Just bought a second hard drive - now how do I format it?

[johnsonholding]

I have bought a second hard drive which I am using in a USB 2.0
enclosure (so it is run through the USB). I want to format the hard
drive, but I am unable to figure it out at this point. This is just a
drive for storage, so I don't want windows or any other operating
system on it. I have tried hooking it up via the USB and XP recognizes
that there is a USB mass storage device attached, but does not show it
in the MY COMPUTER VIEW, even after restarting, refreshing etc. So
what am I missing here?

Thanks in advance.

 

[johnsonholding]

I have also tried going into adminstrative tools to see if the computer
would see it, it does, DISK MANAGEMENT, but it is unallocated, whatever
that means. I know it needs to be formated, but it doesn't give me the
option!

 

[Guest]

Go to run,type:diskmgmt.msc In msc R.click on the drive,select format,
follow the wizards instructions.After its thru,L.click the drive,go to
actions,
all,select,make active,close out msc.

 

[johnsonholding]

Thanks, I will try that - is this different from the DISK MANAGEMENT
available in the Adminstrative tools because it is run from DOS?

 

[Manny Borges]

You need to create a partition before you can format the drive.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309000&sd=tech

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

The pen is mightier than the sword, and considerably easier to write with.
-- Marty Feldman

 

[NoStop]

After sticking his head out from his XP firewall, (e-mail address removed)
had this to say:

Thanks, I will try that - is this different from the DISK MANAGEMENT
available in the Adminstrative tools because it is run from DOS?

No it's not different and if you already knew about Disk Management in Admin
Tools, why didn't you just use that instead of asking the stupid question
in the first place? And no, it is not run from DOS. There is no DOS in XP
other than some possible old source code still hanging around the innards
of XP.


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