If I unmount my USB 3 partition, can I lose use of the USB?

[Shabakthanai]

In the recent past, I had Kubuntu 13.10 installed and operational on my USB 3 Thumb Drive. I recently deleted the partition to prepare it for installation of an alternate Operating System. The drive was wiped of all data, however, when I attempted to install the new OS, I selected erase, because apparently there is a folder or Directory named "lost+found" with a certain amount of MBs of data. There are two ways I sought the content of the data, one showed it as approx. 125MB the other showed it as 36MB. It makes me consider whether I am looking at the proper drive.

Since the Erase feature did not work, I opened Gparted to see if somehow I could format the drive.



Notice there doesn't appear to be any info in the Blue area, while apparently there is 36.78MiB remaining.

The only selection from the menu that seems the correct choice, however, deep in my memory is a warning to be very careful in the unmount procedure. I am worried that I may make my USB 3 stick useless if I do this step improperly.

What happens if I unmount this drive? Can I then wipe the balance of the data remaining? Is that data "hidden"? Can I then format the drive and install an alternate Linux distribution? And finally, should the file system of the USB stick be set as FAT32 or should I set it as ext4 for installation of the new Linux OS?

By the way, this has been posted a different way and has had only one response that I could not understand as usable. I am sure it was perfect for someone more knowledgeable, not for me. I am not trying to make a repost, it is just that there are approx 60 people who read the first post who will probably not reread the post if my reply is the last posted. Hopefully someone will read this who knows the answer to my need.

BTW, KDE Partition Manager 1.0.3 doesn't seem to respond to my default font settings. I can only read parts of the words with my face on the screen looking through my bifocals, but certainly not able to read the print in any reasonable manner. Is this a bug in my system or it it the same for those of you who do not need correction. Thanks!

[Rod J]

In brief the process of formatting a partition uses a certain amount of data for the operating system file structures and also the lost+found directory is created with a Linux file system. That's why a drive's formatted size is less than the unformatted size.

So, the used space you're seeing is just the overhead of the file system after formatting. If you deleted the partition in the partition manager it should appear as unallocated space or after formatting as you see it now.

[jlittle]

... apparently there is a folder or Directory named "lost+found" with a certain amount of MBs of data,,,

"lost+found" shouldn't have anything in it, if the file system is always unmounted cleanly. If files are created in the file system, but due to a crash or the USB stick being pulled out too soon, their directory entries are lost, when the file system is next mounted the OS will notice and attempt to fix things up. If it finds files but doesn't know where they go or what to call them, entries are put in the lost+found directory, in case you're really desperate for the data.

I hope you're not, but if you really are getting MBs of data in lost+found, then I suggest you review the way you handle the file systems involved. Note a common gotcha is that dolphin copies stuff in the background; you get a KDE notification when the copy is completed, possibly some time later.

As Rod J explained, file systems can have lots of overhead, especially ext4.

[Shabakthanai]

I did not format the drive, using Disk Creator, I intended to install a different OS on the Thumb drive. That tool is all I know to use to install the ISO. They have a selection to "Erase" the drive. That is what I used when I thought I was formatting the drive. When I attempted to erase data, I could not continue the installation.

I don't think I abued the removal of the USB at any time or did it prior to when it should be removed. Nonetheless, something is wrong. From what I have mentioned, do you see a way to prepare my USB3 Thumb Drive to install an alternate Linux ISO? Thanks for your input, I can see by your comments that I am not at your level and need the nubie support requested.

"lost+found" shouldn't have anything in it, if the file system is always unmounted cleanly. If files are created in the file system, but due to a crash or the USB stick being pulled out too soon, their directory entries are lost, when the file system is next mounted the OS will notice and attempt to fix things up. If it finds files but doesn't know where they go or what to call them, entries are put in the lost+found directory, in case you're really desperate for the data.

I hope you're not, but if you really are getting MBs of data in lost+found, then I suggest you review the way you handle the file systems involved. Note a common gotcha is that dolphin copies stuff in the background; you get a KDE notification when the copy is completed, possibly some time later.

