Score:4

Ubuntu

Want to format an Unknown Disk

dmathews

4/3/24, 4:01 PM

Have a disk attached to ubuntu linux computer. It is reported as unknown. I have been trying to format it. So far everything I have tried has failed. Is there any hope of formatting this disk?

Additional information posted as an answer:

First of all. From the GUI specs of the drive.

Model: ST3500418AS (CC44)
S/N: SVM3QFD7
Assessment: Disk is OK, 1000 bad Sectors
Size: 500 GB
below Volumes
Size: 500 GB
Contents: Unknown
Device: /dev/sdb

When format is run from here with parameters

Erase - Don't overwrite existing data (Quick)
Partitioning - No partitioning (Empty)

Does nothing, no errors

When I run the following

sudo parted -a apt /dev/sdb mkpart primary NTFS 0% 100%

Does nothing, no errors

When I run the following

sudo mkfs.ntfs /dev/sdb

Does nothing, no errors

Everything I have tried I get the same results. Nothing.

The Ubuntu ver. 22.04.2 LTS

Got gparted up and running. It has been scanning /dev/sdb for more than 4 hours this morning with nothing happening. Bottom of apt a red bar sliding from one side to the other, back and forth. I don't believe the disk is damaged physically, but appears there is not way to format. Am I wrong, any other suggestions?

366

1 + 3

format

hard-drive

David

4/3/24, 4:04 PM

What version of Ubuntu? Disk Info? Might the disk be damaged? A complete list of everything you have tried and the errors.

ubfan1

4/5/24, 10:38 PM

Normally, the first thing you need to do is make a partition table, then add partitions, then format a partition. parted uses the "mklabel" command to make a partition table.

arielf

4/7/24, 7:45 PM

Could you share the output from: `lsblk | grep -w disk` AND from `lsblk /dev/sdb` ?

Score:3

Ubuntu

Ehsaan Mehar

4/3/24, 6:13 PM

You can use gparted tool to format the disk. Gparted is GUI based utility for disk management operations.

sudo apt-get install gparted

Gparted runs with the sudo authority, select the unknown disk on the right upper corner like /dev/sd* depends on your number of disks. Right click and format it according to your preferred file system.

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I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Want to format an Unknown Disk

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