USB Key inserted after program start needs formatting, can't format

Bug #273671 reported by Thomas Mashos
10
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
usb-creator (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
High
Evan

Bug Description

Binary package hint: usb-creator

If you insert a USB key after the program has started, two USB keys get listed (/dev/sdb, /dev/sdb1). /dev/sdb1 has no available space, and /dev/sdb says it needs to be formatted. Formatting does not work as it says the key is in use.

Actual Error:

Unable to create a partition table:
Error: Partition(s) on /dev/sdb are being used.

If the key is already plugged in when the program starts, then I am able to use the USB key. This is using a freshly formatted fat32 4GB usb key

Revision history for this message
Evan (ev) wrote :

That would make sense, given the presence of both /dev/sdb and /dev/sdb1 in the list, which should not ever happen. What version of usb-creator were you using? Can you please paste the output of `sudo parted /dev/sdb print` where /dev/sdb is the block device for your USB stick.

Thanks!

Changed in usb-creator:
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Thomas Mashos (tgm4883) wrote : Re: [Bug 273671] Re: USB Key inserted after program start needs formatting, can't format

Evan Dandrea wrote:
> That would make sense, given the presence of both /dev/sdb and /dev/sdb1
> in the list, which should not ever happen. What version of usb-creator
> were you using? Can you please paste the output of `sudo parted
> /dev/sdb print` where /dev/sdb is the block device for your USB stick.
>
> Thanks!
>
> ** Changed in: usb-creator (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
>

This is from the key after I was able to install the ISO to it. Let me
know if you need me to give you the pre-installed usb key info.

thomas@hermes:~$ sudo parted /dev/sdb print
Model: USB 2.0 USB Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 4043MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
 1 32.3kB 4039MB 4039MB primary fat32

thomas@hermes:~$

The version of usb-creator is on intrepid x86_64

thomas@hermes:~$ dpkg -l usb-creator
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
|
Status=Not/Inst/Cfg-files/Unpacked/Failed-cfg/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err:
uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
ii usb-creator 0.1.4 Ubuntu USB desktop image creator
thomas@hermes:~$

Revision history for this message
Evan (ev) wrote :

Indeed, if you could provide the pre-installed partition information, I would very much appreciate it.

Revision history for this message
Thomas Mashos (tgm4883) wrote :

Freshly formated with gparted to a single fat32 partition, this is the output

thomas@hermes:~$ sudo parted /dev/sdb print
[sudo] password for thomas:
Model: USB 2.0 USB Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 4043MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
 1 32.3kB 4039MB 4039MB primary fat32

thomas@hermes:~$

I've included 2 screenshots, what it shows when I plug it in after the program is started, and the error message I get when I click format on /dev/sdb

Revision history for this message
Thomas Mashos (tgm4883) wrote :
Revision history for this message
to be removed (liw) wrote :

I get this too, with usb-creator 0.1.6.

Revision history for this message
Evan (ev) wrote :

Can you both please attach the output of hal-device (outputted to a file, please).

Thanks!

Revision history for this message
Evan (ev) wrote :

Running the above command when you see the first screenshot Thomas posted.

Changed in usb-creator:
assignee: nobody → evand
importance: Undecided → High
Revision history for this message
Thomas Mashos (tgm4883) wrote :

As requested.

Evan (ev)
Changed in usb-creator:
status: Incomplete → Fix Committed
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package usb-creator - 0.1.7

---------------
usb-creator (0.1.7) intrepid; urgency=low

  * Unmount filesystems before formatting the device (LP: #273671).
  * Apparently order matters with respect to keyword arguments.
  * Filter out removable CD-ROM devices when trying to find empty disks
    (LP: #271006).
  * Only look for devices that have the media_size property when looking for
    empty partition tables (LP: #271006).
  * Remove the device representing an empty partition table if we find one of
    its partitions (LP: #273671).
  * Properly set the boot device.
  * Shut down the install process when the cancel button is pressed.
  * Add the persistence and noprompt options to syslinux.cfg.
  * Handle the install process dying before shutdown() is called.

 -- Evan Dandrea <email address hidden> Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:06:41 -0400

Changed in usb-creator:
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
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