I'm having trouble with an SD card that I originally used for a Linux Mint installation on my Surface Pro. After some updates, Mint wouldn't boot properly, so I attempted to format the card to do a fresh install. However, every time I try to format it, the process reports success, but the partitions immediately reappear, and I can still see all my files. I'm looking for a reliable way to format this card so that it's fully usable again. I've tried using GParted, the 'sudo dd' command, 'wipefs', and even some tools on Windows, but nothing seems to work. Any suggestions?
3 Answers
You might want to try the command `blkdiscard -f /dev/mmcblk0`. Just be sure to double-check that you've got the correct device name before running it! This command can help effectively wipe the card.
Have you tried creating a new partition table? I had the same issue before. Sometimes it seems to work, but then it reverts back to its previous state. You might end up with an EFI partition and the others show up despite your attempts to format them.
It sounds like your SD card may be failing. If it's truly faulty, there’s a strong chance it won't be usable again unless you're open to risking your data by attempting further fixes. SD cards aren't designed for heavy usage over time, so when issues arise, it often indicates a failing device.
I did create a new partition table with GParted, but the partitions just come back immediately. I can still mount the drive and see all the data that was supposed to be gone.