Will Vista detect unformatted hard disk?

[Ian M]

Hi people, and thanks for all the useful info I have learned from reading
this group. I am about to buy a second hard disk for my Vista Home Premium
computer, for storing backups and a Norton Ghost image. New hard disks are
usually unformatted, and in the past I have formatted them by booting with a
floppy and using FDISK and FORMAT. My new computer has no floppy drive
though, and I am wondering whether, if I put a new unformatted disk in, will
Vista detect it and give me a chance to format it? Can anyone advise? Also,
does Norton Ghost 12 prefer a FAT or NTSC formatted disk for its images, or
will either do? Thanks.

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

The hard disk should showup in Windows Vista's Disk Manager (Click Start >
right click 'Computer' > Manage > expand Storage > select Disk Management),
right click the disk and click Format. As for Ghost, the latest version
readily support NTFS drives in addition to FAT formatted disk.

 

[SG]

Hi,

Once your drive is in open Control Panel go to Administrative Tools then
Computer Management then click on Disk Management. Right click your new
drive in the right hand column and select Format.

All the best,
SG

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi people, and thanks for all the useful info I have learned from reading
this group. I am about to buy a second hard disk for my Vista Home Premium
computer, for storing backups and a Norton Ghost image. New hard disks are
usually unformatted, and in the past I have formatted them by booting with a
floppy and using FDISK and FORMAT. My new computer has no floppy drive
though, and I am wondering whether, if I put a new unformatted disk in, will
Vista detect it and give me a chance to format it? Can anyone advise? Also,
does Norton Ghost 12 prefer a FAT or NTSC formatted disk for its images, or
will either do? Thanks.

I see that you've already gotten answers to your question, but I would
like to add a comment:

If I were you, I would rethink your backup strategy. I don't recommend
backup to a second non-removable hard drive because it leaves you
susceptible to simultaneous loss of the original and backup
to many of the most common dangers: severe power glitches, nearby
lightning strikes, virus attacks, even theft of the computer.

Change your plan to put the drive in a USB enclosure and use it as a
removable drive, and it will be a good plan.

 

[Ian M]

Many thanks to Andre, SG, and Ken Blake for your advice. Most helpful.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Many thanks to Andre, SG, and Ken Blake for your advice. Most helpful.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

You are welcome Ian.