Formatting A Hard Disk Drive

[Hew Jaz]

I have a second drive installed which was partitioned. One partition was used a back up, and the second for various files etc.

I have now installed a bigger main hdd and have moved some of the files to it. I now wish to reformat the second hdd. I have been able to remove one of the partitions, but not the second. The message I get is that the volume is in use. I can't see where it might be in use. I have tried using format from the c: prompt but similar problem.

It wasn't in the pc when I cloned the original hdd so I'm not sure why the machine thinks it has a volume in use.:confused:

I don't mind losing any info in the partition as I have a copy of it at the moment, but I would like to use the full drive and return it to just one partition. Any ideas how I can convice it that it's not needed at present?

Any help again would be appreciated.

Many thanks,

HJ

[Background Noise]

Don't you need fdisk for that. I think fdisk sorts out the partitioning and format then formats the partition - ? And you presumably have set the jumpers to make it a slave. Check this out MS SUPPORT (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867) - about halfway down, under 'How to Repartition and Format a Slave Hard Disk'

[BOAC]

Most drive manufacturers have free downloadable drive install progs on their web sites.

OS/drive etc would be useful to know...........:{

[Hew Jaz]

Win XP Home with SP2 etc, IE 7 - all up todate.

When partitioning previously, I simply used 'my computer' and right click to manage the drives. That created the partitions without any difficulty. I just find it strange that the pc booted ok with the cloned drive only, but now that I have put the second (slave) into it, the volume is being used...

Thanks

HJ

[Nelli]

Don't you need fdisk for that. I think fdisk sorts out the partitioning and format then formats the partition - ?
Or Partition Magic or some such program, there are quite a few programs that can partition and format disks.
If the drives are already connected and working I can't see any reason why to change the jumper settings of hard drives.

[BOAC]

I can only assume that there is something on that drive that is 'in use' by the fully functioning new cloned XP installation? Some TSR or whatever? Something that either you or it installed there at some time. It will be a long haul to eliminate the problem. We all suffer from 'clutter' accumulated over the life of a drive.

Assuming you have looked through the start-up sequence in MSConfig (and the registry 'run'?), I would start by renaming ALL the sub-folders on the 'old' drive by adding some letters like 'bak' in their filename. Hopefully something will pop up and say you cannot rename as the file is in use. If that does not happen, try 'cut and paste' each of the files in the root directory to a new folder and look for the same message. there are some free/shareware progs which will analyse your start-up as well. Maybe they are listed at the forum top?

[vapilot2004]

Windows itself could be the spoiler here.

1.See if System Restore is active on this drive and if so, turn it off. Restart and try again.

System Properties > System Restore Tab

2.Check if the drive is set as a swap drive (pagefile) in Virtual Memory.

System Properties > Advanced Tab > Performance Settings Button >Advanced Tab>VIrtual Memory Change Button. Disable if this drive is chosen. Restart.


Repartition.

Good Luck!

[spannersatcx]

open Computer Management, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. In storage you can select disk management, where you can view your hard drives, in there you can format and delete partitions etc.

[Hew Jaz]

2.Check if the drive is set as a swap drive (pagefile) in Virtual Memory.

System Properties > Advanced Tab > Performance Settings Button >Advanced Tab>VIrtual Memory Change Button. Disable if this drive is chosen. Restart.




Ah! Saved by Proone again..!

That solved the problem and I have been able to reformat the drive just the way I wanted it!

Many thanks for all replies. All gratefully accepted, but I started with what I perceived to be the easier option.

HJ
:ok: :ok: