How to Format HDD.

[bbaxi]

Formatting HDD
This method will take time especially if you are a novice, so be prepared.
If all else fails and you have checked all other components have found them to be functioning correctly, you find that you are still unable to format using your WINDOWS and/or recovery disk, also you have no FLOPPY drive to create an FDISK, you can however create a CD which contains FDISK and boot from that, failing all the above in an attempt to format your HDD you will need ACCESS to another PC and I stress ACCSESS to a second PC.
As I see quite a number of posts regarding FORMATTING this will help you as long as you are NOT a complete novice, if you are a novice PLEASE be careful, in understanding this article fully, you will succeed.
1. Before you work on any PC remove the mains supply cable, once removed [NO POWER] press the start button, as this will drain any power that is left in the PC. It is advisable to earth yourself while working on any PC, by means of a wrist earth strap.
2. Remove the HDD you need to format from your malfunctioning PC.
3. On the second PC providing it has a spare IDE/SATA connector connect the HDD making sure the jumpers are set correctly MASTER/SLAVE, IE: if the existing one is set to MASTER set the one you need to format to SLAVE or vice versa.
4. If you do not have a spare IDE remove one of your other drives CD/DVD etc: NOT your main HDD.
5. Now when you start the PC it will recognise the second HDD if asked which one to boot up from obviously use the existing one.
6. When the PC is up and running go to START click, scroll up to SETTINGS.
7. Now enter CONTROL PANEL click.
8. In control panel choose ADMINISTRATVE TOOLS double click to open.
9. Now choose COMPUTER MANAGEMENT double click to open.
10. When the window opens you will see on the left hand side DISK MANAGEMENT double click to open.
11. You will now see your HDD`s C=D=E= or similar.
12. Choose the drive you need to FORMAT you cannot format the HDD that is needed IE the operating system as it is in use.
13. Make sure you have chosen the correct HDD to format.
14. Now RIGHT click where it says C=D=E= or whatever a box will open
15. Choose FORMAT and run it you have a choice long or quick FORMAT make your choice.
16. When you have finished CLOSE all open windows, shut the PC down and you have a nice clean HARD DRIVE, now put it back in your computer and set up your operating system.
Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK!

 

[breezer]

I do not agree with 7,8 or 9

quicker way

my computer> select drive> right click>format

 

[bbaxi]

I do not agree with 7,8 or 9

quicker way

my computer> select drive> right click>format

This method will take time especially if you are a novice, so be prepared.
If all else fails and you have checked all other components have found them to be functioning correctly, you find that you are still unable to format using your WINDOWS and/or recovery disk,
There you are then

 

[breezer]

sorry, i dont follow

i merely pointed out a quicker / easier way of doing it.

(I also do not recall seeing that many posts asking how to format a HD. Just checked there are 7 posts that ask "how to format a hard drive" and only 37 with format, hard, drive, out of a total of 903,585 posts not that many is it)

I am not saying you are wrong, i am however saying that not that many people ask, and my suggestion is quicker when using a 2nd pc than your steps 7,8 & 9

 

[TonyWarrington]

If you cannot partition and format a HD from Windows XP (or Vista) CD or run a CD containing FDISK then perhaps before trying to format said HD on another PC it would be better to first download the manufacturers HD diagnostics to check the integrity of the device within the existing system.

The only times I have come across the scenario described have been attributable to mechanical drive failure - confirmed by running HD diagnostics.

 

[bbaxi]

sorry, i dont follow

i merely pointed out a quicker / easier way of doing it.

(I also do not recall seeing that many posts asking how to format a HD. Just checked there are 7 posts that ask "how to format a hard drive" and only 37 with format, hard, drive, out of a total of 903,585 posts not that many is it)

I am not saying you are wrong, i am however saying that not that many people ask, and my suggestion is quicker when using a 2nd pc than your steps 7,8 & 9

What I am saying is.
IF all else fails then do it the way I have described and that will solve the problem.When I say [I see a lot of people re HDD] I don’t mean on this forum I mean in general.

 

[bbaxi]

If you cannot partition and format a HD from Windows XP (or Vista) CD or run a CD containing FDISK then perhaps before trying to format said HD on another PC it would be better to first download the manufacturers HD diagnostics to check the integrity of the device within the existing system.

The only times I have come across the scenario described have been attributable to mechanical drive failure - confirmed by running HD diagnostics.

If all else fails

 

[TonyWarrington]

If all else fails

Thanks for the emphasised font - saved me needing my glasses

Sorry but I am unsure of the exact meaning of "If all else fails"

Would you not want to check the disk using diagnostics software before trying to force a format in another PC and waste time? I also suspect most novice users would not have a spare PC to play with, and who would want to allow a novice access to their own systems

If after checking all other components functioning correctly and BIOS settings checked and verified correct, then surely if you still cannot partition and format HD using Windows setup or FDISK then there is the strong possibility of mechanical or electrical failure within the HD.

 

[breezer]

............When I say [I see a lot of people re HDD] I don’t mean on this forum I mean in general.

well that was a waste of your time then wasn't it.

why post information on a forum that by your own admission, no one is going to read?

and my version of your 7,8,9 is still quicker

 

[bbaxi]

............When I say [I see a lot of people re HDD] I don’t mean on this forum I mean in general.

well that was a waste of your time then wasn't it.

why post information on a forum that by your own admission, no one is going to read?

and my version of your 7,8,9 is still quicker

Well YOU read it? If only to split hairs

 

[kkynaston]

There are loads of different methods of formatting a HDD using DOS\Windows utilities
(BTW the abbreviation is HDD, HD is the abbreviation of High Definition)

Although I prefer using a tool that will see all file systems so I can properly remove that pesky recovery partition that ships with most new PC's

 

[TonyWarrington]

(BTW the abbreviation is HDD, HD is the abbreviation of High Definition)
Correct - just got a bit lazy anyway within the context of this post it should have been clear that reference was to Hard Drive not High Def

Although I prefer using a tool that will see all file systems so I can properly remove that pesky recovery partition that ships with most new PC's
What would that tool be ?

 

[empip]

Apparently, for Win XP only.

Three partitions on primary disk, from XP disk management.
View media item 2162
'Inside' the same three partitions as seen from a ghosted image of primary drive ( using 'Norton Ghost 2003, Explorer' )
View media item 2161
Dell diagnostic partition; Regular NTFS C: partition ; DSR ( Dell System Recovery ) partition... The ghost file in, \img is the 'as shipped' XP partition.
I have extracted from the Ghost image and stored to DVD, as per instructions here ... http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/recover.htm
See final section on the 'recover' page Saving a Copy of the Ghost Image (DSR-DOS) from (3) to end.
I should in the event of a 'major / major' ( both drives dead or other associated malfunction) be able to restore the pc to the 'as shipped' condition...
Dell provide a disk for system re-installation, but this requires other component drivers to be re-installed etc, whereas the DSR ghost files restore the machine as to 'as delivered state' ...ready to roll.
Well, that's the theory anyway...
I like the idea of making the dvd even if one does not have access to N.Ghost, could be useful to someone.