partitioning - I used the 'dd' command to put a Linux image onto a flash drive, and it changed the flash drive's properties. How can I undo it?

When I dd'd the image onto the flash drive, somehow it changed it from an 8GB flash to 859MB. I don't know what I did wrong, but I don't really need to. I booted from a different flash drive.

The issue is that now that I've erased everything off of the flash drive, it has remained 859 MB with 4 unremovable partitions. Last time, I changed the file system of the flash from my windows PC and it eradicated the partitions and reset the flash drive, but I don't remember what I did.

Anyone have any ideas?

Answer

Windows doesn't handle multiple partitions on removeable USB drives very well. Clearing the partition table entirely and reformatting is the easiest.

You can clear the partition table with diskpart CLEAN, referenced here.

At a command prompt, type: Diskpart.exe

At the DISKPART prompt, type: SELECT DISK X

Make sure you select the right disk. Use LIST DISK to see and check against your flash drive's capacity and double check the drive letters.

At the DISKPART prompt, type: CLEAN ALL (The CLEAN ALL command removes all partition and volume information from the hard drive being focused on.)

At the DISKPART prompt, type: EXIT