"Windows is unable to complete format" of second HD

[Jud McCranie]

Today I moved a secondary hard drive from an old computer to my newer
computer (as a secondary HD). It was working fine. I decided to wipe it
off by doing a format. I told it to format, NTFS, use the default cluster
size (or whatever it is called). When the progress bar got to the end, it
said "Windows was unable to complete the format". After doing OK to that
message, it said "the disk in drive F cannot be formatted". I tried it
again and the same thing happened. Naturally the disk is unusable now. I'm
using Windows XP home, SP2.

How can I fix this problem?

 

[Jud McCranie]

said "Windows was unable to complete the format". After doing OK to that

message, it said "the disk in drive F cannot be formatted".

I tried formatting the drive from the command prompt,and when it got to the
end, it said:

The second NTFS boot sector is unwritiable.
The first NTFS boot sector is unwritiable.
All NTFS boot sectors are unwritable.
Cannot continue
Format failed.

Does that information help?

 

[Jud McCranie]

said "Windows was unable to complete the format".

I've got a DOS 6.2 boot disk with FDISK, but I don't want to try that unless
I know it is OK. The drive is 80GB, but if I could get it into FAT32
partitions < 32GB, I think I could use PartitionMagic 7.01 to convert it to
NTFS and then combine the partitions.

But I'm waiting until I get some advice before I try anything else.

 

[Malke]

I've got a DOS 6.2 boot disk with FDISK, but I don't want to try that
unless
I know it is OK. The drive is 80GB, but if I could get it into FAT32
partitions < 32GB, I think I could use PartitionMagic 7.01 to convert
it to NTFS and then combine the partitions.

But I'm waiting until I get some advice before I try anything else.

I would start by running a disk diagnostic utility downloaded from the
drive mftr.'s website. Boot with the diagnostic and do a thorough test.
That way you'll know if the drive is physically sound before spending
any more time on it.

Malke

 

[Jud McCranie]

I would start by running a disk diagnostic utility downloaded from the

drive mftr.'s website. Boot with the diagnostic and do a thorough test.
That way you'll know if the drive is physically sound before spending
any more time on it.

I'll try that, but it was working in the other computer and it was working
in this computer until I tried to format it. In retrospect, I should have
done a quick format.

 

[Jud McCranie]

I would start by running a disk diagnostic utility downloaded from the

drive mftr.'s website. Boot with the diagnostic and do a thorough test.

As you suggested, I downloaded Maxtor's PowerMax utility. It found two
errors on the HD and fixed them. Then I started a low-level format. But it
will take several hours, so I'm going to do it tonight. Anyhow, I think
this utility will probably fix my problem. I'll post again tomorrow with
the results.

 

[Malke]

As you suggested, I downloaded Maxtor's PowerMax utility. It found
two
errors on the HD and fixed them. Then I started a low-level format.
But it
will take several hours, so I'm going to do it tonight. Anyhow, I
think
this utility will probably fix my problem. I'll post again tomorrow
with the results.

Please do. I'd like to know what happened.

Malke

 

[Jud McCranie]

The low-level format utility I got from the drive maker finished. Now that
drive doesn't show up under My computer, but the Device Manager sees it. I
think I need to use FDISK, but I've read MS publication 255867 (and some
others) and it talks about making a DOS partition.

Is this the proper thing to do if I want to use it in XP? Will XP see the
DOS partition? (If I get it into FAT32 I can either convert it to NTFS or
live with FAT32 for this second drive.)

I want to be sure not to mess up my main HD with FDISK. (I do have a
complet backup of my main drive, but I don't want any trouble.) FDISK shows
THREE drives (whereas I have two physical drives). Are the first two
"drives" my first physical drive, and #3 is the second physical drive?

The last time I used FDISK was about 15 years ago, in the DOS & 40MB MFM
hard drive days. I'd rather skip it than mess up what is working.

 

[Jud McCranie]

I want to be sure not to mess up my main HD with FDISK.

My main drive is 120GB, the second one is 80GB.

FDISK shows these partitions:

1 non-DOS 39M
2 HPFS -166MB

and the drives:

# Drv MB free used
1 ___ 8025 0 100%
2 ___ 8025 8025 0%
3 ____ 125 0 100%

c: 125

So which drive is my 80GB second one?

 

[Jud McCranie]

Today I moved a secondary hard drive from an old computer to my newer

computer (as a secondary HD).

I got the drive working. I was so afraid of messing up something on my main
computer with FDISK that I put the drive in an old computer to FDISK it. It
is an 80GB drive. FDISK made four 2GB FAT32 partitions. Then I put the
drive back in my main computer, and it came up. I used Partition Magic to
combine the four FAT32 partitions and to make a NTFS partition out of the
other 71GB.

So it works, and when I tested it, the FAT32 seems quite a bit slower than
the NTFS. I might leave it like it is though, or convert the FAT32 to NTFS
and combine them. But for now, I'm happy.

Right now, WD 200GB HDs are $90 (after rebate) at Tiger Direct, which is
what I was going to do if I was not successful with this today. (I wasn't
going to fool around with it anymore.)

Thanks to everyone who replied.