Error formating from FAT to NTFS

[Bob Day]

I am trying to format an external USB Iomega 250 drive from FAT to NTFS. I
reboot, start, my compouter, highlight the drive, file, format, but I get
the error message below:

"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 have disabled all anti virus (etc.) but still get the message. As far as
I can see, there is nothing using the drive, so why the error message? The
USB drive works fine and has not data on it and is only a week old.



Any ideas?



Thanks!

Bob Day

 

[Alec S.]

I am trying to format an external USB Iomega 250 drive from FAT to NTFS. I
reboot, start, my compouter, highlight the drive, file, format, but I get
the error message below:

"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 have disabled all anti virus (etc.) but still get the message. As far as
I can see, there is nothing using the drive, so why the error message? The
USB drive works fine and has not data on it and is only a week old.

Get a copy of Unlocker (http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/) and install it. Right click on the drive's icon in My Computer and
select the Unlocker menu item. Now see what it says. If it says that there are no locking handles, then there's something else
going on, but if it gives you a list of things that are using it, you can use that to close them. Look at the list and exit any
programs that are using the drive. If all you've got is Explorer using it (extremely likely), then just click "Unlock All", then
perform the conversion. Note: forcing closed Explorer's handles to the drive may cause Explorer to crash (and restart) at some
point, but usually it will not (even if it does, it's no big deal.)

 

[Shel]

The following is from Win XP Help:
(I did it with my external USB drive. It worked fine.)

To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt
Open the Command Prompt window.
In the command prompt window, type
convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the
ntfs format.

Notes

To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All Programs, point to
Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command.

 

[Guest]

Use the method Shel gave you. The reason you are getting that message is
because Explorer itself is "using" the drive to display it's contents. If
you go with a command prompt, make sure that no other window is open to the
drive. The command prompt is independent of Explorer. You may even be
better off doing this while in Safe Mode.

GP