Format HDD

[jshphotography]

I had a 500gb WD drive with Vista on it. I loaded up a Seagate 500gb drive and installed Windows 7 on it. I've moved over all of the files I wanted off of the WD drive. After moving all of my files I wanted to format the old WD drive. However, disc management in Windows 7 will not let me format the drive or delete the partition. I know my way around computers, a little, but obviously not enough to to do something as simple as formatting an old system partition. Can anyone help?

 

[TaraSWinTeam]

Here is a quick resource for formatting partitions: Formatting disks and drives: frequently asked questions. Your Windows 7 was installed as a Full installation correct, not as an upgrade to the Vista on a second drive?

Tara
Windows Outreach Team

 

[seekermeister]

I rather like gregrocker's method in post #3:

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...-cd-dvd-tried-everything-else.html#post552507

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu, attach file using Paper Clip in Reply Box.

It may be that your old Vista drive holds the System Active MBR for your remaining Win7 if they were previously on a dual boot. This means you must recover the MBR into Win7 or it will not boot after formatting the Vista drive.

 

[pcs3657]

Master and slave

Change the jumper settings on the old drive to slave position and then plug the drive.

Now you will have the drive visible and available for formatting.