I dunno how to format Hard Disk Drive (IDE)

[rock_king_my]

Hi.

I just bought an 80GB Maxtor IDE HDD STM380215A PATA.

My OP is XP SP2.

I only want to use it with a IDE to USB cable so I don't have to open up my CPU Casing etc.

When I connect it, Windows recognise a USB device is connected (bottom right in the systems tray with that green arrow icon) but windows explorer still doesn't recognize it.

However, Systems Properties>Hardware tab>Device Manager recognise it under "Disc Drive" & also under "USB controllers".

I think I got to format it first but how can I when Explorer can't even recognise it?

So what do I have to do for my Explorer to recognise it?

[Chewy]

If you right click on my computer and hit manage, there's section called disk management that allows you to create a partition and format the drive

where is the drive going to get power from? the usb is very weak in that aspect

[rock_king_my]

Found Disk Management ...

Hi.

The IDE to USB cable also includes a power unit. I tested it on an internal DVD writer & it works fine.

Anyway, I found "Disk Mgt" but my new HDD is not listed under the table "Volume", Layout, etc". But below that, it is shown as:

Disk2 [that red circle with with line logo on the left]
Unknown
74.53GB
Not initialized

If I right click on it, the format option is not included. So I chose "Initialized". It's now initialized ("now online"). Next to it is a long black bar (showing "unallocated" I guess).

I don't really want to split/partition it, just need to format to NTFS.

So what I need to do now?

[Chewy]

create partition, just one is fine, but has to be created anyway

do not allow dynamic

choose slow format

ntfs for xp and vista only, fat32 if something like W98 needs to see it ever

[rock_king_my]

"New Partition" option

Hi.

I got "New Partition" option when right click.

It then asks Primary or Extended partition. Which one?

[UncasMS]

extended

[rock_king_my]

Partition Size in MB?

Hi.

Now it asks Partition Size in MB.

The total is 76317 MB.

I really want the whole new HDD as one new volume rather than splitting it.

If I have to split it, I just want 2 parts.

So what should I do here?

[Chewy]

that's the whole size as measured by windows

just procede, if you screw up, it's easy to start over

[rock_king_my]

Next step ...

So let me know if this setting is right:
Format: NTFS
Allocation size: Default

Should I tick these:
Perform a quick format
Enable file & folder compression

[Chewy]

I prefer a slow format, it takes a long time but it also marks any bad sectors found so your data doesn't have errors

don't use compression

so defaults are usually better

[rock_king_my]

Formatting

The format was unsuccessful.



ON the good side, Explorer now recognise it but file system is "RAW" (not NTFS).

Is this drive still safe to use to store data/backup files?

[Chewy]

try again after a reboot, shut down all extra crap, use primary and then slow format and leave the computer alone, usb is system intensive, let it concentrate on the task at hand

[rock_king_my]

Ok .. that worked .. ate 66MB for formating but it's NTFS now & not RAW anymore!

CHEERS!

[Chewy]

that's good, I was afraid you got burned on the adapter, many do