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created a lbuntu boot USB stick now can't repartition or format it back to mac

Garyed055

Garyed055

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 15, 2018
227
107
Canton Georgia
Hi

To install lbuntu on my macbook I created a boot USB and now I can't repartition or erase it back to mac os

Diskutility doesn't work

Gary
Screenshot 2024-08-21 at 1.15.31 PM.jpeg
 
So what is happening? Is it not offering APFS as an option? Does it fail when you try it?
From what I know about FAT32, I'm surprised that FAT12 would ever be an option.
 
Algr said:
So what is happening? Is it not offering APFS as an option? Does it fail when you try it?
From what I know about FAT32, I'm surprised that FAT12 would ever be an option.
Click to expand...
I tried APFS nothing its says can't change partition map or size not valid for file system chosen

Gary
 
I know that some things can't co-exist with others. Are you trying to partition just part of the memory stick? You might need to clear the whole thing.

Also, memory sticks are cheap. You might be better off just getting another one, and using one stick for one thing.
 
macos/DU is severely limited when it comes to disks. Just boot another machine in Linux and format the USB as simple MBR/fat32. Then DU will be able to use it again. Windows sucks as well, but might be worth a try for formatting.
 
When you select the drive in Disk Utility be sure to select the entire disk not just one of the partitions. In other words, move up a level on the that drive. Then you may erase it.
 
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mfram said:
When you select the drive in Disk Utility be sure to select the entire disk not just one of the partitions. In other words, move up a level on the that drive. Then you may erase it.
Click to expand...
Yes. @mfram speaks true. Open Disk Utility, in menu View > Show All Devices.
This is the way.
 
Then we're going to need screenshots showing the whole window and what you're clicking on. I supposed it's possible if you wrote an ISO image that somehow the device appears as read-only now.
 
Wipe it out with Terminal. Dismount (not eject) through Disk Utility if it's mounted, then pop into Terminal. Run diskutil list to find the ID of the drive, e.g. "disk4". Then use sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/rdisk4 bs=1m to write zeros to the drive. You will only need to let that run for a couple of seconds (enough to wipe out the partition table) then you can abort with Ctrl-C. Disk Utility should then let you partition it.
 
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mfram said:
Then we're going to need screenshots showing the whole window and what you're clicking on. I supposed it's possible if you wrote an ISO image that somehow the device appears as read-only now.
Click to expand...
Yes its read only and since it won't mount I don't know how to fix it
 
Nermal said:
Wipe it out with Terminal. Dismount (not eject) through Disk Utility if it's mounted, then pop into Terminal. Run diskutil list to find the ID of the drive, e.g. "disk4". Then use sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/rdisk4 bs=1m to write zeros to the drive. You will only need to let that run for a couple of seconds (enough to wipe out the partition table) then you can abort with Ctrl-C. Disk Utility should then let you partition it.
Click to expand...
Tried on two different computers 3 times no effect
 
Screenshots, need more screenshots...

Or better yet, a video recording...

Are you trying to erase/format a flash drive [USB stick] or the internal storage [hard disk/solid state drive]?

Are you trying to erase it within Disk Utility while running macOS or Disk Utility while on Recovery?

You can only erase/format it as macOS extended [HFS+] or APFS [High Sierra or newer] using a Mac but you can erase/format it as MS-DOS FAT/FAT32 using Windows or Linux or macOS...
 
winxmac said:
Screenshots, need more screenshots...

Or better yet, a video recording...

Are you trying to erase/format a flash drive [USB stick] or the internal storage [hard disk/solid state drive]?

Are you trying to erase it within Disk Utility while running macOS or Disk Utility while on Recovery?

You can only erase/format it as macOS extended [HFS+] or APFS [High Sierra or newer] using a Mac but you can erase/format it as MS-DOS FAT/FAT32 using Windows or Linux or macOS...
Click to expand...
Trying to repartition and reformat the USB after using it as a Linux install disk. I've tried under Mac os sonoma and ubuntu but no luck. Near as I can tell the USB is set to read only
 

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The 4th screenshot [with Disk Utility showing], did you try clicking Erase at the top and did it still give you an error?

The View drop down on the upper left, did you set it to Show All Devices? Based on the screenshot it seems to be, but just confirming...

In Disk Utility in El Capitan [10.11] and newer, you need to erase [format] first before you can partition the drive/disk...

In Disk Utility in Yosemite [10.10] and older, you can partition the drive/disk before erasing [formatting] it first...

Do you notice any switch that might have made the USB stick read-only? Make sure it is set to unlocked...

Something like this:
Netac-USB-Flash-Write-Protect-USB2-0-Flash-Drive-Pendrive-U208S-16G-32G-64G-Memory-Stick.jpg
 
winxmac said:
The 4th screenshot [with Disk Utility showing], did you try clicking Erase at the top and did it still give you an error?

The View drop down on the upper left, did you set it to Show All Devices? Based on the screenshot it seems to be, but just confirming...

In Disk Utility in El Capitan [10.11] and newer, you need to erase [format] first before you can partition the drive/disk...

In Disk Utility in Yosemite [10.10] and older, you can partition the drive/disk before erasing [formatting] it first...

Do you notice any switch that might have made the USB stick read-only? Make sure it is set to unlocked...

Something like this:
Netac-USB-Flash-Write-Protect-USB2-0-Flash-Drive-Pendrive-U208S-16G-32G-64G-Memory-Stick.jpg
Click to expand...
Yes I tried erase it failed with error -69825. There is no switch on this USB
 
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