BIOS Update, stuck at malfunctioning USB stick

Software & Operating Systems Linux
1

I need to update my BIOS.

In order to do that, I need a USB stick.

I have a USB stick, but I've used it to install Ubuntu from, which have resulted in it not being able to be formated simply.

So I tried the following commands:
udisksctl unmount -b /dev/sdb1
sudo sgdisk --zap-all /dev/sdb
sudo sgdisk --new=1:0:0 --typecode=1:ef00 /dev/sdb
sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdb1

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

Output:
Device Start End Sectors Size Type
/dev/sdb1 2048 31405790 31403743 15G EFI System

Now my usb stick doesn't show up at all.

Please help me format my usb stick, so that I can use it to update my BIOS. Thanks in advance! :slight_smile:

2

WARNING THE FOLLOWING COMMAND WILL DELETE ALL FILES, PARTITION TABLES ,AND THE MBR IF USED INCORRECTLY. BE SURE /dev/sdX IS CORRECT. THEN DOUBLE CHECK.AND CHECK AGAIN TO BE SURE

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=512 count=1 conv=notrunc
then create your new partitions, although its not needed on a usb stick.
also dont use the -F32 flag ,let mkfs.vfat choose the optimal
3

dd: unrecognized operand ‘0’
Try 'dd --help' for more information.

btw, I can't copy text when you do the spoiler thing.

4

Huh, you used to be able to. I'll let @wendell know.

5

the 0 is not supposed to be there. additionally you can probably leave the conv=notrunc off as well

6

Awesome, that did the job, thanks a lot sir! :smiley:

Edit: I spoke too soon, the stick is read only now :confused:

re-edit: I had to restart my pc for it to work for some reason.

1 Like
7

Did you not think of going to the corner store with 5 bucks and just getting a 2gig?

8

I've literally spend all my money on my new PC.

I should be getting a dedicated stick for GNU/Linux though.