Format Disk problem

[ashnook]

I am running XPhome and I have a disk d which is formatted as FAT32. I want
to re-format it as NTFS so I can use it as a backup device and save large
backups onto it.

When I try to format it I get a message that a program has acces to it, shut
down this program and try again.

I cannot find what is accessing it. I have shut down all I can with no
success.

Is there another way I can format this disk?

Thanks

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Have you tried using the XP convert tool. Open Help and Support on the
Start menu, type convert to NTFS and press enter, check the information for
converting a drive to NTFS.

If that fails, if you are unable to format it from Disk Management (Control
Panel\Administrative Tools\Computer Management\Storage\Disk Management, you
might try formatting it from Safe Mode; boot the system, start tapping F8,
select safe mode and press enter when the menu appears.

If that fails to resolve it you might try doing it from XP setup as follows:
Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive, boot with the XP
CD in the drive. If it isn't or you are not sure, you need to enter the
system's BIOS. When you boot the system, the first screen usually has
instructions that if you wish to enter setup press a specific key, when you
see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the boot sequence, if
the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the boot sequence. Save
your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The system will reboot.

A few screens into the boot process, if you see the message on the boot
screen to "Press any key in order to boot from the CD," do so.

After loading drivers and files, you should be taken to a screen with
the following:

To Setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To Repair a Windows XP Installation using Recovery Console press R.
To Quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

In your case, press ENTER.

Agree to the License agreement by pressing F8.

You will then be taken to a screen with two options.

To repair the selected Windows XP installation press R.
To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing,
press ESC.

This will bring you to a partition map where you
can delete, create and format partitions.
Select the drive you wish to format, delete the partition, then create a new
partition, format as desired. Ordinarily you would continue with XP
installation from there but in your case, you can just exit setup and boot
to your current installation.

 

[Guest]

Simply boot to xp cd,at info page select recovery,press enter for password,
then typeiskPart Locate the extra drive,delete partition,then press Esc
Back in cmd type:FORMAT D: /FS:ntfs D: being the slave drive,when its thru
type:EXIT XP will restart auto,remove cd.

 

[ashnook]

Thanks for your help, I will investigate further today.

 

[LVTravel]

One other thing to consider. If you have a page file (virtual memory)
assigned to the second disk (D: drive) you can't format it with XP. To
check this, right click on My Computer then left click on Manage, Disk
Management in that order. Look at the Disk information in the lower right
corner for the second drive (probably will be DISK 1.) It should read
drivename (D on the first line and then on the last line it should read
Healthy (Page File) if in fact there is a page file on the drive.

If this is the case you would need to remove the page file from the drive
and then you could go back to the disk manager and format the drive or run
convert on it from the dos prompt.

If the page file exists on the drive close down the disk manager and then
Right click again on My Computer. Then left click on Properties, Advanced
tab then Settings for "Performance" Visual effects, processor
scheduling.......Under Performance Options, click the new Advanced tab then
click on the Change button under Virtual Memory. Click on the D drive and
click the button No paging file then click SET button. Then click on the C
drive letter and click on System managed size then click on Set button.
Click OK until you closed down all the boxes and reboot the system. You
should be able to do whatever you want to the D drive now.