How to format Veracrypt external storage when you don't have the password?

Question

I've created this Veracrypt USB storage once and never used it. I've forgotten the password but I still want to use this storage.

What should I do? When I plug I can't mount it because I don't have the password and I need to mount it in order to format it/reset it.

Formatting, ie. overwriting with a new filesystem, doesn't require mounting of the old one. ... What OS, and what preferred disk management tool? — deviantfan, Jul 24, 2017 at 18:19
I've used Windows for the moment and it did not work as I expected. Formatting did not succeed. Do you have any tools to recommend ? — Deewy, Jul 25, 2017 at 5:36
GParted (which is not on Windows). As WadihM writes below, Windows often can't even recoginze that it's eg. a writable device ... and it can't handle certain GPT layouts, and and and... — deviantfan, Jul 25, 2017 at 17:24

Wadih M. · Accepted Answer · 2021-05-20 19:55:45Z

-1

You don't need to mount the encrypted drive if you just want to discard the data on it and make it usable again.

I would recommend using Rufus to reformat it when you're having difficulties doing it with Windows.

This will turn it back into a usable disk.

answered Jul 24, 2017 at 18:40

Wadih M.

1,1327 silver badges20 bronze badges

Actually using another tool than Windows formatter worked. @Wadih M. gave me the idea to use a Live USB maker and it worked as a charm (the Fedora one).
– Deewy
Jul 25, 2017 at 8:26
@Deewy happy to hear the answered helped you resolve your issue. I've had a similar issue in the past where Windows would not see a previously Mac-formatted USB disk at all so it wouldn't let me format it at all. You can mark this as answered it should compensate for the downvote I received.
– Wadih M.
Jul 25, 2017 at 13:30
"This will erase the encrypted data" I think that's not what happens. The encrypted data will still be there, but with encrypted headers gone during the formatting it will be unrecoverable
– Alexey Andronov
Feb 14, 2019 at 3:29
@AlexeyAndronov you are right, thanks, I was trying to simplify the language but missed that slight aberration of language. I have removed that sentence completely to not inadvertently imply any wrong behavior, because ultimately the question was just about how to make the disk usable again. btw I found out your comment by chance though, please use @ to alert us of comments so we can come back and correct it!
– Wadih M.
May 20, 2021 at 19:45

Add a comment |

1 Answer 1