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Author Topic: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it  (Read 6889 times)

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ridhwan

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    you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
    « on: July 14, 2012, 12:09:29 AM »
    HI All,

    I  have windows 7 install on DELL Latitude E6320, whenver I plug my 160 GB HDD its error out:you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it..

    BUt If i try to connect in another laptop HP its get connected.

    Pls HELP..

    Thanks & Regards
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    Geek-9pm


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    Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
    « Reply #1 on: July 14, 2012, 12:50:24 AM »
    This has come up before and I do not have a clear answer. It may have something to do with the adapter your are using.

    Do y0ou need to use it as a portable backup device?
    Can you not share files between the computers some other way?

    Only ifs the data is NOT important, you can try formatting the drive and  see it it then is compatible with both computers.
    Otherwise, I would suggewt getting a new external backup from a major maker.

    Here is a broad review of external drives.
    http://external-hard-drive-review.toptenreviews.com/

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    Zylstra

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    Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
    « Reply #2 on: July 14, 2012, 12:51:46 AM »
    Is the other HP laptop also running Windows?
    By chance, did you attempt to use any encryption software that may have been included with the drive? Or attempt to encrypt using other software?
    When you enter "My Computer" on the laptop with the issue (My Computer is found now under the Start Menu> "Computer", or you may type "Computer" into the start menu search to locate it), is there another device displayed that is the drive you are looking for?

    Some drives come with multiple partitions, one for storage and one with special software. If the software drive is empty and does not have formatting, or if it is an unrecognized format, Windows will prompt you to format that part of the drive when it is connected.
    If you happened to format the drive with a different file system (EXT in Linux, or even TrueCrypt, for example) that would also cause issues.



    One possible solution if it is a dual partition issue:
    http://superuser.com/questions/226307/prevent-windows-7-prompt-format-usb-hdd (delete the drive letter, more of a "quick fix" than a solution).
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    ridhwan

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      Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
      « Reply #3 on: July 14, 2012, 03:41:08 AM »
      yes another laptop alos running windwos 7
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      ridhwan

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        Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
        « Reply #4 on: July 14, 2012, 03:41:55 AM »
        yes another laptop also have windows 7
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        patio

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        Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
        « Reply #5 on: July 14, 2012, 05:33:53 AM »
        If the HDD has an OS installed to it you cannot simply move it from laptop to laptop and expect it to work properly...
        This is by design...
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        Zylstra

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        Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
        « Reply #6 on: July 14, 2012, 06:24:24 PM »
        Ridhwan,
        Could you please clarify if this is a regular external HDD drive for backing up/storing data, or is it a drive you removed from a laptop? i.e., the kind of external hard drive you would buy at a store?

        I think Patio was thinking that you might be trying to boot off it.

        If it is a regular external drive, not recovered from another computer, did you in fact look under your "My Computer" window to see if there might be two disks showing up? (One that is more or less blank, and one with the data that should be there?)
        And could you confirm if you were attempting to use encryption or password protection software of any kind with the drive?
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        ridhwan

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          Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
          « Reply #7 on: July 15, 2012, 11:43:56 PM »
          Hi All,

          I have external 160 GB transcend HDD. Dell Latitude E6320 model. Windows 7 OS Installed. I tried all posibilites but fail. Please Help me out!

          Thanks
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          Re: you need to format disk in drive F: before you can use it
          « Reply #8 on: July 16, 2012, 04:57:21 AM »
          I will assume the HDD is OK, but somehow the partition information can not be read by Windows 7 do to some kind of issue  other than hardware failure. Use of a partition recovery tool may help. Or it may also destroy your date.
          I will not recommend you buy this product. You can solve the problem without it. But you may wish to rad about what it does.
          http://www.partition-recovery.com/

          1. Instead, just plug it into the happy PC that can read it, save the data, then reformat the drive on the sad PC. After that, restore data over your LAN.

          Or 
          2. Consider a free partition tool. This one I have NOT used.
          http://www.easeus.com/partition-recovery/

          For reasons I don't comprehend, USB drives surfer some kind of identity crisis. The partition tool may help fix the problem.

          This free tool has worked for me. Results may vary.
          http://www.minitool-partitionrecovery.com/

          Be advised that partition recovery tools can also destroy data. Sorry, no warranty. Safe and sane is #1 above. (But I  go for #2 because I have lots of backups already.)

          Does this help any?
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