formatting protected USB memory sticks

[Nils Kassube]

Karl Larsen wrote:
> Colin Rowat wrote:
> >> 1. Find the name of your memory:
> >
> > No problem: /dev/scd1 (/media/Autorun) and /dev/sdb1
> > (/media/DISK_IMG). The former contains the preloaded material that I
> > wish to wipe out; it shows as 100% full.

Unless there is a typo, the first partition is named /dev/scd1. That would 
mean it is actually recognized as a CDROM and is probably not writeable. 
Then you can't reuse the space because the device actually behaves like 
two devices - one CDROM and one writeable disk. You can find out if that 
is really the case. Unplug the device and open a terminal. Enter the 
command

tail -f /var/log/messages

Now have a look at what is displayed after you plug the device in again. 
If there is something like this

 sr1: scsi3-mmc drive: 52x/52x cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
 sr 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 5

it really behaves like a CDROM (I left away the first part of the lines 
for readability).

>     Do NOT use sudo fdisk /dev/scd1! This is wrong. Use sudo fdisk
> /dev/scd.

Good catch - but probably you didn't know about the detail that scd makes 
it a CDROM.


Nils