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MIXZ1
join:2001-01-02
Florida

MIXZ1

Member

Can't format a drive

Toshiba Satellite laptop with a Hitachi 500GB SATA drive. Computer would not boot. Examined drive contents with a Hiren boot disk. Two partitions that I assume are/were a service partition and the main data partition. Both report blank. Use the usual tools to find the FAT, etc. Total FUBAR.

Attempt to re-install Win 7 from M$ .iso, get to the partition selection screen, file decompression starts and then the install fails with a message that it cannot format the drive. Opened a command prompt from the install process and tried the DISKPART chain of deleteing, re-partitioning and formatting with the same "cannot format" results.

Pull the drive out and put it into a USB enclosure. Tried Windows own Disk Administration tool, tried Partition Magic, tried Easus Disk Administrator, all with the same inability to format. Deleting and creating partitions works fine with all tools.

Before I throw the disc away, does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

If you have another PC that you can install the drive directly (as a data drive, not in an external enclosure), then Try downloading WinDFT from the vendor's site: »www.hgst.com/support/downloads and run the diagnostics on the drive..

If the Diagnostics pass, then use the Full Erase function (Advanced) to write Zeroes to the entire drive. That should return it to a 'Factory-like' Blank condition.

After that, then reinstall the drive in the lappy, and try the Win 7 install again.

HTH.
MIXZ1
join:2001-01-02
Florida

MIXZ1

Member

said by Tursiops_G:

If the Diagnostics pass, then use the Full Erase function (Advanced) to write Zeroes to the entire drive. That should return it to a 'Factory-like' Blank condition.

Thanks, but cannot write to an unformatted partition. Cannot address an unformatted partition. Can just delete and recreate the partition. I'm at the point of "doing the same thing over and ever again expecting a different result" .
wolfy339
join:2005-04-30
Edmonds, WA

1 edit

wolfy339

Member

What I would do next in this case is use DBAN (»www.dban.org/) to wipe the drive and then attempt a Windows 7 install again. You may also want to run MHDD (»hddguru.com/software/200 ··· 02-MHDD/) against the drive in question.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G to MIXZ1

MVM

to MIXZ1
said by MIXZ1:

Thanks, but cannot write to an unformatted partition. Cannot address an unformatted partition. Can just delete and recreate the partition. I'm at the point of "doing the same thing over and ever again expecting a different result"

I don't understand your statement...
My advise to do a Full "Low-Level" Erase of the drive (writing Zeroes to the drive) does NOT address the drive at the Partition level, but at the Raw Track/Sector level instead...

That kind of Erase can even eliminate any corruption/Virus/Rootkit that may (or may not) be present in the Boot Sector and Partition Tables.

If that fails, then the drive has PHYSICAL issues, and is beyond any software utility restoration/repair effort.
MIXZ1
join:2001-01-02
Florida

MIXZ1

Member

said by Tursiops_G:

I don't understand your statement...

The reason you didn't understand my statement is because my statement was rubbish, the result of reading too quickly and a keyboard to brain disconnect. I apologize. At any rate, I could not complete the task. The write process fails. At this point, I've declared the drive to be a lost cause. Too many hours spent for no gain. Thank you for your ideas and your patience.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL

Tursiops_G

MVM

No Problem.

Unfortunately, if the Zero Write process fails, then it's time to turn that drive into Suncatcher Windchimes and Refrigerator Magnets...