Cannot format Hard Disk - Engraving Etc. Forum

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	ALL	1 of 29

3872.1
Hi Gang, I cannot format my hard diskon my laptop. Running XPHome. The message I get is quote: Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive and make sure that no window is displaying the contents of this drive then try formatting again. I have removed every device. Disabled EVERYTHING in the start up tab of msconfig, closed every window and still it does not work. Further I have tried to format the drive from the dos prompt. I get a message similar to the one above, but asking if I want to force a dismount of the drive. I chose yes....that does not work either. A search of the knowlegdge base at the Bill Gates Money machine website ( microsoft.com) proved futile. Any suggestions? Anyone want a good deal on a Dell notebook? ( insert laugh here) As always, than you in advance.

From:	Ken D. (KDEVORY)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	2 of 29

3872.2 In reply to 3872.1
It sounds like you are running dos or windows from the disk you are trying to format. Try booting the computer, and runing format, from another drive. Ken Devory Jr.

From:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	3 of 29

3872.3 In reply to 3872.1

Make an emergency boot disk from that computer. It will get all of the drivers necessary to run the system from CD/floppy. Or get on line and download a boot blank disk (whatever they call it).

Be sure you are set to try to boot from CD/floppy first in the firmware of the machine. Shut the computer and boot from that disk. Then it should work.

Of course you will have to reinstall windows.

If your problem is that Windows refused to run due to a change in the computer, it probably needs to be handled differently. If so let me know.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Tips Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	ALL	4 of 29

3872.4

Ken and Harvey,
I thought I could do that from a CD but I am unable to "format d: /s" so I guess I should hunt down a floppy and my external drive.
It has been so long since I have worked in dos ( god how I miss it) I do not remember is the /s switch puts fdisk and format on the floppy or not. Do you?

Thanks

From:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	5 of 29

3872.5 In reply to 3872.4

/s installs the system files. This was in DOS and I do not know if it works with XP.

Is D: your boot disk? It is usually C: with XP making a partition of D: for some files.

I just looked on my system, no d: on the hard drive, D: is my ZIP drive. Could have sworn that on my other units D: was a system partition. But then again this computer came with ME and was upgraded, the others came with XP.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Tips Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

EDITED: 19 May 2006 by HARVEY-ONLY

From:	Ken D. (KDEVORY)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	6 of 29

3872.6 In reply to 3872.4

The system may be using it for temporary files when running.

Why are you trying to reformat the drive, what is on it, and what do you want to put on it? (some additional information may help.)

Ken Devory Jr.

From:	Shaddy	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	7 of 29

3872.7 In reply to 3872.4

Usually your XP installation CD is bootable and has formatting options.

Also, you might look up on the site of your hard disk manuf. (Seagate, Western Digital, Maxtor...) and make a disk with their downloads. You should be able to FDisk and start over from there.

just make sure that's what you want to do first.

Shaddy

From:	Dave Jones (DAVERJ)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	8 of 29

3872.8 In reply to 3872.4

Try going to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management. Then Click on Disk Management on the left.

I don't have XP home, but that's where you find it in XPpro and Win2k. If you can get there, that's the place to do all hard drive functions, like partitioning, formatting, etc...

From:	Upacreek	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	9 of 29

3872.9 In reply to 3872.1

Is this a new hard disk for your laptop? Is it external? Are you just doing some housecleaning on a old drive already installed?

Are you running XP Home from the Dell install or did someone else install the software for you?

XP can be fussy with certain types of installs and instead of making the primary drive "C", it will make the XP install "D" or something else. It is possible you are trying to format your system drive. Kind of like standing on the same tree branch you're trying to saw off!

Michel

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	Ken D. (KDEVORY)	10 of 29

3872.10 In reply to 3872.6
Ken, It is just generic maintainence mostly. My Outlook started behaving funny, and although I have done virus and spyware scans, that show nothing, SOMETHING is weird......so I just wanted a fresh start.

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	Upacreek	11 of 29

3872.11 In reply to 3872.9
quote: Is this a new hard disk for your laptop? Is it external? Are you just doing some housecleaning on a old drive already installed? Are you running XP Home from the Dell install or did someone else install the software for you? Michel, I'm just doing housecleaning on the old drive, ( it's a couple of years old) It was factory installed. I have done this successfully before, shop computer and it worked just fine......it's odd. C is the primary partition...

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	Dave Jones (DAVERJ)	12 of 29

3872.12 In reply to 3872.8
quote: Try going to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management. Then Click on Disk Management on the left. I don't have XP home, but that's where you find it in XPpro and Win2k. If you can get there, that's the place to do all hard drive functions, like partitioning, formatting, etc... Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. ...... :-(

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	13 of 29

3872.13 In reply to 3872.5
quote: Is D: your boot disk? No, D is my cdrw.......I was hoping I could make a boot disk from that....if I can find a floppy, I'll just do that and fromat from the floppy......anyone got a spare 1.44 floppy disk?

From:	Dave Jones (DAVERJ)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	14 of 29

3872.14 In reply to 3872.12

The error message implies some sort of driver or utility is using something on the drive. Do you have a swap file on that drive?

Maybe start in Safe Mode to minimize the drivers loaded?

From:	Shaddy	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	15 of 29

3872.15 In reply to 3872.13

XP has a cool roll back feature, at least Pro does. You should do that, pick a date that was before your issues.

I think it's called System Restore. I'll let one of the pros here explain more, as i haven't done it before.

Shaddy

From:	Ken D. (KDEVORY)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	16 of 29

3872.16 In reply to 3872.10
My HP computer can be restored to "out of the box" software status. Everything is stored compressed on a separate partition. It's activated by pressing some key upon power-up. What came with your computer? Do you have a window's disk to reinstall everything? Ken Devory Jr.

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	19 May 2006
To:	Ken D. (KDEVORY)	17 of 29

3872.17 In reply to 3872.16
quote: What came with your computer? Do you have a window's disk to reinstall everything? Ken, my accounting computer, ( Compaq) came like that also.....my Dell notebook came with software pre installed and the disks as opposed to a back up partition etc. which is the way I prefer it...... I DO have windows installation disks......XP Professional, office standard, office professional 2003 upgrade...plus all the other......software I need..... Thanks

From:	Upacreek	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	18 of 29

3872.18 In reply to 3872.17

So basically, you just want to wipe out the entire drive, format it and start from scratch and install a clean copy of Windows?

You are not trying to format the drive and keep all of your programs installed, right?

Michel

From:	Bieb (HABIEB)	19 May 2006
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	20 of 29

3872.20 In reply to 3872.19

Chuck, No need to format first. Drop the Windows XP disk in, and boot. During the first couple screens of the install, it will ask if you want to repair Windows or install a fresh copy. Select fresh install, then when the option to select the partition to install to you can selet and recreate/format the partition, and then just continue with the Windows install.

If you have any other questions or problems, email me directly.

Harold
southeastlaser(at)gmail(dot)com