* Using a "terminal" session, login in using the "root" user ID.

* The "device name" of the drive needs to be determined.

Enter the following command:

dmesg

:'''Please Note: THIS WILL ERASE ALL DATA ON /dev/sdb1, MAKE SURE THIS IS THE CORRECT USB DRIVE AND NOT ANOTHER DRIVE.'''

The following information is displayed:

<pre>mke2fs 1.42.5 (29-Jul-2012)

Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done</pre>

* Whenever a drive is formatted in Linux, about 5% is reserved of the total space on the drive for the operating system to continue using the hard drive to operate, even if it gets full. This is totally unnecessary for a USB external hard drive if it stores only data and not to run an operating system.

Enter the following to remove the reserved space:

tune2fs -m 0 /dev/sdb1