formating old boot drive

[RealGomer]

I replaced my ATA-IDE boot drive with a SATA drive. I've tried to delete all
of the files on the old ATA drive and formating it but I keep getting an
error that the drive is in use. Even starting in safe mode gives the same
error. Both methods say the drive cannot be unmounted or locked. Suggestions?

 

[Andy]

I replaced my ATA-IDE boot drive with a SATA drive. I've tried to delete all
of the files on the old ATA drive and formating it but I keep getting an
error that the drive is in use. Even starting in safe mode gives the same
error. Both methods say the drive cannot be unmounted or locked. Suggestions?

Sounds like your IDE drive still contains the Windows system partition
or page file. Run Disk Management, and check the status of the
partition(s) on the IDE drive.

 

[Ed Covney]

What's the purpose of deleting files before formatting?

Ed

 

[RealGomer]

I couldn't get the drive to format in normal or safe mode. I was trying to
whack everything first.
--
I know enuff to be dangerous.
Für Elise - Support the Breast Cancer & Heart Foundations

What's the purpose of deleting files before formatting?

Ed

 

[RealGomer]

Disk Management shows it as Disk 0 with Page File healthy.

 

[Ed Covney]

1) Boot to the new sata drive
2) [Start], [Run], "diskmgmt.msc" (w/o quotes)
3) Locate & format the old disk. Even if a program
left the drive locked, windows will give you the
opportunity to ... format anyway!

Ed

I couldn't get the drive to format in normal or safe mode. I was trying to
whack everything first.

 

[Andy]

Disk Management shows it as Disk 0 with Page File healthy.

That means Windows is using the IDE drive, which prevents formatting
it. You can move the page file to the new disk: right click My
Computer , select Properties > Advanced > Performance Options >
Virtual memory Change...

 

[RealGomer]

Should pagefile.sys be on every drive? It's the same size on the C & F drives
and on the D & E drives.

 

[RealGomer]

No can do. Format option greyed out.
--
I know enuff to be dangerous.
Für Elise - Support the Breast Cancer & Heart Foundations

1) Boot to the new sata drive
2) [Start], [Run], "diskmgmt.msc" (w/o quotes)
3) Locate & format the old disk. Even if a program
left the drive locked, windows will give you the
opportunity to ... format anyway!

Ed

 

[Ed Covney]

1) Boot to the new sata drive

2) [Start], [Run], "diskmgmt.msc" (w/o quotes)
3) Locate & format the old disk. Even if a program
left the drive locked, windows will give you the
opportunity to ... format anyway!

In diskmgmt.msc, what happens if you rt. click on the
drive number? If a menu appears, go to properties and
windows should indicate what you need to do to prep
the drive for a format.

If still no joy, exit to dos shell in the root directory of
the problem drive.

Then "CHKDSK /F" (without quotes) - This will
require a re-boot and at the proper time in the boot
cycle, windows will chkdsk the drive.

It may tell you whats going on with that drive.

Ed

No can do. Format option greyed out.
--
I know enuff to be dangerous.
Für Elise - Support the Breast Cancer & Heart Foundations

1) Boot to the new sata drive
2) [Start], [Run], "diskmgmt.msc" (w/o quotes)
3) Locate & format the old disk. Even if a program
left the drive locked, windows will give you the
opportunity to ... format anyway!

Ed

I couldn't get the drive to format in normal or safe mode. I was trying
to
whack everything first.
--
I know enuff to be dangerous.
Für Elise - Support the Breast Cancer & Heart Foundations


:

What's the purpose of deleting files before formatting?

Ed

I replaced my ATA-IDE boot drive with a SATA drive. I've tried to
delete
all
of the files on the old ATA drive and formating it but I keep
getting
an
error that the drive is in use. Even starting in safe mode gives the
same
error. Both methods say the drive cannot be unmounted or locked.
Suggestions?

 

[Andy]

Should pagefile.sys be on every drive? It's the same size on the C & F drives
and on the D & E drives.

One page file of adequate size is sufficient. Setup normally places it
in the boot partition.

 

[wp]

One page file of adequate size is sufficient. Setup normally places it
in the boot partition.

get dbanuke

nuke it

tel lukke