Windows 7: cant format drives in new hd enclosure?

nikonfruit · 08 Sep 2011

hi i have bought a lian li plug and play hard drive enclosure i have 2 tb drives but i cant format them, the box stays a shaded grey and will not let me select format?
how can i format them?
thanks
mark

SlasherIT · 08 Sep 2011

Do the Hard Drives even work? I've never seen these brands before...

nikonfruit · 09 Sep 2011

western digital 2tb drives not lian li the enclosure is the housing for them
mark

pooch · 09 Sep 2011

Hi it would be very helpful if you would fill out your system specs

nikonfruit · 09 Sep 2011

ok done, i have managed to format 1 but i cant get the other to format, i have tried to take out the formatted drive
mark

pooch · 09 Sep 2011

That is good news

it also means this is not a chipset problem, I take it you can see the drive in Disk Management. Have you tried deleting it first? if this does not help could you also post a snip of your Disc Management showing the drive? Use the snipping tool to copy to your desktop and post using the paperclip symbol

nikonfruit · 09 Sep 2011

hi yes its there the box stays grey and shaded so it does not allow me to select format!
if i delete the drive will i just need to re connect it to be picked up by the usb connection?
thanks
mark

pooch · 09 Sep 2011

Deleting the drive and then making a simple volume should be no problem over USB
No you should be able to see the drive all the time

nikonfruit · 09 Sep 2011

hi thanks, can you tell me how to do it? through device manager or format and partition manager etc

thanks
again
mark

pooch · 09 Sep 2011

Click on the Start orb

and type in Disc Management and click on Create and format hard disc partitions when it appears, Scroll down to your disc (make sure it is the right one) right click it and select delete volume and accept the warning now you should be able to right click the drive and select New simple volume which will open a wizard which will help you to format the drive.

Windows 7: cant format drives in new hd enclosure?

cant format drives in new hd enclosure? problems?