formatting SD drive

[last updated: 2025-09-29]
SD card problems
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Needs cleanup - may be obs

• Starting with a new SD card (32gb SanDisk), unformatted (except from mfr):
• in Linux tower:
• Auto-mounts and File manager opens to: /media/jay/3239-3334
• Removable drives shows: 32gb volume
• File manager shows: /dev/sdf & /sdf1
• $ mount | grep sdf ... shows: /dev/sdf1 on /media/jay/3239-3334 type vfat
• $ sudo fdisk -l ... shows (start / end / sectors / size / ID / type:
  "/dev/sdf1 8192 62333951 62325760 29.7G c W95 FAT32 (LBA)"
• $ sudo fdisk /dev/sdf1 ... p ... shows:
  sector size: 512; type: dos
• Create partitions:
• $ sudo fdisk /dev/sdf1
• d ... no partitions defined
• n ... p ... 1 ... enter ... enter ...
  Linux partition created, 29.7gb
• t ... b
  partition type changed from Linux to W95 FAT32
• w ... enter
  same error as before ... fdisk closed
• $ sudo fdisk /dev/sdf1 ... p
  confirms sdf1p1 partition successfully created
• closed terminal, no file manager windows open,
  ejected 32gb volume, removed SD card
• Inserted SD card in Linux tower:
• File manager opens to: /media/jay/3239-3334
• Removable drives shows: 32gb volume
• File manager shows: /dev/sdf & /sdf1
• $ mount | grep sdf ... shows: /dev/sdf1 on /media/jay/3239-3334 type vfat
• $ sudo fdisk -l ... shows same as above
• $ sudo fdisk /dev/sdf1 ... p ... shows (start / end / sectors / size / ID / type):
  /dev/sdf1p1 2048 62325759 62323712 29.7G b W95 FAT32

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