external hd formatting

kook

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hi folks

just aquired a external hard drive but seems to have a problem,windows recognises it but says it needs formatting but it wont let me format it
ne1 help please?

kook
 
Have you added a parition to it 1st, when you goto computer management and select disk management is it shown? Does it show up in device manager?

Post a screen shot.

Which version of Windows?
 
KOOK, the easiest way to do it is to run the XPCD and boot from it, pretend you want install windows onto your ext new drive and format it. When format activity bar goes to end and starts to copy stuff on it power off your PC. Hope it helps.
 
still no joy goes through the routine of formatting then comes up with windows was unable to complete the format
 
What type of external hdd is it...??

Is it an IDE or SATA drive in a caddy type of thing...??

If it is...make sure it is set to master and not slave (had the same issue myself a few weeks ago..)
 
When you say aqquired, do you mean it was given to you or you bought it?

From the steps given out above so far, something should have worked - possibly this drive is just defective?

Or, thinking slightly outside the box, does it need some form of external power?
 
What type of external hdd is it...??

Is it an IDE or SATA drive in a caddy type of thing...??

If it is...make sure it is set to master and not slave (had the same issue myself a few weeks ago..)

ide drive all came as one from manufacturer
 
When you say aqquired, do you mean it was given to you or you bought it?

From the steps given out above so far, something should have worked - possibly this drive is just defective?

Or, thinking slightly outside the box, does it need some form of external power?

got it gid external supply is on probably faulty but was told it worked
 
Then I have to agree with Karym and say I think the drive is buggered dude....what are you trying to format it too....??

Make sure it is fat32 as most external hdd's don't like NTFS.
 
Then I have to agree with Karym and say I think the drive is buggered dude....what are you trying to format it too....??

Make sure it is fat32 as most external hdd's don't like NTFS.

only gives me the option to format ntfs for some reason
 
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