I can confirm that the bug exists (and has a simple workaround). Mine is an updated UbuntuMate (15.04) and while trying to create a new Bootable USB pen drive got the same error. As mentioned elsewhere, opened up the pen drive in fdisk, removed all partitions, created one partition as 'c' type (VFAT ...), exit, mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1. Now when I go back and create the bootable USB it works as expected.
My machine: $ lsb_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 15.04 Release: 15.04 Codename: vivid -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to udisks2 in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1294877 Title: Error erasing device: Unknown or unsupported erase type `' Status in OEM Priority Project: Fix Released Status in OEM Priority Project trusty series: Fix Released Status in udisks: Invalid Status in udisks2 package in Ubuntu: Invalid Status in usb-creator package in Ubuntu: Fix Released Status in udisks2 source package in Trusty: Invalid Status in usb-creator source package in Trusty: Fix Released Bug description: [Impact] * This bug is a runtime exception caused by invalid erase type. * With this bug users can not erase disks with usb-creator. [Test Case] * Prepare an usbstick with any partition(s), this could be done with "gparted". * Launch usb-creator-gtk or usb-creator-kde. * Insert the usbstick, click the button "Erase Disk". * It will popup an exception window with the error message similar to: Traceback (most recent call last): File "format.py", line 7, in <module> block.call_format_sync('dos', GLib.Variant('a{sv}', {'erase': GLib.Variant('s', '')}), None) gi._glib.GError: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Error.Failed: Error erasing device: Unknown or unsupported erase type `' * Please be noted, the erase operation may still fail even with this bug properly fixed due to some other bugs, such as bug #1318954. [Regression Potential] * Since the erasing operation is also blocked by other bugs, we may not be able to verify the entire erasing operation, in such a case we can not promise the effect of the patch, and it may (although not sure to) has other side effect such as: [1]: http://udisks.freedesktop.org/docs/latest/gdbus- org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Block.html#gdbus-method-org-freedesktop- UDisks2-Block.Format A dialog with the following text appears anytime I try to wipe my usb pen (both when partitioned and unpartitioned): org.freedesktop.DBus.Python.gi._glib.GError: Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/service.py", line 707, in _message_cb retval = candidate_method(self, *args, **keywords) File "/usr/share/usb-creator/usb-creator-helper", line 239, in Format block.call_format_sync('dos', GLib.Variant('a{sv}', {'erase': GLib.Variant('s', '')}), None) gi._glib.GError: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Error.Failed: Error synchronizing after initial wipe: Timed out waiting for object ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04 Package: usb-creator-gtk 0.2.55 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-17.37-generic 3.13.6 Uname: Linux 3.13.0-17-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.13.3-0ubuntu1 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: Unity Date: Wed Mar 19 23:26:15 2014 InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-05 (165 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Beta amd64 (20131005) SourcePackage: usb-creator UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2013-12-10 (99 days ago) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/oem-priority/+bug/1294877/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : [email protected] Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp

