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How to format HDD without Operating System

HeyLittleBitty
By HeyLittleBitty
in Storage Devices
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Posted

Ive done just about everything to fix the “hard drive wont show up” problem. And i never got an answer that works. My HDD only shows in BIOS but not in windows 10. I even tried the memory diagnostics that should’ve fixed it. 

 

I just want to format a hard drive to repurpose it. Is there a way to do it from bios?

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Posted
2 minutes ago, HeyLittleBitty said:

Ive done just about everything to fix the “hard drive wont show up” problem. And i never got an answer that works. My HDD only shows in BIOS but not in windows 10. I even tried the memory diagnostics that should’ve fixed it. 

 

I just want to format a hard drive to repurpose it. Is there a way to do it from bios?

There should be some disk manager software you can run off a USB stick, that you boot into. Try that

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Posted

Google "format without OS", and you get so many hits. I dont know why you even ask.

When i ask for more specs, don't expect me to know the answer!
I'm just helping YOU to help YOURSELF!
(The more info you give the easier it is for others to help you out!)

Not willing to capitulate to the ignorance of the masses!

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Does it show in disk management? Or was it your OS drive?

 

If you have a windows installation CD/USB you can use it to format the drive once you get to the advanced installation option. 

 

If anything you can also use diskpart which works better than windows GUI tools. Once booted off a Windows installer hit shift + F10 and CMD will open.

Type in diskpart, hit enter.

List disk, hit enter.

Your drive should show up in it...Then you can do the rest of the parameters to format it from there.

 

You can also boot off an Ubuntu live cd and format it in Linux.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
  • Author

Ok so what i did was use the windows 10 installation on a USB to format and delete the partition on the hard drive i wanted to add. That did not work but I found that the reason my main hard drive couldnt see the hard drive was because of Serial ATA channel 0 and 1 werent working, which i had three of each. The middle ones were the ones not working, So I uninstalled them and searched for hardware changes. They came back working and i was able to see the hard drive. They must've had a corrupted drivers.

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On 10/15/2018 at 12:29 PM, HanZie82 said:

Google "format without OS", and you get so many hits. I dont know why you even ask.

Formatting wasnt the problem, but thanks for the idea.

 

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Did you mark the partition active in Windows disk management?

Current computers:

Primary Computer (In Progress):

Spoiler

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

CASE: ROSEWIL THOR V2 Black

CPU:

Motherboard:

GPU: SAPPHIRE VEGA 56 -TBU RTX 2070 SUPER

RAM: 48 GB CORSAIR VENGEANCE LPX
PSU: SEASONIC PRIME 1300 W GOLD

STORAGE: 4x SEAGATE EXOS 4TB | Sans Digital HDD 5-Bay Rack | Sisun IDE SATA HDD Docking Station 

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MOUSE: 16000DPI GAMING MOUSE

KEYBOARD: -PENDING-

MONITOR: -PENDING- AOC AGON AG241QX 24" -PENDING-

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LAST UPDATED 4/29/20

Secondary Computer:

Spoiler

CPU: AMD FX-8370 Black Edition 

Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2.0

GPU: Zotac GeForce GTX 970 AMP! Omega Core Edition 

RAM: 24GB Kingston HyperX Savage 1600MHz DDR3
PSU: Antec High Current Gamer HCG-900W

STORAGE: 5x Western Digital Black 2TB - WD2003FZEX | Sans Digital HDD 5-Bay Rack | Sisun IDE SATA HDD Docking Station 

SOUND SYSTEM: Logitech Z506 Surround Sound via Vantec USB External 7.1 Channel Audio Adapter  

MOUSE: PUREX 2400 DPI Wired Laser Gaming Mouse

KEYBOARD: DBPOWER 104 Key -3 Backlit -I KNOW! Linus doesn't approve -I have glued it to the desk and it works well for my needs.

MONITOR: ASUS VS247H-P 24 Inch 

COOLING: CPU: Noctua NH-D14 -3x NF-F12 Fan MOD || 10-12X NF-F12 || EXHAUST: 3x NA-A12x25

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Posted
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On 11/5/2018 at 4:01 PM, kingknightrider said:

Did you mark the partition active in Windows disk management?

No. Why? It started working right away, so i didnt bother adding partitions.

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2 minutes ago, HeyLittleBitty said:

No. Why? It started working right away, so i didnt bother adding partitions.

Ok.

Sometimes it may not if a format has occured in the past.

Current computers:

Primary Computer (In Progress):

Spoiler

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

CASE: ROSEWIL THOR V2 Black

CPU:

Motherboard:

GPU: SAPPHIRE VEGA 56 -TBU RTX 2070 SUPER

RAM: 48 GB CORSAIR VENGEANCE LPX
PSU: SEASONIC PRIME 1300 W GOLD

STORAGE: 4x SEAGATE EXOS 4TB | Sans Digital HDD 5-Bay Rack | Sisun IDE SATA HDD Docking Station 

SOUND SYSTEM: Logitech Z506 Surround Sound via Vantec USB External 7.1 Channel Audio Adapter  

MOUSE: 16000DPI GAMING MOUSE

KEYBOARD: -PENDING-

MONITOR: -PENDING- AOC AGON AG241QX 24" -PENDING-

COOLING:  CPU: Noctua NH-D15 -3x NF-F12 Fan MOD || 10-12X NF-F12 || EXHAUST: 3x NA-A12x25

LAST UPDATED 4/29/20

Secondary Computer:

Spoiler

CPU: AMD FX-8370 Black Edition 

Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2.0

GPU: Zotac GeForce GTX 970 AMP! Omega Core Edition 

RAM: 24GB Kingston HyperX Savage 1600MHz DDR3
PSU: Antec High Current Gamer HCG-900W

STORAGE: 5x Western Digital Black 2TB - WD2003FZEX | Sans Digital HDD 5-Bay Rack | Sisun IDE SATA HDD Docking Station 

SOUND SYSTEM: Logitech Z506 Surround Sound via Vantec USB External 7.1 Channel Audio Adapter  

MOUSE: PUREX 2400 DPI Wired Laser Gaming Mouse

KEYBOARD: DBPOWER 104 Key -3 Backlit -I KNOW! Linus doesn't approve -I have glued it to the desk and it works well for my needs.

MONITOR: ASUS VS247H-P 24 Inch 

COOLING: CPU: Noctua NH-D14 -3x NF-F12 Fan MOD || 10-12X NF-F12 || EXHAUST: 3x NA-A12x25

GRAPHICS: 2x NF12s fans on graphics card + 2x NF-F12s & 1x NA-A12x25 in Fan box | 1x Vantec SP-FC70-BL Spectrum System Fan Cards

 

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