How to format hard drive?

LadyDee

Thank you everybody for all your help and suggestions. I'll read through the instructions/links you've posted and let you know how I get on - probably later in the week. I'm full of cold at the moment so can't concentrate too well.

pappa_golf

assign a drive letter to it and reformat it ,

googler

pappa_golf wrote: »

assign a drive letter to it and reformat it ,

There's no 'Change Drive Letter or Paths' on the pop-up menu, though.

cookie365

So when you right click the drive you don't see the options to format or assign letters? If so, Windows doesn't like the partition.

Install this:
http://www.minitool.com/partition-manager/partition-wizard-home.html

Follow these instructions to delete all partitions on the drive
https://www.partitionwizard.com/help/delete-all-partitions.html

Then create a new partition
https://www.partitionwizard.com/help/create-partition.html

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT DISK SELECTED FIRST

I think it formats and assigns a drive letter as part of the process.

pappa_golf

correct , you have to go to the format option THEN assign a drive letter , if its been used on a mac , then there will be no drive letter , in fact when you look at the links it clearly shows no drive letter ,

spud17

cookie365 wrote: »

So when you right click the drive you don't see the options to format or assign letters? If so, Windows doesn't like the partition.

Install this:
http://www.minitool.com/partition-manager/partition-wizard-home.html

Follow these instructions to delete all partitions on the drive
https://www.partitionwizard.com/help/delete-all-partitions.html

Then create a new partition
https://www.partitionwizard.com/help/create-partition.html

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT DISK SELECTED FIRST

I think it formats and assigns a drive letter as part of the process.

At last.
Use this one.
Forget trying to assign letters etc.
If the disk has been previously formatted on a Mac with a Mac file system then Windows will not be able to properly recognise the disk.
It is perfectly safe to use minitool as long as you heed the warning given by cookie365.

googler

cookie365 wrote: »

Follow these instructions to delete all partitions on the drive
https://www.partitionwizard.com/help/delete-all-partitions.html

However, Minitool doesn't seem to allow the Delete Partition option if it's a non-windows partition. Been there before.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=70624568&postcount=8

cookie365

googler wrote: »

However, Minitool doesn't seem to allow the Delete Partition option if it's a non-windows partition. Been there before.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=70624568&postcount=8

Minitool is quite happy working with non Windows partitions.

In the unlikely event it doesn't work for the OP there are other options, but lets not worry about that until we need to.

spud17

googler wrote: »

However, Minitool doesn't seem to allow the Delete Partition option if it's a non-windows partition. Been there before.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=70624568&postcount=8

I've just used GParted to create a flash drive formatted as HFS (Apple), partition id = 0xaf.

I've plugged it into my Win 10 pc and used Minitool to successfully delete the partition., and then formatted it back to FAT32.

Your link refers to a 'bad' disk which is probably something different again.

cookie365 wrote: »

Minitool is quite happy working with non Windows partitions.

In the unlikely event it doesn't work for the OP there are other options, but lets not worry about that until we need to.

Yes.:)

LadyDee

Update - Reporting back to say that I am now able to back up all my laptop content - so, many thanks again for all the helpful suggestions. I did have a little extra assistance from a neghbour to whom I mentioned my dilemna - I ws happy to let him use your instructions! :-)