Re: How to format secondary HDD?


"Solus" <Solus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:18D17068-A1C4-42D0-AFF3-324BFA6A4E92@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,
I am running XP SP3.
I have TWO HHD's setup as follows:

Primary MASTER HDD <--- Used for XP
Primary SLAVE DVD ROM

Secondary MASTER DVD R/RW
Secondary SLAVE HDD <--- Used for data storage

The problem i am having is that I cannot format the Secondary slave
HDD.
I
keep getting error pop up:
"Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities or other
programs
that are using this drive, and make sure that no windows are
displaying
the
contents of the drive. Then try formatting again"

I have also tried pressing F8 during boot up and starting in safe mode
with
command prompt but still no go.

Is it possible to boot into "Real" DOS mode to run the format command?
What else can i do to format his HDD?

FYI: this secondary drive did have XP installed on it before i moved
it
to
the "slave" position and i have deleted 99.9% of the files thaat were
on
it
with the exception of several files that i cannot delete for some
reason.

thanks in advance for your help.


"~BD~" <BoaterDave@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23G07I06fJHA.1252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello "Solus" - I feel for you!

Please note that I am *not* one of the guru's who may advise you later,
just a user like you.

In past experimentation I've used FDISK (from a Windows 98 disk if you
have access) and also Darik's Boot and Nuke, details here:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darik%27s_Boot_and_Nuke

HTH
--
Dave


"Anna" wrote:
Solus:
Well I suppose the programs Dave mentions might resolve your problem, but
first...

When you say you "keep getting error pop up" that "Windows cannot formt
this
drive." Are you using the Disk Management snap-in to accomplish this? Is
that where you're getting this error message?

Using Disk Management...have you tried to *delete* the present
partition(s)
on that secondary HDD before formatting the disk? If not, this is what
you
should try. After so doing, create whatever partition(s) you desire on
the
disk and try the formatting routine again.

If there's still a problem, make sure you check out the disk with the HDD
diagnostic utility you usually can download from the disk's manufacturer.
It's conceivable you may be dealing with a defective disk. In any event
check it out.

Naturally you're sure you've properly connected and configured (jumpered)
the secondary HDD, right?

Another thing to try (again assuming you're dealing with a non-defective
disk), is to connect it as a Primary Slave or Secondary Master. See what
happens then.

Do you have a floppy disk drive and a DOS bootup disk, e.g., a Win9x/Me
startup disk?
Anna


"Solus" <Solus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:38659407-DA94-4F01-8326-8E6D22EDDAD0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi sorry for late reply.
Basically the HDD is fine, i have been using it for several months as a
secondary slave, prior to this it was primary master.
when i added a new primary hdd i did not format the original as i wanted
to
save my user files later.
it is all configured fine, but due to my tower placement i wish to avoid
opening the case.
I have not tried to format via Disk Management, rather i have simply right
clicked the hdd icon and gone through this method to format which keeps
giving the error.

Would you kindly elaborate re: the disk management avenue to format, i
have
tried to use the X to delete but then have the error "drive has an active
paging file" msg.

Forgive my stoopidity, could you provide detailed procedure re: how to
format via disk mgmnt. OR i do have a floppy drive and win ME CD but no
startup disk.

Thanks in advance


Solus:
Well you obviously know how to access DM so we won't go into that.

Simply right-click on the listing of the disk and click on the "Delete
Partition" sub-menu item. If there's more than one partition on the disk,
you'll be repeating the delete partition process for each partition.

After the existing partition(s) have been deleted, DM will indicate all the
disk space is "Unallocated".

Now you want to create one or more partitions (as you desire). Right-click
on the unallocated entry and select "New Partition" from the sub-menu. The
"New Partition Wizard" will open and you can progress through the screens.
Presumably you'll be creating the partition(s) as "Primary partition".

You'll get to a screen that has pre-selected the "Format the partition..."
option. Click Next, check the final confirmation screen and click Finish.
That should complete the process. (It will take some time for the formatting
process to complete.)

Re:open DM and check to see all is well with the partitioning/formatting of
the disk.
Anna



.

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