Unable to format 2nd HD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim
  • Start date Start date
J

Jim

I have a second HD on my system that I used for data & programs. I just
removed all the info from this disk and now I want to re-format it.

The system keeps telling I must quit any disk utilities or other programs
before I can format.

There are no utility programs running (to my knowledge), the disk share is
off as well as system restore. I even tried formatting in the safe mode - no
luck, it will not let me format this drive.

All suggestions greatly appreciated.

Jim
 
Jim said:
I have a second HD on my system that I used for data & programs. I
just removed all the info from this disk and now I want to
re-format it.
The system keeps telling I must quit any disk utilities or other
programs before I can format.

There are no utility programs running (to my knowledge), the disk
share is off as well as system restore. I even tried formatting in
the safe mode - no luck, it will not let me format this drive.

All suggestions greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

*How* are you trying to format it?
Are you utilizing Disk Manager to do this? (delete the partitions, create a
new partition and format it)
 
Thanks Stanley. No I was not using Disk Manager but I am now. Looks like I
must convert the disk to a dynamic vol. because the options I need are
dimmed out - is that correct??

Jim
 
Jim said:
Thanks Stanley. No I was not using Disk Manager but I am now. Looks
like I must convert the disk to a dynamic vol. because the options
I need are dimmed out - is that correct??

Jim

Shenan Stanley said:
*How* are you trying to format it?
Are you utilizing Disk Manager to do this? (delete the partitions,
create a new partition and format it)
Click to expand...

No. Not at all. Dynamic Disks would make things more complicated and give
you nothing.

It sounds to me like the system may believe this drive you are trying to
format is a system drive and thus - it cannot format it. Igt would be like
standing on a rug and trying to pick it up and carry it off.

Open a command prompt. (Start button --> RUN --> CMD --> OK)
Type in "diskpart" and press enter.
Once the prompt turns into a diskpart prompt, type "list disk" and press
enter.
Whichever one of the disks listed is the one in question, you need to
select. Assuming you only have two physical disks, you would type in
"select disk 1" and press enter.
Once you select the proper disk, type in "detail disk" and press enter.
Under the "Info" column - what does it say for the selected disk?
Type in "exit" and press enter to exit diskpart and type in "exit" and press
enter again to close the command prompt window.
Click to expand...
 
PS:
I am using this disk on a Windows XP Pro system and I plan to use this
spare HD on a Windows Server system.

Jim
 
I have a second HD on my system that I used for data & programs. I just
removed all the info from this disk and now I want to re-format it.
Click to expand...



Shenan has already give you good advice, but let me ask why you are
trying to format it if you have already removed "all the info"?
Formatting essentially will leave the drive much as it already is at
present.
 
Thanks Stanley.

Well I went ahead and converted it to a dynamic vol (before I read this
message) and then formatted it. I had planned to change it back to a "basic"
disk but I just discovered that I'm going to need a much larger HD for what
I plan to do.

Anyway I learned a lot from you and by the way, this disk did have an OS on
it at one time.

Thanks again

Jim

 
I guess the only reason was because this drive had an OS installed on it at
one time and I thought I needed to re-format it.

Jim
 
I guess the only reason was because this drive had an OS installed on it at
one time and I thought I needed to re-format it.
Click to expand...


The fact that it once had an operating system on it is irrelevant.
From what you've told us so far, I don't see any reason for you to
bother formatting it. Formatting an empty drive essentially leaves it
unchanged, as I said.


 
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