Can't reformat disk used previously

J

jw

I created and used a small HD using Windows 7. Then I decided to
repeat this action except I used a larger HD. I mounted the two HDs
(both SATA) with the second drive as the boot drive and the second
drive as a second drive for data.

I want to clear the second drive now. It won't let me, saying I am
already using Windows 7. How do I clear the second (smaller) drive?

Duke
 
N

neil

Did you install windows on the larger drive with the smaller drive
connected. It may be that because there is a windows install on the smaller
drive windows is protecting it. If you installed windows on the larger drive
with the smaller connected some system files may be on the second drive.

You could try booting from the installation DVD and see if you can format
the second drive but then you might find windows wont boot.

Neil
 
A

a

I created and used a small HD using Windows 7. Then I decided to
repeat this action except I used a larger HD. I mounted the two HDs
(both SATA) with the second drive as the boot drive and the second
drive as a second drive for data.

I want to clear the second drive now. It won't let me, saying I am
already using Windows 7. How do I clear the second (smaller) drive?

Duke
Click to expand...

As Neil pointed out, if you didn't disconnect the smaller drive before
installing on the larger drive, the drives are currently
interconnected. The worst part is that the larger drive might not
have a valid boot sector.

So you need to first disconnect the smaller drive and see if the
computer will boot. If not, you'll need to use the BOOTSECT.EXE
program to install a proper boot sector on the larger drive. Follow
the instructions in the bootsect program help file to do this and then
make sure that the larger drive has all the same files in the root
directory and boot directory as the smaller drive. You should then be
able to boot the larger drive with the smaller disconnected and
reformat the smaller drive.
 
J

jw

Did you install windows on the larger drive with the smaller drive
connected. It may be that because there is a windows install on the smaller
drive windows is protecting it. If you installed windows on the larger drive
with the smaller connected some system files may be on the second drive.

You could try booting from the installation DVD and see if you can format
the second drive but then you might find windows wont boot.

Neil
Click to expand...

Actually, I made an Acronis image of what was on the small drive and
then decompressed that image onto the second lrger drive.
 
J

jw

As Neil pointed out, if you didn't disconnect the smaller drive before
installing on the larger drive, the drives are currently
interconnected. The worst part is that the larger drive might not
have a valid boot sector.

So you need to first disconnect the smaller drive and see if the
computer will boot. If not, you'll need to use the BOOTSECT.EXE
program to install a proper boot sector on the larger drive. Follow
the instructions in the bootsect program help file to do this and then
make sure that the larger drive has all the same files in the root
directory and boot directory as the smaller drive. You should then be
able to boot the larger drive with the smaller disconnected and
reformat the smaller drive.
Click to expand...

I got lucky. I had another smaller drive in the closet that was
already formatted NTFS by XP. With it in place, my Windows 7 system
booted up fine and shows the second drive in Windows Explorer.

Thanks all

Duke
 
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