I cant format my drive and i cant use it if i dont

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SeanHaz

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Sep 19, 2014
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I have an external hardrive connected to my windows 7 laptop and it me format it so i got a partion assistant to do so, i have tried both minitool partion wizard professional and aomei partion assistant
when i format it says all operations completed but when it reloads the HDD all files are still there from before

Any help will be appreciated and i can provide screenshots and more info if necessary
 
Solution
SuperSoph_WD
Hey there!

I'd suggest Data LifeGuard Diagnostics tool:
You need to select WRITE ZEROS and then you will be given to option to completely erase everything (FULL ERASE) or (QUICK ERASE) which writes zeros to the first and last million sectors of the drive.
The software: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=810
How to perform the erase: http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1211

And here's a thread that suggests a Command prompt format, if you haven't tried that already:
http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/external-hard-drive-wont-format-help?replies=9

Hope this helps.
Good luck! :)
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Videographer

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Sep 9, 2014
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Dont use a partition assistant, the more you can strip out of the chain the easier it is to find the broken link so to speak.

Plug in the drive, does it appear with your other drives in My Computer? Can you format it from there?

Does it appear in device manager? (it probably does) does it report any problems with the device?

Have you tried to format it through Control Panel -> Admin tools -> Computer Management -> Disc Management ?

If it still wont format and the drivers are fine I would think it has some sort of write protection or something is physically wrong with it
Can you read and write files to the drive normally?
Have you tried a different PC?
 
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SeanHaz

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Sep 19, 2014
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No is the answer to all of your questions, I wouldnt have downloaded the partition assistant had it worked from my computer.
It can be seen in my computer in 2 partitions. If i try to go into it windows explorer freezes and when i right click and go into format it loads up the format options window but when i actually click format it freezes also.
I can however see the files on the drive through minitool partition tools professional, it has the typical files you would expect from a computer HDD the os and some files.

Any help would still be appreciated

Edit:I also tried a low level format which was also unsuccessful
 
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Videographer

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Sep 9, 2014
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Hmm, if no is the answer to all my questions then its broken. If a low level format doesn't work then that rules out some weird linux or mac format that was stopping windows from formatting it.

I have two suggestions:
1.If the manufacturer has a format, partion or test software suite try using that
2.Pop the case open and see if you can plug it into the motherboard via a sata cable and format it like that - perhaps usb to sata chip is buggy.

I think it might have had its day though
 
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SuperSoph_WD

SuperSoph_WD

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Jul 30, 2014
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Hey there!

I'd suggest Data LifeGuard Diagnostics tool:
You need to select WRITE ZEROS and then you will be given to option to completely erase everything (FULL ERASE) or (QUICK ERASE) which writes zeros to the first and last million sectors of the drive.
The software: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=810
How to perform the erase: http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1211

And here's a thread that suggests a Command prompt format, if you haven't tried that already:
http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/external-hard-drive-wont-format-help?replies=9

Hope this helps.
Good luck! :)
 
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