Cannot delete partition in diskpart - invalid argument?
I'm trying to delete a partition on a UFD using Diskpart. I am running it through an elevated CMD prompt. But the problem is it reports that I am using an invalid argument. Please see the log below.
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart
Microsoft DiskPart version 6.3.9600
Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: SKANNING24
DISKPART> list disk
Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 465 GB 1024 KB *
Disk 1 Online 3819 MB 3670 MB *
DISKPART> select disk 1
Disk 1 is now the selected disk.
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 49 MB 64 KB
Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> select partition 1
Partition 1 is now the selected partition.
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
* Partition 1 Primary 49 MB 64 KB
Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> delete
Microsoft DiskPart version 6.3.9600
DISK - Delete a missing disk from the disk list.
PARTITION - Delete the selected partition.
VOLUME - Delete the selected volume.
DISKPART> delete partition 1
The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP DELETE PARTITION
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
* Partition 1 Primary 49 MB 64 KB
Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> select partition 2
Partition 2 is now the selected partition.
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 49 MB 64 KB
* Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> delete partition 2
The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP DELETE PARTITION
DISKPART> help delete partition
Deletes the partition with focus.
Syntax: DELETE PARTITION [NOERR] [OVERRIDE]
NOERR For scripting only. When an error is encountered, DiskPart
continues to process commands as if the error did not occur.
Without the NOERR parameter, an error causes DiskPart to exit
with an error code.
OVERRIDE Enables DiskPart to delete any partition regardless of type.
Typically, DiskPart only permits you to delete known data
partitions.
You cannot delete the system partition, boot partition, or any partition
that contains the active paging file or crash dump (memory dump) filed.
A partition must be selected for this operation to succeed.
Partitions cannot be deleted from dynamic disks or created on dynamic
disks.
Example:
DELETE PARTITION
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 49 MB 64 KB
* Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> delete partition 2 override
The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP DELETE PARTITION
DISKPART>
Q: What is the "argument" in this case? And why is it not valid?
This is not the first time that I'm using Diskpart, I have used it several times before whenever there were special hidden recovery partitions on a disk drive that could not be removed with conventional disk tools like Diskmgmt.msc. So I'm pretty sure I got the syntax right and I am doing everything according to the help pages.
I am working on Windows 8.1 and the UFD is a SanDisk Cruzer Blade 4 GB, brand new. I only had PassMark Memtest86 installed on it and that's about all I ever used it for. I have formatted the UFD today to remove Memtest86 from it (quick format in Explorer), but a hidden EFI partition was left on the UFD. See screenshot below.
Invalid argument! I got it now.
There's no need to append the command with the partition number when the partition is already selected.
Instead of:
select partition 2
delete partition 2 override
Use this:
select partition 2
delete partition override
As simple as that...
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
(c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. Med ensamrätt.
C:\Windows\system32>diskpart
Microsoft DiskPart version 6.2.9200
Copyright (C) 1999-2012 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: SKANNING26
DISKPART> list disk
Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 698 GB 0 B *
Disk 1 Online 3819 MB 3670 MB *
DISKPART> select disk 1
Disk 1 is now the selected disk.
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 49 MB 64 KB
Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> select partition 1
Partition 1 is now the selected partition.
DISKPART> delete partition 1
The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP DELETE PARTITION
DISKPART> delete partition
DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> select partition 2
Partition 2 is now the selected partition.
DISKPART> delete partition
Virtual Disk Service error:
Det går inte att ta bort en skyddad partition utan att parametern Tvinga skyddad
har angetts.
DISKPART> list partition
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
* Partition 2 System 98 MB 51 MB
DISKPART> delete partition override
DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.
DISKPART> list partition
There are no partitions on this disk to show.
DISKPART>
