# Problem Creating Image on external SDD partition **URL:** \ **Category:** Hardware Owners Support\ **Created:** [November 12, 2021, 9:15pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/problem-creating-image-on-external-sdd-partition/1823 "2021-11-12T21:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3
**Author:** ![frank.olliery](https://discuss.freedombox.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@frank.olliery](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/frank.olliery)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2021, 3:37am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/problem-creating-image-on-external-sdd-partition/1823/3 "2021-11-14T03:37:28Z")
Thank you for the valuable advice on a possible way to create an image on the first partition of the sdd, in order to run the operating system from it… The reality is that I am not presently knowledgeable enough to get your advice to work properly (even though my main operating system at home is Ubuntu 20.04). And, no, I don’t need the partitions to be formatted as EXT4. It is a matter of wanting the second partition to be accessible for storage by other users, not just for running the system. Today, I reformatted the whole sdd (a few times) including formatting the first partition to btrfs format. Once I did so, I lost connection with that partition outside of the command line terminal. For example, Ubuntu would not recognize the partition via the file manager. I think that I am missing something so basic but critical piece that could make things work. I see a possible approach as described in: [Trying to install Freedombox onto Cubietruck SSD - #3 by sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/trying-to-install-freedombox-onto-cubietruck-ssd/1039/3). But, I am using a WD sdd and not the cubietruck. Your more basic level of help would be appreciated in knowing how to transfer the image successfully to the first sdd partition. In step 3, I see two commands in [FreedomBox/Download - Debian Wiki](https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox/Download#Downloading_on_Debian:) (1) $ dd bs=1M if=freedombox-stable-free\_buster\_cubietruck-armhf.img of=/dev/sdg conv=fdatasync status=progress (2) $ cat freedombox-stable-free\_buster\_cubietruck-armhf.img \> /dev/sdg ; sync I tried both without success. What I appear to be missing, I think, is likely the initial format for that partition and/or some other setting up steps that may be needed. Thank you in advance for any advice. --- _[View the full topic](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/problem-creating-image-on-external-sdd-partition/1823)._