Problem formatting hard drive

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  1. Posts : 38
    Win 7 Ultimate RC1
       #1

    Problem formatting hard drive


    I recently installed Windows 7 Ultimate RC build 7100. I used a 40Gb drive I has as a spare. I decided to add another spare drive for backups and for my applications. I had a spare 80Gb
    I went to Computer Management and tried to format my 80Gb hard drive.
    It keeps saying "Winows cannot format the system partition on this disk"



    Apparently I had used this 80 GB drive in another machine as a XP boot disk. I removed all the files on it but I can't get the system info off of it.

    How can I remove this partition and reformat it ?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Problem formatting hard drive-diskformat.jpg  
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,557
    XP, Seven, 2008R2
       #2

    hey dude the system disk is the boot disk. The computer can't boot into Windows without it (it's why Windows won't let you format it).

    What you'll need to do is move the boot files and boot loader to the C: partition.

    You can do so using the bcdboot and bootsect command-line tools on the recovery DVD.

    You'll also need to make C: drive "active" using disk management. You might as well start there.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 38
    Win 7 Ultimate RC1
    Thread Starter
       #3

    sup3rsprt

    Ok, I made the C drive active. I don't have a recovery DVD. I only have the eval RC1 DVD I used for the install. I will look on that DVD for those files.
    I just ordered Win7 Home Premium (full legal version). Will those files be on that when it arrives ?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 38
    Win 7 Ultimate RC1
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Update


    I found bootsect on the Eval DVD but did not find bcdboot.

    Some questions.

    How do I used boosect? I opened a command window and ran bootsect /help, but I don't know which command to use.

    What order do I perform these command line jobs ? bcdboot first or second ??

    Thanks
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,557
    XP, Seven, 2008R2
       #5

    yes I think those tools are on the eval DVD. Did you boot from DVD and go into command prompt? (Shift + F10) then type bootsect

    maybe it will just be easier if you

    1) shutdown
    2) disconnect the D: drive
    3) power on. go into the BIOS and change boot order to the other drive first,
    4) boot from the Eval DVD
    5) run startup repair a few times (you'll probably need to reboot 2 or three times and keep going back into the DVD and run startup repair until everything is fixed)

    Try it, if it doesn't work you can always put things back the way it was and come back for more help.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 38
    Win 7 Ultimate RC1
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Update 2


    I found bcdboot.
    As you can see, now the C drive has the Boot files and I just need to move the System.
    I don't know the command line entries to make to cause it to move the files. The /help information is confusing for me. As you can guess, I am a noob at using Windows CLI.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Problem formatting hard drive-diskformat.jpg  
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,557
    XP, Seven, 2008R2
       #7

    psteege said:
    As you can see, now the C drive has the Boot files and I just need to move the System.
    well...that's a trick. "boot" in your picture does not mean boot. actually "system" means boot. confusing yes? but it's the truth.

    don't worry about the command-line for now, try those steps I gave above
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 38
    Win 7 Ultimate RC1
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I did all the steps you recommended.
    I disconnected the D drive and ran the repair.
    The repair did find some problems, rebooted a few times and the repaired them.
    The last boot repair did not find any problems.
    I removed the DVD and rebooted and it all came up, but the Management screen has not changed and I still cannot format the drive.

    See attached picture:
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Problem formatting hard drive-diskstatus.jpg  
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1,557
    XP, Seven, 2008R2
       #9

    Your system is still booting from the D: drive. You need to go into the BIOS and make the drive with the C: partition the first boot device. The computer must be able to boot from that hard drive with the other one completely disconnected.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 38
    Win 7 Ultimate RC1
    Thread Starter
       #10

    I had the D drive disconnected when doing the repairs. All the fixes Windows made could only have been done on the C drive.

    I checked the BIOS and it is set up to boot from the CD first and then the C drive.
      My Computer


 
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