Ubuntu – How to format hard drive

12.04

I have installed bootable ubuntu on hard disks but now I can not format them with Disk Utility program. When I try to format it says "One or more partitions are busy on /dev/sdb" for both hard disks. Is there any way to format these drives?

EDIT: With "Disk Utility" program when I select one of the hard drives It shows 3 volumes;

99 MB FAT
111 GB EXT4
9 GB UNKNOWN

I can not format this unknown volume.

With Gparted program, It doesn't shows Unknown volume only shows 111GB EXT4.

Best Answer

If the drive you want to format is also the drive you are using, you cannot change the format. Easiest way is to use a Live Boot disc and boot up inside the Trial area (where it gives you the option to install Ubuntu on the desktop). From there, you can format the drive, but be aware that formatting will erase data from the drive.

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