Process running during format?

[NewbieSupreme]

I'm trying to format a 250 Gb SATA drive using the disk management utility;
it seems to go OK, but then hangs at 61%. I've left it for 2 hours, then
tried again, and it happened again right at 61%. I can get the task manager
up while it's hung (although it takes about 45 seconds to come up, even
though CPU and memory usage is at about nil).

Can anyone tell me what process should be running to show that the format is
still going on, or if there is one?

Also, does the fact that it takes a while for task manager to come up imply
anything, even when CPU and memory don't seem to be being used much at all?

Should these questions go to a different group?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

The simplest indicator is the drive activity light on the front of the drive
tower. If it just stalls, there may be a problem with the drive. I would
open a command prompt (start/run cmd) and run chkdsk <drive>: /r to check
and repair errors. If that fails then, since you are formatting it anyways,
run diskmgmt.msc and delete and recreate the partition.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org