====== How to low level format a SD memory card ? ====== - The command **''dd''** is used to low level format the card - The command **''fdisk''** is used to create a new primary partition - The command **''mkfs.vfat''** us used to create the FAT32 file system kerphi@ketchup:~$ sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdd dd: écriture vers `/dev/sdd': Aucun espace disponible sur le périphérique 1974273+0 enregistrements lus 1974272+0 enregistrements écrits 1010827264 octets (1,0 GB) copiés, 1090,36 seconde, 927 kB/s kerphi@ketchup:~$ sudo fdisk /dev/sdd Device contains neither a valid DOS partition table, nor Sun, SGI or OSF disklabel Building a new DOS disklabel. Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them. After that, of course, the previous content won't be recoverable. Warning: invalid flag 0x0000 of partition table 4 will be corrected by w(rite) Command (m for help): p Disk /dev/sdd: 1010 MB, 1010827264 bytes 32 heads, 61 sectors/track, 1011 cylinders Units = cylinders of 1952 * 512 = 999424 bytes Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System Command (m for help): n Command action e extended p primary partition (1-4) p Partition number (1-4): 1 First cylinder (1-1011, default 1): Using default value 1 Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-1011, default 1011): 1011 Command (m for help): t Selected partition 1 Hex code (type L to list codes): b Changed system type of partition 1 to b (W95 FAT32) Command (m for help): w The partition table has been altered! Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table. WARNING: If you have created or modified any DOS 6.x partitions, please see the fdisk manual page for additional information. Syncing disks. kerphi@ketchup:~$ sudo mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/sdd1 mkfs.vfat 2.11 (12 Mar 2005) ~~DISCUSSION~~ {{tag>article computing memory card format dd fdisk mkfs linux}}