Formatting and Partitioning a USB Drive on Ubuntu with `fdisk`
Whether it's for cross-platform compatibility or to make the most out of storage
space, partitioning a USB drive into multiple file systems is a commonly sought
task. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of partitioning a USB
drive into two file systems: ext4
for Linux and NTFS
for Windows, using
the fdisk
utility on Ubuntu.
Pre-requisites
- A USB drive you'd like to format and partition.
- A system running Ubuntu.
fdisk
andmkfs
utilities (pre-installed on most Ubuntu distributions).
Warning: The following steps will erase all data on the USB drive. Ensure you've backed up any important data.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here is a step by step guide on how you can create a new file system and partition your USB drive in Ubuntu
1. Identify the USB Drive
First, plug in your USB drive. Then, use the lsblk
command to identify your
drive's device name:
lsblk
Look for your drive based on its size and remember its device name, typically
something like /dev/sdb
(not /dev/sdb1
, which represents a partition).
For the purpose of this guide, we'll assume the USB drive is /dev/sdb
.
2. Launch fdisk
To start partitioning the drive, enter:
sudo fdisk /dev/sdb
3. Delete Existing Partitions
Once inside fdisk
, you'll be presented with a command prompt. To delete
existing partitions:
- Type
d
and press Enter. - If multiple partitions exist, you'll be asked which one to delete. Repeat this step until all partitions are deleted.
4. Create the First Partition (ext4)
- Type
n
for a new partition. - Choose
p
for a primary partition. - For partition number, press Enter to accept the default of
1
. - For the first sector, press Enter to accept the default.
- For the last sector, define the size you want for this partition (e.g.,
+8G
for an 8 GB partition). - You've now allocated space for the first partition.
5. Create the Second Partition (NTFS)
- Again, type
n
for a new partition. - Choose
p
for primary. - Accept the defaults for the partition number and the first sector.
- For the last sector, you can press Enter to allocate the rest of the space on the drive to this partition.
6. Write Changes
After making the above configurations:
- Type
w
to write the changes. This will format the USB drive and create the two partitions.
Create File Systems on the Partitions
Create ext4 File System
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1
This command formats the first partition with the ext4
file system.
Create NTFS File System
First, ensure you have the ntfs-3g
package:
sudo apt install ntfs-3g
Then, format the second partition:
sudo mkfs.ntfs /dev/sdb2
Conclusion
Your USB drive is now partitioned into two: the first partition with ext4
suitable for Linux, and the second with NTFS
for Windows compatibility. Always
remember to safely eject your USB drive before unplugging it from any system.
This guide provides a basic understanding of partitioning with fdisk
, and the
possibilities extend far beyond this use case. Happy partitioning!
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