Ubuntu

Need to format a hard drive

Asked by Forbin117

I have an 1000gb hard drive on which I accidentally installed Ubuntu 9.04. Since I already have this on my boot hard drive, I need to erase it. I have tried gparted, but when I try to create the partition, it fails, with no details. Is there another way to do this? I have also tried just sending things to the trash, but that fails too, saying it can't delete the files.

Thanks for your help

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
actionparsnip
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

if you use:

sudo fdisk -l

you can see which disk name the drive uses (e.g. /dev/sdb YOURS MAY BE DIFFERENT SO DO NOT COPY/PASTE MY INSTRUCTIONS DIRECTLY IF THEY ARE DIFFERENT)

Once you have worked out the name (I will assume /dev/sdb), you can unmount them as you will not be able towork on them until you have them unused. You will need to unmont individual partitions on the drive. Since you installed Ubuntu to it, I will assume 2 partitions (again yours may be different).The command is UMOUNT not UNMOUNT

sudo umount /dev/sdb1
sudo umount /dev/sdb2

Now the drive is free, we can then load gparted and modify the disk as you need:

gksudo gparted

you can now delete the 2 partitions we just unmounted and then do whatever suits your needs.

all of the above will NOT work if you are booted to the accidentally installed Ubuntu, the system will be running from that drive and its partitions so you will not be able to do anything with it. If you have another drive (Sounds like you do) then you must boot to that or a live CD environment so that the disk is only seen as data and is manipulatable.

Tread VERY carefully and you will be fine. READ EVERY SCREEN YOU SEE.

Revision history for this message
Forbin117 (colforbin117) said : 		#2

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.