Restore bootable usb to original​

A bootable USB drive is a handy tool that allows you to install operating systems, run diagnostic tools, or perform various other tasks. However, there may come a time when you want to restore it to its original state, perhaps to reuse the USB drive for other purposes or because you no longer need the bootable functionality. 

Commonly used tools for creating bootable USB drives include Rufus (for Windows), Disk Utility (for macOS), and the dd command (in Linux). When we want to restore it, we need to reverse or overwrite these changes made during the creation process.

Method 1: Using Disk Management in Windows

Step 1: Open Disk Management

In Windows, you can access Disk Management by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting “Disk Management” from the context menu. This will open a window that shows all the connected disk drives and their partitions.

Step 2: Identify the Bootable USB Drive

Locate the USB drive in the list of disks. It will usually be labeled with its capacity and may have a specific partition layout that indicates it’s bootable. Pay attention to the drive letter assigned to it.

Step 3: Delete Partitions

Right-click on each partition on the bootable USB drive and select “Delete Volume.” Confirm the deletion when prompted. This will remove all the partitions and data on the USB drive. Keep in mind that this action is irreversible, so make sure you have backed up any important data on the USB if needed.

Step 4: Create a New Simple Volume

After deleting the partitions, right-click on the unallocated space on the USB drive and select “New Simple Volume.” Follow the wizard that appears, which will guide you through formatting the drive. You can choose the file system (such as NTFS or FAT32) depending on your needs. Once the process is complete, the USB drive will be restored to its original state as a regular storage device.

Method 2: Using Disk Utility on macOS

Step 1: Open Disk Utility

You can find Disk Utility in the “Utilities” folder within the “Applications” folder. Launch it, and it will display a list of all the connected disks and volumes.

Step 2: Select the Bootable USB Drive

Identify the bootable USB drive from the list. It will show details about its partitions and usage.

Step 3: Erase the Disk

Click on the “Erase” button in the Disk Utility toolbar. In the pop-up window, you can choose the format for the disk. For a standard USB drive restoration, you can usually select “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” or “ExFAT” if you want the drive to be compatible with both macOS and Windows. Give the disk a name if desired, and then click “Erase” to start the process. This will overwrite all the existing data and partitions on the USB drive and restore it to its original state as a usable storage device for macOS.

Step 4: Verify the Restoration

Once the erasure process is complete, you can check the USB drive in the Disk Utility list. It should now show as a single, formatted volume ready for storing files.

Method 3: Using the Command Line in Linux

Step 1: Identify the USB Drive

Use commands like lsblk or fdisk -l to list all the available disk devices and identify the USB drive. The USB drive will usually be listed with its device name, such as /dev/sdb (but this may vary depending on your system and the number of connected drives). Make sure you correctly identify the USB drive to avoid accidentally formatting the wrong device.

Step 2: Unmount the USB Drive

Before making any changes to the USB drive, it’s essential to unmount it. Use the command umount /dev/sdb1 (replace /dev/sdb1 with the actual partition of your USB drive if it has multiple partitions). This ensures that the drive is not in use and ready for formatting.

Step 3: Format the USB Drive

You can use commands like mkfs to format the USB drive. For example, if you want to format it as FAT32. you can use the command mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb (again, adjust the device name as per your actual USB drive). This will overwrite all the existing data on the drive and create a new file system, effectively restoring it to its original state as a simple storage device.

Step 4: Verify the Formatting

You can use commands like mount to remount the USB drive and then check if you can access it and write files to it. If everything works as expected, the USB drive has been successfully restored.

Additional Considerations

Data Backup

Before attempting any of the restoration methods, it’s crucial to back up any important data on the bootable USB drive. Once the restoration process begins, all the existing data will be lost.

USB Drive Health

If you encounter any issues during the restoration process, such as the drive not being recognized or errors during formatting, it could be an indication of a problem with the USB drive itself. You may want to test the drive using diagnostic tools available for your operating system or consider replacing the USB drive if it’s faulty.