Bug 209784

Version:            (using KDE 4.3.1)
Installed from:    I Don't Know

I firmly believe that a simple tool to format removable (USB, Firewire and maybe even floppies) discs is LONG overdue to be added as a standard KDE app.

Look at the massive popularity of USB flash drives and USB MP3 players- almost everybody has one (in the UK at least). In 2009 all common desktop tasks should be easily achieved without resorting to the terminal and this list of common tasks most certainly involves formatting removable discs- in fact this long standing missing feature is one of the very few reasons I still can't unreservedly recommend Linux to non-techies. This has been a standard feature in that other OS for over a decade.

gparted is total overkill and not really suitable, before anyone mentions it, not least because it seems to be unable to label disks.

What we need is to be able to right-click the icon for removable disc, choose format, choose if you want FAT16 or FAT32 (with maybe an ext2/3/4 option for good measure?), enter the name of the volume, push the Format button and then you will be asked for confirmation before the format takes place.

I would very much appreciate being able to choose if I want FAT16 or 32 and not have the tool choose for me based upon the size of the volume or have it place uneccessary restrictions like the Windows format tool- I've got a 250GB USB HD here thats formatted as FAT16 as thats how it shipped from the factory.

Thanks to the KDE devs for listening to my suggestions!



This feature request was originally submitted through KDE Brainstorm, and has been submitted to Bugzilla due to popular demand. Original idea: http://forum.kde.org/brainstorm.php#idea38981