How do I reformat a HDD that W7 doesn't recognize?

lbeck · 06 Sep 2013

I have an external 750GB HDD that I bought to to store programming from my Dish Network Receiver. The receiver software reformatted the virgin HDD to some proprietary system used by Dish. I think someone said it's a Linux based siystem.

I now want to reformat it for use with my Windows 7 computer. When I plug it into the USB port Win says device is ready to use, but it doesn't show in windows explorer.

Disk Management shows the disk with 3 partitions, but I can't see any way to reformat it to NTFS.

How do I reformat it?

theog · 06 Sep 2013

Can you post a screen shot of Disk management?

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums
Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Try a clean in command prompt.
Step 1.
Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
Step 2.
Partition or Volume - Create New

DocBrown · 06 Sep 2013

The best way to do this will be to make a bootable Partition Wizard CD. With a desktop computer that has all HD's disconnected, except this external that you want to clean & format. Boot to PW, hopefully it will see the Ext HD. Then delete the 3 partitions, that you are aware of. ReBoot. Then boot again to the PW CD, see the total bare unallocated Ext HD. Then either setup several new partitions or one big one. Then proceed to format as NTFS. Reboot, again see if PW sees the formated EXT HD. Then shut down. Re-connect the desktop HD's as they were before. Then power up into win7 and see if the Ext HD shows up as an empty but formated ready to use HD.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

jumanji · 06 Sep 2013

While DocBrown's suggestion to use PW gets a nod, you may as well install PW on your system and do it without burning/creating a bootable CD/ pen drive.

Another formatting tool you can try is the simple HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool v2.2.3, a mere 96KB executable HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool Free Download (Just right click on the executable and run as administrator. Uncheck Quick Format option, to do a full format.)

lbeck · 06 Sep 2013

theog said:

Can you post a screen shot of Disk management?

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums
Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Try a clean in command prompt.
Step 1.
Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
Step 2.
Partition or Volume - Create New

Here's a better picture...

DocBrown · 06 Sep 2013

Yes, Partiton Wizard can work from within win7. But, with some of these proprietary formats like the TIVO HD's I reformatted, I had better luck as I posted above. Plus you want to be very careful you don't accidentally format the wrong
HD since you have some others connected.

razy60 · 07 Sep 2013

Best solution i found was to download gparted(linux OS) install it onto a usb or cd restart into that then use it to clean discs etc, Still need to be careful of which disc you clean though.

just realised similar solution to Doc browns, just a different system

lbeck · 07 Sep 2013

Thanks to all. I think I used gparted years ago with xp. I'll download it again. I only thought that with win seven that there may be a simple way to reformat the drive within the win os.

Also thanks for the warning about reformatting the wrong Hdd. Advice imtake seriously

lbeck · 11 Sep 2013

Just to follow up....

I used MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition which also is freeware after looking again at gparted. It's probably not as comprehensive but is simpler and allowed me to delete the Linux partitions and install ntfs.