As Rod J explained, file systems can have lots of overhead, especially ext4.

[Rod J]

As far as I can see the "Erase" feature you mention = "Formatting". So the screenshot in your #1 post shows the partition of the thumb drive newly formatted with the Ext4 file system as shown /dev/sde1/ ext4. The used space is just the overhead of the ext4 file system (not left over data!).

I think your flash drive is good to go for installing the OS of your choice now. If it fails to install there I don't know why. Perhaps try the "Check" option in KDE Partition Manager to see if there is anything amiss with the flash drive (you may need to unmount the /sde1 partition first).

BTW, have a look at the color settings (System Settings, Application Appearance, Colors) to change how KDE Partition Manager looks (white on yellow is hard for anybody to read, personally I like the "Norway" colors which give white on blue for selected).

Oops! ... I've just realised though that the normal user colors probably aren't being used because KDE Partition Manager is running in the root account (not normal user). I'm not sure how to change the root color settings, mine gives white on dark blue when I select a partition. I don't know why yours is white on yellow. I don't think it's a font problem you're having.

[vinnywright]

lets get something striate hear,,,,,,,,,,,making a live USB with the "start up disk creator" is NOT the same thing as "installing" the OS to a USB stick .

the "start up disk creator" makes a usb that is the same as burning the .ISO to a CD/DVD exept you can add a persistence file and install SOME extras and have changes you make stick thrugh reboots .
the "start up disk creator" tool requires a FAT32 formatted stick to use and it stayes FAT32 after inserting the ,ISO,,,,,,,,,,,hear is the parted output of one of my "start up disk creator" made sticks

Model: SanDisk Cruzer (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 16.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      16.4kB  16.0GB  16.0GB  primary  [B][COLOR=#ff0000]fat32 [/COLOR][/B]       boot, lba

NOW you can do an actual install (as you would to your HD) to a USB ,,,,,and it of course would half to be partitioned and formatted to a linux file system for the install.

in short ,,,,,if you want to do a live/USB with the "start up disk creator" tool then delete/remove the partition from the UNMOUNTED stick and recreate it(a partition) and format it fat32
then use the "start up disk creator"

if you want to do a conventional install .......then just reformat it ext4 and start the box with a liveCD/dvd or USB/(made with the "start up disk creator) and do a conventional install to the stick.

VINNY

[Shabakthanai]

Hi Vinny, I am so dense. In trying to accomplish your instruction, I ended with the following error after attempting install on my USB3 stick.



I started with a 16GB ADATA USB3 disk formatted to FAT32. Then I opened Gparted and created the following:

8000MiB Lable / Primary Partition Ext4
4000MiB Lable Linuxswap
3000+MiB Lable /home

I opened Startup Disk Creator and selected the crunchbang OS to install into the USB3 Stick. Make Startup Disk box did not light up, so I clicked on Erase Disk, hoping to activate the Make Startup Disk box.

The installation was stopped with the error message showing in the attachment. Of course, I can read the Error message, but I cannot understand it or what to do to correct any mistakes I have made. Will you straighten me out, please. TIA

lets get something striate hear,,,,,,,,,,,making a live USB with the "start up disk creator" is NOT the same thing as "installing" the OS to a USB stick .

the "start up disk creator" makes a usb that is the same as burning the .ISO to a CD/DVD exept you can add a persistence file and install SOME extras and have changes you make stick thrugh reboots .
the "start up disk creator" tool requires a FAT32 formatted stick to use and it stayes FAT32 after inserting the ,ISO,,,,,,,,,,,hear is the parted output of one of my "start up disk creator" made sticks

Model: SanDisk Cruzer (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 16.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      16.4kB  16.0GB  16.0GB  primary  [B][COLOR=#ff0000]fat32 [/COLOR][/B]       boot, lba

NOW you can do an actual install (as you would to your HD) to a USB ,,,,,and it of course would half to be partitioned and formatted to a linux file system for the install.

in short ,,,,,if you want to do a live/USB with the "start up disk creator" tool then delete/remove the partition from the UNMOUNTED stick and recreate it(a partition) and format it fat32
then use the "start up disk creator"

if you want to do a conventional install .......then just reformat it ext4 and start the box with a liveCD/dvd or USB/(made with the "start up disk creator) and do a conventional install to the stick.

