Unbrick USB after flashing XPE boot on it

[test4321]

Howdy,

After I flashed USB sticks with Xpe boot images, it would create 2 partitions on it.

 

This creates a problem where if you delete 2 partitions through Windows Partition manager, it bricks the USB.

 

Is there a way to recover the USB after Xpe partitions?

 

It basically doesnt see the partition after you re-create it.

 

 

^^^ this is how it looks like in partition manager

 

It does not show up in the explorer.

 

I edited the USB in MiniTool Partition Manager also, but it still shows nothing.

 

I'm not really trying to recover XPE partitions. Just trying to make the USB usable.

Edited April 27, 2021 by test4321

[jensmander]

Do you intend to re-use the stick as a normal storage device? Otherwise deleting the partitions for XPE is not a good idea.

 

To clean the stick run the CMD as Administrator:

 

- diskpart (CMD changes to DISKPART>)

- list disk (you should see a list beginning from 0 that shows all connected devices/drives and their size)

- select disk X (< replace X with the number of your USB drive, be absolutely sure about this)

- clean (this wipes all(!) partitions from the drive)

- create partition primary

- active

- format fs=ntfs quick (this formats the stick with NTFS, for FAT32 change it to fs=FAT32)

- assign

- exit

- exit

[test4321]

On 4/26/2021 at 11:48 PM, jensmander said:

Do you intend to re-use the stick as a normal storage device? Otherwise deleting the partitions for XPE is not a good idea.

 

To clean the stick run the CMD as Administrator:

 

- diskpart (CMD changes to DISKPART>)

- list disk (you should see a list beginning from 0 that shows all connected devices/drives and their size)

- select disk X (< replace X with the number of your USB drive, be absolutely sure about this)

- clean (this wipes all(!) partitions from the drive)

- create partition primary

- active

- format fs=ntfs quick (this formats the stick with NTFS, for FAT32 change it to fs=FAT32)

- assign

- exit

- exit

 

Thanks!

 

It's throwing an error after "clean" command.

 

DISKPART> clean

DiskPart has encountered an error: Access is denied.
See the System Event Log for more information.

 

I looked at the event log and got this:

Cannot zero sectors on disk \\?\PhysicalDrive7. Error code: 5@0101000F

 

There is some kind of special partition formatting that must be present on USB.

 

I found this page:

https://www.pendrivelinux.com/restoring-your-usb-key-partition/

 

And unbricked the USB with:

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

 

This worked perfectly! Thanks for helping me with this issue @jensmander !

 

 

 

[Dfds]

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