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Asked: 2024-09-26T13:09:31+05:30 In:

What could be the reasons behind the extremely slow formatting process of hard drives on Ubuntu, and how can I resolve this issue?

I’ve been wrestling with this frustrating issue while trying to format some hard drives on Ubuntu. Let me set the scene: I’ve got a couple of older drives I want to repurpose, but every time I try to format them, it feels like I’m waiting for paint to dry. I initially thought it was just one drive acting up, but no, all of them are taking way too long—like, we’re talking hours for a simple format!

I’ve tried the usual methods through both the GUI and terminal, but it’s still a snail’s pace burn. I started by checking the drives for errors, thinking maybe they were just old and cranky. That’s when I stumbled upon some articles discussing various potential culprits. There’s something about how the drives might be connected that could be the issue, but I’m not too tech-savvy when it comes to hardware. Is it possibly related to the type of file system I’m trying to use? I remember reading somewhere that formatting types can impact speed, but I’m unsure which one would be fastest for my situation.

Last time, I tried using GParted, and it let me partition the drives without too much trouble, but the format option was still taking forever. I even checked the disk health with smartctl to see if there were any signs of trouble. Maybe it’s just my system being slow? I’ve seen people recommend using specific commands in the terminal that are supposed to speed things up, but I’m hesitant to go all-in without knowing for sure.

If anybody out there has faced a similar problem or has tips on what could be going wrong or how to speed up this tortoise pace of mine, I’d be forever grateful! Seriously, any advice on how to tackle this weird slow formatting issue would really help—especially if you’ve actually solved it before. Thanks in advance for any insights you can share!

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    2 Answers


    1. When dealing with slow drive formatting issues on Ubuntu, there are several factors that could be affecting the speed. Firstly, the type of file system you choose to format the drives with can greatly influence the duration; for example, ext4 typically performs better than FAT32 for larger drives due to its journaling capabilities. It’s also crucial to check the physical connections of your drives—using a SATA connection rather than USB can significantly enhance speed. If you’re utilizing USB connections, consider trying different ports or even another computer to see if the performance varies. Additionally, if the drives are particularly old, their mechanical components might be contributing to the slowdown. Utilizing `smartctl` to gauge the health of the drives is a good start, but you may want to look out for errors or other signs of significant wear.

      In terms of actual formatting, you could try using the terminal command `mkfs.ext4` (replace ext4 with your preferred file system if needed) after partitioning the drives in GParted, as commands executed in the terminal often yield better performance than GUI tools. If you find the GUI is still lagging, consider running the formatting process in a live session with a lighter Linux distribution or use a tool like `dd` for wiping the drives, which may help reset them and allow for a quicker reformatting process. Lastly, ensure your system isn’t running too many resource-heavy processes during this time, as it could cause the formatting to drag on unnecessarily. Good luck, and hopefully, these suggestions lead to a much swifter formatting experience!







    2. Formatting Hard Drives on Ubuntu

      Formatting Hard Drives on Ubuntu

      It sounds like you’re having a tough time! Formatting older drives can definitely be a pain, especially if they’re taking ages. Here are a few things you might want to check or try:

      Check Connections

      First off, make sure that the drives are properly connected. If they’re connected via USB, try different ports or even a different computer if you can. Sometimes, outdated cables or ports can cause slow performance.

      File System Matters

      You mentioned file systems; they’re a big deal. For speed, you might want to try formatting them to ext4, which usually works faster on Linux systems. But if you’re looking for compatibility with other systems, FAT32 is also a decent choice for larger drives that need to work across different platforms.

      Using the Terminal

      If GParted is being slow, you could try using the mkfs command in the terminal which might be faster. Here’s a quick rundown:

      sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX

      Just replace /dev/sdX with your actual drive identifier. You can find that using lsblk.

      Disk Health Check

      It’s good that you checked the disk health with smartctl. If there are errors reported, it might be worth checking if the drives are failing. An older drive might just be too far gone.

      System Performance

      You could also check your system’s performance while formatting. Open up htop and see if there’s any process hogging up the CPU or memory when you’re trying to format the drives.

      Ask for Help!

      Finally, you’re not alone in this! It’s totally okay to ask others for help if you’re feeling stuck. The community is usually pretty helpful, and someone might have faced the same slow issue.

      Good luck! Hope you get those drives formatted quickly!


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