Remove GPT partition and Reset USB flash drive back to factory setting

Hi,
I have a USB flash drive that has previously been used by Rufus so it has a GPT partition style. I'd like to wipe it clean and put it back to factory settings (MBR partition, FAT32 etc).
Ive been told before that GPT has a second (backup) partition table at the end of the disk and I'm not sure if clean deletes that. I know there is a Clean All option but I don't know what that does. Does a Full Format instead of a quick format do exactly the same thing as Clean All would do? I want to ensure that it is free from all GPT partitions. What is the correct way to do it with Diskpart? Below, Ive listed my standard commands for resetting a standard MBR flash drive. I always use convert MBR just to be sure What else do I need to add to these commands to ensure GPT partitioning is fully removed and the flash drive is properly returned to factory settings?
diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
convert mbr
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick
active
assign
exit

Hi,
Right click and format.

On a GPT disk, I think clean and clean all typically have the same result. However, "clean" on an MBR disk removes only MBR partition and sector info.

But your disk has a history of Rufus and maybe other operating systems on it.

So, I'd probably use clean all even if it might not be necessary.

Clean all specifies that each and every sector on the disk is zeroed, which completely deletes all data contained on the disk.

ignatzatsonic said:

On a GPT disk, I think clean and clean all typically have the same result. However, "clean" on an MBR disk removes only MBR partition and sector info.

But your disk has a history of Rufus and maybe other operating systems on it.

So, I'd probably use clean all even if it might not be necessary.

Clean all specifies that each and every sector on the disk is zeroed, which completely deletes all data contained on the disk.

Would the commands I listed remove GPT completely if I did a Full Format instead of a Quick Format? Is a Full Format different to the Clean All command. The reason I ask is I thought a Full Format writes zero's on the drive and deletes all data on the disk too

sportsfan148 said:

Would the commands I listed remove GPT completely if I did a Full Format instead of a Quick Format? Is a Full Format different to the Clean All command. The reason I ask is I thought a Full Format writes zero's on the drive and deletes all data on the disk too

Diskpart's clean all versus Full Format Solved - Windows 7 Help Forums

The format command refers to partitions. The clean all command refers to disks.

Likewise, GPT and MBR refer to disks. Not partitions.

I've occasionally seen problems arising where formatting left residual code behind from other OSs that caused problems. I'd do a "clean all" if in doubt. It causes no harm, but would take longer.

ignatzatsonic said:

Diskpart's clean all versus Full Format Solved - Windows 7 Help Forums

The format command refers to partitions. The clean all command refers to disks.

Ah I see. So GPT has nothing at all to do with the primary partition, GPT (or MBR for that matter) refers to the disk only. Ive read that GPT has a second partition table at the end of the disk (one is a backup). The article I read said that Clean might not delete that backup but a Full Format instead of Quick format would.
Quote from the article :-
"Clean destroys the partition table. There is also "Clean all" which zeros the disk. If you are formatting after without "quick" option it doesn't matter but...
GPT has a second (backup) partition table at the end of the disk and I'm not sure if clean deletes that. If you just "clean", "convert mbr" and then format with "quick" the first partition table will be will be overwritten certainly. If you omitted the "quick" the second backup partition table would also be overwritten and could not be retrieved. If you did a "quick" format as mbr knows nothing about the second backup gpt structure it could in theory be retrieved"
What do you think?

sportsfan148 said:

What do you think?

diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
convert mbr
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick
active
assign
exit

That's all you have to do.

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
Right click and format.

That will not change a GPT drive to MBR.

- - - Updated - - -

NavyLCDR said:

diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
convert mbr
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick
active
assign
exit

That's all you have to do.



That will not change a GPT drive to MBR.

Hi mate. So the commands I listed will completely get rid of all traces of GPT partition table (including the second backup partition table at the end of the disk). Theres no requirement for Clean All or a Full format on the flash drive?

sportsfan148 said:

Hi mate. So the commands I listed will completely get rid of all traces of GPT partition table (including the second backup partition table at the end of the disk). Theres no requirement for Clean All or a Full format on the flash drive?

What is your goal? If your goal is to make the USB flash drive usable again as an MBR drive just like it was fresh out of the package, then the commands above will do that.

If your goal is to securely erase the drive so that no data can be forensically recovered from it by the NSA, CIA, MI6, SIS, etc.... then the above commands will not work for that and you should run some type of secure erase program such as DBAN.

But if you want to securely erase it to prevent forensic data recovery, then I would just burn the thing in a hot fire and pay $10 for a new one.