[SOLVED] /dev/sda is in use by the system; will not make a filesystem here!

[pseudo granite]

Hey everyone I get the above error when I try to do mkfs.ext4 (arch guide on the official website says to do this) /dev/sda anyone know how to fix (in the mean time I'll google)

[low merlin]

Can you show us lsblk -f?

[azure escarp]

mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda
/dev/sda is the drive itself, are you sure this is not a typo?
It's most likely that what you really want is mkfs /dev/sdaX, where X is the partition number.

[pseudo granite]

No partitions on the drive

[azure escarp]

Are you sure you want to create a partitionless file system?

[pseudo granite]

no so I'm searching how to create partitions

[azure escarp]

You will then need to create them using a tool such as parted, fdisk or gdisk.

[pseudo granite]

or why not fdisk?

that's what digitial ocean is telling me to use

[azure escarp]

emphasise on such as

[pseudo granite]

ah

[azure escarp]

In short, press g to create a GUID partition table.

Then press n to create a new partition,

[pseudo granite]

done

getting the same exact error

[azure escarp]

Error from which command?

[pseudo granite]

mkfs .etx4 /dev/sda1

[azure escarp]

Have you previously placed a file system on the bare block device /dev/sda?

[pseudo granite]

nope

don't think so because it failed (had windows on it)

[next warren]

I would recommend, first go through the guide
https://itsfoss.com/install-arch-linux/

[azure escarp]

But I would press doubt button, since you tried to run mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda. Can you reboot?

[pseudo granite]

sure I can try

and using the official guide

and yes reboots done

[azure escarp]

Can you post the output of

lsblk -f

[pseudo granite]

uh okay

it works after a reboot

thanks Sevatvs for the rebooting tip

[next warren]

... solved

[terse anchor]

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Thank you

[pseudo granite]

[SOLVED] /dev/sda is in use by the system; will not make a filesystem here!