VINNY

[vinnywright]

Hi Vinny, I am so dense. In trying to accomplish your instruction, I ended with the following error after attempting install on my USB3 stick.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4985[/ATTACH]

I started with a 16GB ADATA USB3 disk formatted to FAT32. Then I opened Gparted and created the following:

8000MiB Lable / Primary Partition Ext4
4000MiB Lable Linuxswap
3000+MiB Lable /home

I opened Startup Disk Creator and selected the crunchbang OS to install into the USB3 Stick.

I sead that the "start up disk creator" neads the USB stick to be formatted FAT32 1 partition ////the hole thing///..........NOT partitioned for a install like you would do to your hard drive .

the start up disk creator dose not know what to do with the partitioning you have done to the USB stick , what you have done is good IF you are going to actually install to the USB like a hard drive .

SO return the USB stick to a single FAT32 formatted partition and try it (the start up disk creator) once more.

the start up disk creator dose not do an installation of the OS you chose to the stick ,,,,but more or less just inserts the .ISO image to the stick in a bootable state so you can still use the system live (like the CD/DVD) but will also allow for a persistence file so you can add programs (some) and data that will survive a reboot.

VINNY

[Shabakthanai]

I followed your instructions attempted the installation of the ISO with FAT32 as the file system. During the installation process the effort was halted with the following error message:



The install is terminated and there is no instruction how to proceed. I should add that prior to install, I clicked on the "erase disk". My thinking was that it is probably a format step and would not affect the file system. I am mentioning this in case that is what caused this problem.

Does this error suggest a problem with the download of the ISO I want to install? Should I remove the one I have and download the distro again? Thanks Vinny

I sead that the "start up disk creator" neads the USB stick to be formatted FAT32 1 partition ////the hole thing///..........NOT partitioned for a install like you would do to your hard drive .

the start up disk creator dose not know what to do with the partitioning you have done to the USB stick , what you have done is good IF you are going to actually install to the USB like a hard drive .

SO return the USB stick to a single FAT32 formatted partition and try it (the start up disk creator) once more.

the start up disk creator dose not do an installation of the OS you chose to the stick ,,,,but more or less just inserts the .ISO image to the stick in a bootable state so you can still use the system live (like the CD/DVD) but will also allow for a persistence file so you can add programs (some) and data that will survive a reboot.

VINNY

[vinnywright]

I followed your instructions attempted the installation of the ISO with FAT32 as the file system. During the installation process the effort was halted with the following error message:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4987[/ATTACH]

The install is terminated and there is no instruction how to proceed. I should add that prior to install, I clicked on the "erase disk". My thinking was that it is probably a format step and would not affect the file system. I am mentioning this in case that is what caused this problem.

Does this error suggest a problem with the download of the ISO I want to install? Should I remove the one I have and download the distro again? Thanks Vinny

I think I may have egg on my face and should have read more carefully,,,,,,,,I think the "start up disk creator is limited to the *buntu's for the .ISO's .

I will check some time in the next day or so (I am a lazy a$$) and get back on that ,,,,,,or you could try a *buntu and see .

I think a program called unetbootin will do any distro .

VINNY

[Shabakthanai]

Thanks, Vinny, I will give it a try. That sure seems reasonable. Are you aware if "Erase" is equivalent to format, if the application is reserved to Ubuntu distros? You are never lazy and always thorough; it amazes me when you may have missed something. You are a terrific blessing to this forum and you are always appreciated. At least by me. Thanks friend. I wish I could measure up to your standard.

I think I may have egg on my face and should have read more carefully,,,,,,,,I think the "start up disk creator is limited to the *buntu's for the .ISO's .

I will check some time in the next day or so (I am a lazy a$$) and get back on that ,,,,,,or you could try a *buntu and see .

I think a program called unetbootin will do any distro .

VINNY