[xubuntu-users] Inquiry

[Spackman, Chris]

On 2020/01/08 at 03:47am, John wrote:

> I can't find the format option when I right click the USB drive.
> 
> Eventually,I can't format the drive.
> I also can't rename the USB drive.

Disclaimer: I'm not in front of my Xubuntu box right now, so I'm going
from memory.

I would suggest installing GParted and using that. There might be a more
new-user friendly method, though, so if you install and open GParted and
get intimidated, maybe wait for a better answer. Please be careful -
used carelessly, gparted can reformat your main drive, which would
probably ruin your day.

That said, GParted is pretty easy to use. Select the usb drive from the
drop down menu at the top right. Right click on the area showing the
drive space / partitions. Choose "format to" and then the file system
type that you want. Usual choices are vfat (fat32 I think it is called?)
if you plan to use the usb drive on other, non-Linux, computers (such as
MS Windows or Apple Macs). If it is just for use on Linux, ext3 or ext4
are good choices.

To give the usb stick a name, use the "Label" or "Name" fields when you
format it (I honestly forget which one it is - Label, I think, but not
sure.)

For most straight-forward stuff like reformatting, GParted doesn't do
anything until you tell it to. So, for example, if you have selected
"Format to => fat32" and added a label, it won't actually do anything
until you go to "Edit => Apply All Actions". Then, it will do it. Until
you do that, you can cancel / undo and redo all you like until you get
everything like you want. After you click "Apply All Actions", you
cannot undo.

But, like I said, please be careful. Double and triple check that you
have chosen the correct drive before you apply any changes. Read any
messages that GParted gives you very carefully and don't click anything
if you don't understand what it is telling you.

-- 
Chris Spackman                                      chris at osugisakae.com

ESL Coordinator 		            The Graham Family of Schools
ESL Instructor                          Columbus State Community College
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program           Wajima, Ishikawa 1995-1998
Linux user since 1998				      Linux User #137532