# How to format usb stick

## Shockwaver

How do i make ready an usb stick that i could write in it as a user without root privileges?

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## NathanZachary

Chances are that you will just want to format it using fdisk.  Most flash drives are formatted in vfat.

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## Shockwaver

It's a kingstone 2.0 4GB

with fdsk i create the partition.. but dont i need also a fs in there?

with mke2fs i can create an ext2 or ext3, is that the way?

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## NathanZachary

I believe what you're looking for is:

```

mkfs.vfat /dev/xxx

```

Replacing xxx with the actual device location.  :Smile: 

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## Shockwaver

```
# mkfs.vfat /dev/sdc

bash: mkfs.vfat: command not found
```

sry im a lil bit noob  :Embarassed: 

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## NathanZachary

No need to apologise at all!  We were all n00bs at one point.  :Smile:   You need to emerge the package that contains mkfs.vfat by doing this:

```

emerge -av dosfstools

```

Please let me know if you need any further help.  :Smile: 

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## Shockwaver

Ty  :Very Happy: 

Done... only wandering now if i should really actually create a partition in the stick or formatting it entirelly using the -I option in mkfs.vfat

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## NathanZachary

I've always done it where I create the partition using fdisk and then assigning a filesystem to it.  However, feel free to try it the other way as well.  The beauty of it is that, if you have problems, you can just redo it.  :Smile: 

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