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Format a backup HDD

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  • Storage
  • Backup
  • Hard Drives
  • Format
Last response: in Storage
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March 4, 2014 2:15:21 PM

OK so i haven't had any luck locating a thread on this but if you know one tell me please? ok so a while back my friend gave me his old HDD that had a virus on it a 500gb WD blue and i would like to restore it because my HDD is running out of room for games how can i restore it without damaging my pc?

More about : format backup hdd

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March 4, 2014 2:21:52 PM

Okay, here is what you can do:
1. Connect the drive to your PC, via SATA if it is that interface or if it is a USB drive it applies the same with your PC's USB ports.
2. Boot your PC, but make sure the second drive you just connected is not set as the boot drive.
3. Boot into Windows, and hit the Windows Key and "R" at the same time to bring up the "Run" dialog.
4. Type in "diskmgmt.msc and hit "Enter" or "OK"
5. Find the volume you want to format, right click on it, and select the "Format" option. Make sure to follow all of the steps, leaving most things default, and making sure it is set as NTFS.
6. Wait for the format to complete, do a reboot (just in case), and voila, you have 500GB of clean storage!

Hope this helped!
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March 5, 2014 12:28:39 PM

apcs13 said:
Okay, here is what you can do:
1. Connect the drive to your PC, via SATA if it is that interface or if it is a USB drive it applies the same with your PC's USB ports.
2. Boot your PC, but make sure the second drive you just connected is not set as the boot drive.
3. Boot into Windows, and hit the Windows Key and "R" at the same time to bring up the "Run" dialog.
4. Type in "diskmgmt.msc and hit "Enter" or "OK"
5. Find the volume you want to format, right click on it, and select the "Format" option. Make sure to follow all of the steps, leaving most things default, and making sure it is set as NTFS.
6. Wait for the format to complete, do a reboot (just in case), and voila, you have 500GB of clean storage!

Hope this helped!


ok so what if they both have an os how do i make sure its a secondary?
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March 5, 2014 4:09:31 PM

jkjk755 said:
apcs13 said:
Okay, here is what you can do:
1. Connect the drive to your PC, via SATA if it is that interface or if it is a USB drive it applies the same with your PC's USB ports.
2. Boot your PC, but make sure the second drive you just connected is not set as the boot drive.
3. Boot into Windows, and hit the Windows Key and "R" at the same time to bring up the "Run" dialog.
4. Type in "diskmgmt.msc and hit "Enter" or "OK"
5. Find the volume you want to format, right click on it, and select the "Format" option. Make sure to follow all of the steps, leaving most things default, and making sure it is set as NTFS.
6. Wait for the format to complete, do a reboot (just in case), and voila, you have 500GB of clean storage!

Hope this helped!


ok so what if they both have an os how do i make sure its a secondary?


Well, if you mean prior to the format it has the OS, then if it takes up the second SATA port it should by default be secondary. However, you should boot into your bios when you first connect the drive and make sure your main drive is set as the primary HDD first. If you can't tell which is which, before you put in the new drive, go into your BIOS and look for the hard drive you currently have set as the boot drive.

Adding another drive shouldn't change the boot options, you may just get the choice of which OS you want to load into. Just select the correct one and you should be good. If the are both Windows 7 or something it is uaually the top one that is the original one, but if not just reboot your system and try again with the other one.

By any chance, you don't use the app iFunny, do you?
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March 5, 2014 7:03:50 PM

apcs13 said:
jkjk755 said:
apcs13 said:
Okay, here is what you can do:
1. Connect the drive to your PC, via SATA if it is that interface or if it is a USB drive it applies the same with your PC's USB ports.
2. Boot your PC, but make sure the second drive you just connected is not set as the boot drive.
3. Boot into Windows, and hit the Windows Key and "R" at the same time to bring up the "Run" dialog.
4. Type in "diskmgmt.msc and hit "Enter" or "OK"
5. Find the volume you want to format, right click on it, and select the "Format" option. Make sure to follow all of the steps, leaving most things default, and making sure it is set as NTFS.
6. Wait for the format to complete, do a reboot (just in case), and voila, you have 500GB of clean storage!

Hope this helped!


ok so what if they both have an os how do i make sure its a secondary?


Well, if you mean prior to the format it has the OS, then if it takes up the second SATA port it should by default be secondary. However, you should boot into your bios when you first connect the drive and make sure your main drive is set as the primary HDD first. If you can't tell which is which, before you put in the new drive, go into your BIOS and look for the hard drive you currently have set as the boot drive.

Adding another drive shouldn't change the boot options, you may just get the choice of which OS you want to load into. Just select the correct one and you should be good. If the are both Windows 7 or something it is uaually the top one that is the original one, but if not just reboot your system and try again with the other one.

By any chance, you don't use the app iFunny, do you?


ya man you know me?
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March 5, 2014 7:40:58 PM

jkjk755 said:


ya man you know me?


Yeah, I'm Tech_Tips, I don't know if you know me by name but we've talked before and I'm subbed to you. Master Race FTW!! Also, I still am in shock how you got your PC for so cheap!!

Also let me know if the formatting works as expected!
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March 5, 2014 8:59:45 PM

Yea man I know you I don't think you're subbed to me? But whatever lol yea I got my PC all off newegg for $850 with the gtx 770 sc acx cooling
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March 6, 2014 7:28:22 AM

jkjk755 said:
Yea man I know you I don't think you're subbed to me? But whatever lol yea I got my PC all off newegg for $850 with the gtx 770 sc acx cooling


Oops, well I'm subscribed now! Thought I was already but oh well. That's a killer deal, I guess I got mine off of random places barebones for $750, but I also needed an OS, disk drive, Wi Fi card, etc.
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!