and I was able to use gparted for further steps (formatting etc.)






    share|improve this answer




























      0














      I had the same problem. The issue at my case was that it was formatted as Ubuntu live CD. And instead of listing the mounpoint of the USB itself in /etc/mtab, the Live-Folder within the USB was listed. Therefore, it was impossible to unmount the USB-drive itself. My solution was to remove the mountpoint of the USB with the command



      $ sudo rm -rf /media/<name of drive>


      This had the same effect as unmounting the USB and I was able to use gparted for further steps (formatting etc.)






      share|improve this answer


























        0












        0








        0






        I had the same problem. The issue at my case was that it was formatted as Ubuntu live CD. And instead of listing the mounpoint of the USB itself in /etc/mtab, the Live-Folder within the USB was listed. Therefore, it was impossible to unmount the USB-drive itself. My solution was to remove the mountpoint of the USB with the command



        $ sudo rm -rf /media/<name of drive>


        This had the same effect as unmounting the USB and I was able to use gparted for further steps (formatting etc.)






        share|improve this answer














        I had the same problem. The issue at my case was that it was formatted as Ubuntu live CD. And instead of listing the mounpoint of the USB itself in /etc/mtab, the Live-Folder within the USB was listed. Therefore, it was impossible to unmount the USB-drive itself. My solution was to remove the mountpoint of the USB with the command



        $ sudo rm -rf /media/<name of drive>


        This had the same effect as unmounting the USB and I was able to use gparted for further steps (formatting etc.)







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Feb 9 '15 at 20:39







        user364819

















        answered Feb 9 '15 at 19:58









        Martin Heimsoth

        1




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