diff --git a/src/freedombone-controlpanel b/src/freedombone-controlpanel
index 4c5f0331..7fed3188 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-controlpanel
+++ b/src/freedombone-controlpanel
@@ -857,7 +857,10 @@ function backup_data {
     dialog --title $"Backup data to USB" \
            --msgbox $"Plug in a LUKS encrypted USB drive" 6 40
     clear
-    echo ' '
+    detect_usb_drive
+    echo ''
+    echo $"Detected USB drive $USB_DRIVE"
+    echo ''
     echo $'Enter the passphrase for your LUKS encrypted backup drive:'
     ${PROJECT_NAME}-backup-local
     any_key
@@ -873,22 +876,7 @@ function restore_data_from_storage {
         restore_command="${PROJECT_NAME}-restore-remote $remote_domain_name configuration;;"
     else
         remote_domain_name="$1"
-        if [ ! -b $USB_DRIVE ]; then
-            if [ -b /dev/sdb1 ]; then
-                USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdb1
-            fi
-            if [ -b /dev/sdc1 ]; then
-                USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdc1
-            fi
-            if [ -b /dev/sdd1 ]; then
-                USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdd1
-            fi
-            if [ -b /dev/sde1 ]; then
-                USB_DRIVE=/dev/sde1
-            fi
-            write_config_param USB_DRIVE "$USB_DRIVE"
-        fi
-
+        detect_usb_drive
         restore_command="${PROJECT_NAME}-restore-local $USB_DRIVE"
     fi
 
@@ -1122,34 +1110,13 @@ function reset_tripwire {
 }
 
 function format_drive {
-    drive=
+    detect_usb_drive
     data=$(tempfile 2>/dev/null)
     trap "rm -f $data" 0 1 2 5 15
-    dialog --backtitle $"Freedombone Control Panel" \
-           --title $"Format a USB drive (LUKS encrypted)" \
-           --radiolist $"Choose a drive:" 12 70 5 \
-           1 $"sda (Beaglebone Black)" off \
-           2 $"sdb" off \
-           3 $"sdc" off \
-           4 $"sdd" off \
-           5 $"Back to Backup and Restore menu" on 2> $data
-    sel=$?
-    case $sel in
-        1) return;;
-        255) return;;
-    esac
-    case $(cat $data) in
-        1) drive='sda';;
-        2) drive='sdb';;
-        3) drive='sdc';;
-        4) drive='sdd';;
-        5) return;;
-    esac
-
-    dialog --title $"Format USB drive" \
+    dialog --title $"Format USB drive $USB_DRIVE" \
            --backtitle $"Freedombone Control Panel" \
            --defaultno \
-           --yesno $"\nPlease confirm that you wish to format drive\n\n    ${drive}\n\nAll current data on the drive will be lost, and you will be prompted to give a password used to encrypt the drive.\n\nDANGER: If you screw up here and format the wrong drive it's your own fault!" 16 60
+           --yesno $"\nPlease confirm that you wish to format drive\n\n    ${USB_DRIVE}\n\nAll current data on the drive will be lost, and you will be prompted to give a password used to encrypt the drive.\n\nDANGER: If you screw up here and format the wrong drive it's your own fault!" 16 60
     sel=$?
     case $sel in
         1) return;;
@@ -1157,36 +1124,18 @@ function format_drive {
     esac
 
     clear
-    ${PROJECT_NAME}-format $drive
+    echo ''
+    echo $"Formatting drive $USB_DRIVE. ALL CONTENTS WILL BE LOST."
+    echo ''
+    ${PROJECT_NAME}-format $USB_DRIVE
     any_key
 }
 
 function remove_backups {
-    drive=
+    detect_usb_drive
     data=$(tempfile 2>/dev/null)
     trap "rm -f $data" 0 1 2 5 15
-    dialog --backtitle $"Freedombone Control Panel" \
-           --title $"Remove backups from a USB drive" \
-           --radiolist $"Choose a drive:" 12 70 5 \
-           1 $"sda (Beaglebone Black)" off \
-           2 $"sdb" off \
-           3 $"sdc" off \
-           4 $"sdd" off \
-           5 $"Back to Backup and Restore menu" on 2> $data
-    sel=$?
-    case $sel in
-        1) return;;
-        255) return;;
-    esac
-    case $(cat $data) in
-        1) drive='sda';;
-        2) drive='sdb';;
-        3) drive='sdc';;
-        4) drive='sdd';;
-        5) return;;
-    esac
-
-    dialog --title $"Remove backups from a USB drive" \
+    dialog --title $"Remove backups from a USB drive $USB_DRIVE" \
            --backtitle $"Freedombone Control Panel" \
            --defaultno \
            --yesno $"\nPlease confirm that you wish to remove backups from this drive\n\n    ${drive}\n\nYou will not be able to recover them afterwards." 12 60
@@ -1197,7 +1146,7 @@ function remove_backups {
     esac
 
     clear
-    ${PROJECT_NAME}-backup-local $drive remove
+    ${PROJECT_NAME}-backup-local $USB_DRIVE remove
     any_key
 }
 
diff --git a/src/freedombone-format b/src/freedombone-format
index 620b02c0..96ea836a 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-format
+++ b/src/freedombone-format
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ if [ ! $1 ]; then
    exit 1
 fi
 
-USB_DRIVE=/dev/${1}1
+if [[ "$1" == "/dev/"* ]]; then
+    USB_DRIVE=$1
+else
+    USB_DRIVE=/dev/${1}1
+fi
+
 LABEL="${PROJECT_NAME}"
 
 echo $'Partitioning drive'
diff --git a/src/freedombone-utils-setup b/src/freedombone-utils-setup
index f22660e0..e40c8c49 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-utils-setup
+++ b/src/freedombone-utils-setup
@@ -81,6 +81,38 @@ CHECK_MESSAGE="Check your internet connection, /etc/network/interfaces and /etc/
 # Default diffie-hellman key length in bits
 DH_KEYLENGTH=2048
 
+function detect_usb_drive {
+    # sets to the highest available drive letter
+    # which is likely to be the last drive connected
+    read_config_param USB_DRIVE
+    partition_number='1'
+    if [[ "$1" == "nopath" ]]; then
+        partition_number=''
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sdb${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdb${partition_number}
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sdc${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdc${partition_number}
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sdd${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdd${partition_number}
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sde${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sde${partition_number}
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sdf${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdf${partition_number}
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sdg${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdg${partition_number}
+    fi
+    if [ -b /dev/sdh${partition_number} ]; then
+        USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdh${partition_number}
+    fi
+    write_config_param USB_DRIVE "$USB_DRIVE"
+}
+
 function running_as_root {
     if [[ $EUID != 0 ]] ; then
         echo "0"