ImageWriter broken the partition table?
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:39 pm
While using ImageWriter to create a bootable flash drive, it spat out an error (that I didn't note) and then appeared to be blank, despite being formatted as fat32 only minutes before. After re-loading into gparted, it reported that the drive had no partition table. So I did the obvious thing and ran Device -> Create Partition Table. I now have a 4GB stick that according to gparted is TWO physical drives. It mounts as /dev/sdc 1MB and /dev/sdd 3.72GB. It previously mounted as /dev/sdc with a size of 3.82 or 3.83 (can't remember exactly).
The 1MB "drive" cannot be mounted and attempting to format it reports Minimum Size: 1MB, Maximum Size: 0MB with only these formats available: ext2, ext3, ext4, linux-swap, ntfs, unformatted. Attempting to use one of those formats results in an error message: "A partition cannot have a length of -1 sectors".
Oddly, the 3.72GB part (/dev/sdd) works fine and hasn't gone read-only...the tell-tale sign of a faulty stick. I've messed about with testdisk but am not totally sure what I am doing with regards to geometry, etc.
Is the flash drive on its way out or can the partition table be repaired? Any suggestions please...
The 1MB "drive" cannot be mounted and attempting to format it reports Minimum Size: 1MB, Maximum Size: 0MB with only these formats available: ext2, ext3, ext4, linux-swap, ntfs, unformatted. Attempting to use one of those formats results in an error message: "A partition cannot have a length of -1 sectors".
Oddly, the 3.72GB part (/dev/sdd) works fine and hasn't gone read-only...the tell-tale sign of a faulty stick. I've messed about with testdisk but am not totally sure what I am doing with regards to geometry, etc.
Is the flash drive on its way out or can the partition table be repaired? Any suggestions please...