Cannot format drive

[Guest]

I am using Windows XP Home. I want to format a second internal drive. It
does not have an operating system, just data backup. I am getting the
following error message when I try to format:
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 the drive. Then try formatting again.
I closed all programs and system tray icons. I could not close the icon for
Norton Ghost v.9--there was no choice to close/exit. There also was no
close/exit choice for the Norton Anti-Virus icon-just a choice to disable.
What should I do now? Thanks for any help.
Alice

 

[Guest]

Hit F8 when you're computer is booting and choose safe mode. Then, try
formatting the drive.

MD

 

[Rock]

I am using Windows XP Home. I want to format a second internal drive. It
does not have an operating system, just data backup. I am getting the
following error message when I try to format:
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 the drive. Then try formatting again.
I closed all programs and system tray icons. I could not close the icon for
Norton Ghost v.9--there was no choice to close/exit. There also was no
close/exit choice for the Norton Anti-Virus icon-just a choice to disable.
What should I do now? Thanks for any help.
Alice

Stop non essential processes using task manager, ctrl-alt-del, including
the ones for norton ghost and norton AV.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the quick help. Your suggestion worked.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the help. I tried the first suggestion above and it worked.