usbkeys with U3 and their removal?

[Phil Meyer]

Mike wrote:
> Does anyone have (or had) a usbkey which comes with U3 launchpad software?
>
> If so do you know if it is possible to remove the U3 stuff from the usbkey within
> Fedora alone.  I know that there is a Windows package that will do it but 
> if you have a machine with only F8 on it can one still get rid of the U3 stuff
> and then reformat the usbkey to put an ext3 file system on it?
>
> These U3 files in their peculiar CDROM-like partition seem to be un-removable
> even by root!
>
>   

You need to stomp the stupid MBR on those:

as root:

# cat /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin >/dev/sdX

where sdX = appropriate drive.  Don't stomp on your other drives!

That file is installed as a part of the syslinux rpm.

#yum install syslinux

First if you need to.

Once you stomp on the MBR:

# sync

remove the device,
plug the device back in,
and have at it with fdisk, or parted, or gparted, or whichever one you 
prefer.

Good Luck!