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How to Reformat a Secondary Hard Drive

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by SarahB, 2009/08/16.

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  1. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I have a secondary D drive in my tower which is the hard drive and OS from my old computer. It has no function in my current computer (C drive has the current OS) other than I kept it in case I needed anything from it. I haven't in 3 years so it's time to reformat it and use it as an empty data drive.
    However none of the Windows ways of formatting will allow me to.
    Do I need to use the Windows CD to do it?
     
    SarahB,
    #1
  2. 2009/08/16
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Control Panel->System Icon->Restore tab->disable System Restore on the 2nd drive and reboot. Then try to re-format.
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  4. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi Steve,
    Thanks for your reply.
    I have done as you suggest, but it still won't format!
     
    SarahB,
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  5. 2009/08/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Sarah

    I mentioned in your other thread to post the OS of both drives and whether or not you are dual booting.
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi Peter,
    My C drive (current OS) is Windows XP
    The D drive (old PC) I think was also XP.
    I don't know if it is a dual boot. I wouldn't have thought so, but how could I confirm?
    S
     
    SarahB,
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  7. 2009/08/16
    hawk22

    hawk22 Geek Member

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    Did you go to Disk Management, highlight the drive in question, right click on it and select Format
     
    hawk22,
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  8. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi Hawk,
    Yes, this didn't work either!
     
    SarahB,
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  9. 2009/08/16
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    What message do you get when you try to format?
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  10. 2009/08/16
    hawk22

    hawk22 Geek Member

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    Sarah, do you have that drive on a separate cable as a slave drive. It sounds to me like what Pete is thinking Windows seems to think that that drive is part of the System Drive and that would not allow you to Format.
     
    hawk22,
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  11. 2009/08/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Hawk - you were reading my mind - although that is elsewhere at present with my new build :)

    Sarah

    I have the odd suggestion, but they would involve opening the case and poking around.
     
    PeteC,
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  12. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks everyone for your replies.

    Steve,
    The message I get is "Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive & make sure that no window is displaying the contents of the drive. Then try formatting again. "

    Hawk,
    It would appear the 2 drives are connected to the motherboard by one cable.

    Peter,
    The side is off the case and I'm ready to start poking around!

    Sarah
     
    SarahB,
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  13. 2009/08/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    OK - lawn mown, roses deheaded .... :)

    We'll take this slowly .....

    Power down the computer, turn off at the mains, but leave the plug in the socket to provide an earth. If your mains socket is not switched look on the back of the case for a power switch - by the power lead and turn it off - leave the lead connected to the mains.

    Remove the ribbon cable from the D:\ drive

    Power up and reboot. If successful as I guess it will be then we are sure that D:\ is playing no part as far as the system is concerned.

    Download & run SIW and look under Hardware and post the Make and Model no. of the drive - you can identify it by drive letter.
     
    PeteC,
    #12
  14. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Peter,
    The C Drive is a Seagate ST3200820AS
    The D Drive is a Seagate ST3120022A
    Now for the ribbon test................
    S
     
    SarahB,
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  15. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    No, it won't reboot with the ribbon cable out of the D drive!
    Get message NTLDR missing. Use Ctrl Alt & Del to restart & this just repeats.
    So, what now???
     
    SarahB,
    #14
  16. 2009/08/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Interesting - explains why the format option was greyed out. Whoever installed your current drive and OS fouled up - probably left the old drive connected.

    Now you can see why it was necessary to proceed with caution - it would have been so easy to nuke the drive, which would have been my suggestion had the computer booted without D:\ attached, and you would have been up the creek without the proverbial :)

    Simple solution - delete all data off the drive and use the space available for storage.

    There are solutions available for 'NTLDR missing', but your situation looks to be pretty unique. I would be inclined to leave well alone until you upgrade to Windows 7 with a clean install.

    Remember you can set your malware scans to omit D:\ drive.
     
    PeteC,
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  17. 2009/08/16
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Oh bother! Why are these things never simple?!
    S
     
    SarahB,
    #16
  18. 2009/08/17
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Peter,
    I have deleted everything from drive D except the Windows and Documents & Settings folders, which it won't delete. Is there any way of doing this without killing the sysytem?

    Just out of interest, what are the solutions for NTLDR missing?

    I think it's time I went on a computer building / maintenance course! Know any good ones around here?

    S
     
    SarahB,
    #17
  19. 2009/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    No - they are System Files and removing them will kill your system as it stands. BTW I postedd ....
    i.e. your data :) - not Windows folders.
    To be absolutely sure of not killing the system the only solution I would contemplate is a clean install of XP on your current drive - with the second drive disconnected

    The methods for resolving NTLDR missing are based on Windows not looking on another drive for NTLDR and basically involve copying a few files from a working XP install onto the sick computer. IMHO to do that on your system is risky.
    No, but you will not get better advice from anywhere other than WindowsBBS and coincidentally you have your tame guru just down the road :D
     
    PeteC,
    #18
  20. 2009/08/17
    SarahB

    SarahB Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Peter,
    I know you said data, but I thought I'd have a go at everything!:D

    You might regret being the guru just down the road! Are you really tame??:D

    Thanks for your time and advice (again!).

    Sarah
     
    SarahB,
    #19
  21. 2009/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    You will find out, but 'star' comes to mind :D
     
    PeteC,
    #20
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