To Format 2nd Hard Drive help needed

[dfrog]

I have a desktop Compaq Presario PC running Windows XP Home with an 80GB
Hard Drive
I have reached the stage on my experience curve where I want to back-up my
hard drive, I see lots of advice that this is a good idea.
In preparation I have downloaded 'DriveImage XML'
I plan to back up my 80GB drive (used space 30GB) onto my original 40GB hard
drive which carries 2 partitions - the original working Windows partition
(NTFS) and the original 'Recovery ' partition.(FAT32)
Using the Disk Management feature in XP when I select to 'format' either of
the partitions on the 'Old Drive' (and I am sure this is the one I want to
Format), Disk Management tells me :-

"The volume 2nd Drive (F Primary partition is still in use. To force the
format of this volume click Yes.
WARNING: Forcing a format might cause unexpected errors in the
application that is using this volume. Do you want to continue? YES or
NO"

Now at this stage I chickened out..................

Obviously what I want to do is format the old 40GB drive and back-up my
current drive to it, and I will then disconnect (even remove this drive from
the PC), but, it would be nice to have some advice about the " WARNING:
Forcing a format etc " bit.

dfrog

 

[JS]

Disable 'System Restore' for the second drive, this is most likely the cause
of the 'In use' error as it was at one time your Windows drive.

Make absolutely certain that this is the correct drive that you want to
format, an easy way to do this is to temporarily change the drive label on
your current drive (with the second drive removed) to something obvious
(Example: KEEPME). Then reconnect the second drive and use Disk Management
to delete both partitions (I assume you have backed up your recovery
partition to the new drive) and format the new partition(s) you create. You
can ignore any warning messages.

JS

 

[dfrog]

Thanks JS,

System restore is only monitoring Main Drive C: (the partition with Windows
active on). The recovery partition on this main drive and both partitions on
the drive I plan to format have System Restore already turned off.

Although I'm certain of which drive is which, your tip about renaming is
good & I'll do it.

Yes, both Windows (including progs and data) partition, AND recovery
partition were cloned to the current 80GB drive about a year ago and the
40GB drive has laid dormant in a drawer ever since -

It was just the 'in use' message that made me cautious.

Thanks again

dfrog

 

[JS]

You're welcome.

JS
www.pagestart.com

Thanks JS,

System restore is only monitoring Main Drive C: (the partition with
Windows active on). The recovery partition on this main drive and both
partitions on the drive I plan to format have System Restore already
turned off.

Although I'm certain of which drive is which, your tip about renaming is
good & I'll do it.

Yes, both Windows (including progs and data) partition, AND recovery
partition were cloned to the current 80GB drive about a year ago and the
40GB drive has laid dormant in a drawer ever since -

It was just the 'in use' message that made me cautious.

Thanks again

dfrog