Cannot format secondary hard drive

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TonyH88

Honorable
Sep 29, 2015
41
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10,540
I sold my computer and I have to deliver him with a clean Windows 10 installation. That's no issue. I can easily format C: D: (one drive, two partitions) when installing a new Windows, I have however never formatted my secondary drive (it used to be my external drive).
I cannot format it in disk management as it is an 'active' 'system' drive on disk 0 there.

I've searched some information on the internet, but I do not want to screw something up. I also ran diskpart and the dvd-rom is on Volume 0, is that normal?

CrystalDiskInfo:
http://postimg.org/image/sgaomrhvl/

diskpart:
http://postimg.org/image/vog4q3eip/

disk management:
http://postimg.org/image/ehj17eywx/

What can I do to format the G drive (Akaia)?
Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
Rabmac
Here is what I suggest:

Step 1: Run DBAN on both drives that are in the machine you are selling so all traces of your data are destroyed (don't do this on a SSD). The reason for this is that someone with a little know how can retrieve all your data, which could be a major problem if you have sensitive info like bank details on it. Downdload here: http://www.dban.org/

Step 2: Turn off PC and disconnect secondary drive.

Step 3: Install Windows on the main HDD and setup any partition you wanted at this stage.

Step 4: Shut down PC, set BIOS for primary drive being boot. Connect second HDD.

Step 5: Boot up PC and format secondary drive, instructions found here...
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Rabmac

Rabmac

Reputable
Nov 29, 2015
1,325
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5,960
Here is what I suggest:

Step 1: Run DBAN on both drives that are in the machine you are selling so all traces of your data are destroyed (don't do this on a SSD). The reason for this is that someone with a little know how can retrieve all your data, which could be a major problem if you have sensitive info like bank details on it. Downdload here: http://www.dban.org/

Step 2: Turn off PC and disconnect secondary drive.

Step 3: Install Windows on the main HDD and setup any partition you wanted at this stage.

Step 4: Shut down PC, set BIOS for primary drive being boot. Connect second HDD.

Step 5: Boot up PC and format secondary drive, instructions found here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/create-format-hard-disk-partition#create-format-hard-disk-partition=windows-7

 
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Solution
SuperSoph_WD

SuperSoph_WD

Glorious
Jul 30, 2014
6,758
3
45,960
Hey there, Tony!

Looking at your screenshots, I suspect that you had both HDDs plugged to your system when you were clean installing Windows 10 on the primary drive. I'm afraid that you will need to repeat the fresh install, only this time make sure you unplug the secondary HDD from the motherboard. What you have most probably encountered is an OS confusion. This usually happens when you have more than 1 HDD attached to the SATA ports while installing Windows and it basically scatters the system files across all the drives connected. This is why you are unable to reformat the drive, because it contains the system partition.

Reinstall Windows on your primary drive and after the installation is completed and you boot into Windows just fine, plug back the secondary WD Blue drive and try to reformat it through Disk Management then.

Hope it helps. Keep me posted if you encounter more issues with it!
SuperSoph_WD :)
 
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V

VincentP

Splendid
Oct 18, 2013
4,105
1
26,965
Booting from the Windows 10 disc you should be able to remove all partitions on both drives.
If you then select the first drive for Windows to install it should leave the second drive alone.
Alternatively you can shutdown after deleting the partitions and disconnect the second drive before booting and installing Windows.

DBAN is great if you want to make any data unrecoverable on a mechanical drive.
Do not use this on an SSD as it can permanently damage the drive.
Even on a mechanical drive it takes many hours to run, so only bother if you really care about someone being able to recover this data.
 
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