In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of resolving the “Wipefs Device or Resource Busy” error that you may encounter when trying to format a drive using the Ubuntu Disks Utility. This error typically occurs when the system is unable to access the drive due to it being in use by another process or service.
Understanding the Error
The “Wipefs Device or Resource Busy” error is a common issue that can occur when you’re trying to format a drive in Ubuntu. This error message indicates that the drive or resource you’re trying to access is currently in use by another process, preventing you from performing the desired operation.
Solution 1: Use the Force Option with Wipefs Command
One of the simplest ways to resolve this issue is by using the -f (force) option with the wipefs command. This option forces the command to wipe the filesystem signatures on the device, regardless of whether the system believes the device is in use or not.
Here’s how to use the -f option:
wipefs -af /dev/sdbIn this command, -a stands for all filesystems, and -f stands for force. The /dev/sdb is the device name of your drive. Make sure to replace /dev/sdb with the appropriate device name for your drive.
Solution 2: Unmount the Disk
If the force option doesn’t work, you can try unmounting the disk and all its partitions before retrying the wipe. Unmounting a disk means that it’s no longer in use by the system, which should allow you to perform the wipe operation.
Here’s how to unmount a disk:
sudo umount /dev/sdb*This command unmounts all partitions on the /dev/sdb disk. After unmounting, you can retry the wipe.
Solution 3: Use GParted Live CD
Another solution is to use a GParted live CD or another distribution containing GParted to wipe the partition. GParted is a powerful partition editor that can help you format and manage your drives effectively.
Solution 4: Stop the Existing RAID
If the drive was previously part of a RAID configuration, you may need to stop the existing RAID before wiping the drive. You can use the mdadm --stop /dev/mdX command, replacing X with the appropriate RAID identifier.
Solution 5: Check Mounting Points
Lastly, you can check if the drive is currently mounted and unmount it before attempting to wipe it. You can use the lsblk command to see where the drive is mounted and then use the umount command to unmount it.
Here’s how to do it:
sudo umount /run/media/user/ARCH_202109After unmounting, you can proceed with the wipe using the wipefs command.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we have covered several methods to resolve the “Wipefs Device or Resource Busy” error when formatting a drive in Ubuntu. Remember to replace /dev/sdb with the appropriate device name in the above commands. Always ensure you have a backup of your data before performing any disk operations.
The Ubuntu Disks Utility is a graphical tool that allows users to manage and format their drives in the Ubuntu operating system.
You can access the Ubuntu Disks Utility by searching for "Disks" in the Ubuntu Dash or by opening the "Disks" application from the Applications menu.
The "Wipefs Device or Resource Busy" error occurs when the system is unable to access the drive you’re trying to format because it is currently in use by another process or service.
The -f option in the wipefs command stands for "force" and it forces the command to wipe the filesystem signatures on the device, regardless of whether the system believes the device is in use or not.
To unmount a disk in Ubuntu, you can use the umount command followed by the device name of the disk. For example, sudo umount /dev/sdb* will unmount all partitions on the /dev/sdb disk.
GParted Live CD is a live distribution that includes GParted, a powerful partition editor. It allows you to boot into a separate operating system environment where you can format and manage your drives effectively using GParted.
To stop an existing RAID before wiping a drive, you can use the mdadm --stop /dev/mdX command, replacing X with the appropriate RAID identifier.
You can use the lsblk command to see where a drive is mounted in Ubuntu. It will display a list of all the drives and their corresponding mounting points.
