Ubuntu – GParted can’t create partition/partition table:

gpartedpartitioningusb

I am doing this with USB 2.0 Flash Drive 8GB. Here is what i am doing:
Open GParted:
Gparted
Then i am trying to create new partition and i've god this message:
error_message
After that i am going to Device/Create Partition Table and i am clicking Aply:
error_message
Then i am trying again to create a new partition and the same error:
error_message

This is GParted console log:

======================
libparted : 2.3
======================

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 7 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 6 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 26 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 25 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 31 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 30 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 36 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 35 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 39 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 38 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 42 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 41 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 47 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 46 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 50 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 49 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 55 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 54 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 58 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 57 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 219 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 218 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 301 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 300 was not found when attempting to remove it
/dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label
/dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 756 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 755 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 762 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 761 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 770 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 769 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 773 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 772 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 776 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 775 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 779 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 778 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 784 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 783 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 787 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 786 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 792 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 791 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 795 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 794 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 907 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 906 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 1001 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:3854): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 1000 was not found when attempting to remove it
/dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label

I have also tried and:

(parted) print                                                            
Error: /dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label                                  
(parted) mklabel 
(parted) mklabel msdos
(parted) rescue                                                           
Start? 0                                                                  
End? 976773168                                                            // This was just a random guess.
Information: A ntfs primary partition was found at 32.3kB -> 500GB.  Do you want to add it to the partition table?
Yes/No/Cancel? yes                                                        
(parted) quit                                                             
Information: You may need to update /etc/fstab.

But after rescue i've go this:

radibg2@radibg2:~$ sudo parted /dev/sdb
GNU Parted 2.3
Using /dev/sdb
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print                                                            
Error: /dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label                                  
(parted) mklabel                                                          
New disk label type? msdos                                                
(parted) mklabel msdos                                                    
(parted) rescue                                                           
Error: /dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label                                  
(parted)

Also tried and low level format:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=1M

and all above over but all the same again.

Best Answer

Problems with gparted may have different causes. Two of them will be discussed here:

  • The drive contains confusing data
  • The drive might be failing

Confusing data

Sometimes gparted is confused by the content of the partition table or some additional information for example the the drive has been used with RAID or as a boot drive made from a hybrid ISO file. In some of these cases some versions of gparted will refuse to create a new partition table and new file systems.

Then it is possible to wipe the confusing information. Most of the time it is enough to wipe the first megabyte (mibibyte), to overwrite it with zeros. It can be done with dd, but dd is a dangerous tool. mkusb 'wraps a safety belt' around dd, and helps you do it safer.

See this link: help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb

enter image description here

After wiping you can use gparted again. Create a partition table and after that you can create partitions with file systems.

enter image description here

The drive might be failing

If mkusb cannot fix the problem, the drive might be failing. It often starts with the symptom that the drive is read only (not only the partitions with file system, but the drive itself). This can happen with USB pendrives and memory cards, and is the first stage in the failing process. It is sometimes called 'gridlock'.

But there might be other causes of the problem, so it is worth trying a few things before you give up.

When a pendrive or memory card is read-only

  • On some pendrives and on many memory cards there is a small mechanical switch for write protection, that can toggle between read/write and read-only. - You might have set it read-only without intention.
  • Reboot the computer and try again to wipe the first megabyte with mkusb.
  • Disconnect other USB devices. Sometimes USB devices can disturb the function for each other.
  • Try other USB ports and another computer.
  • Try another operating system (Windows, MacOS) in another computer.
  • If you still cannot wipe the first megabyte of the drive, and the drive is read-only, it is 'gridlocked', and the next stage is that it will be completely 'bricked'.

You can find more details at the following link: Pendrive lifetime

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