[Bug 1549603] Re: Please document how users can return usb drive to a storage drive

[jamie]

Using Ubuntu 15.10 fully patched but held back on older kernel due to problems with 4.2.0-19
Linux happy 4.2.0-18-generic #22-Ubuntu SMP Fri Nov 6 18:25:50 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I attempted to blank the USB stick that I used to install 15.10 on this machine. 
Startup Disc Creator complained of not enough space even after "Erase drive".
Gparted issued the attached error message.
The utility Disks only deleted a portion of the stick.
I used mkusb to wipe the first MiB.
Gparted then created a new partition formatted FAT32 (whole drive, 8GB)
Used Unetbootin to create a new bootable installer (Xubuntu 14.04 32bit)
It refuses to boot, error is "missing operating system"

This is day two of trying to do something that is usually very easy :(


** Attachment added: "startup.png"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/usb-creator/+bug/1549603/+attachment/4582716/+files/startup.png

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1549603

Title:
  Please document how users can return usb drive to a storage drive

Status in usb-creator package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  While sdc now works well it creates partitioning/formatting that the default installed Disks app cannot deal with. This will make it hard for users to return the usb drive to use as a storage device after using to install *buntu.
  Test case:
  Create a boot/install drive with sdc.
  Open Disks app & try to format the drive to a usable storage format or try to delete either of the 2 partitions sdc created.
  What happens : operations fail, see attached screens.

  One method that works requires users to install gparted, dismiss the
  error popups (disconcerting), then figure out they need to create a
  fresh partition table.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: usb-creator-gtk 0.3.2
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-6.21-generic 4.4.1
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-6-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20-0ubuntu3
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Wed Feb 24 23:09:12 2016
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-02-02 (22 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64 (20160131)
  SourcePackage: usb-creator
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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