unable to format drive!

[kreigsmarine]

a particular drive on my hard disk is giving me problems.when i try to access any of the stuff stored on it,i get a message saying "this drive is not formatted.format it now?"..when i try to format it ,i get the error "drive cant be formatted,please close all disk utilities and other programs that are using this drive and then ttry again"....i did all that stuff and tried and again,but got the same error again...So,is there a problem with my hard disk?
a few daze back ,my comp crashed and after the computer guy fiddled around wid it,it started again(he told me though,that there was no problem with the hard disk,but i dont really trust him,cuz hes a dork)...this error crept in only after that..

[tonic4u]

The warning is probably because of the data corruption in the data in the drive.

Try to format using DISKPART command through cmd in Windows XP. It provides both the regular and advanced uasage for Disk Partition.

Otherwise prepare a Boot floppy (or any others) and format the drive during the start up.

use Windows XP CD to format either using its Recovery Console (recommended) or the standard format during the Setup.

[Vishal Gupta]

Or try 3rd party s/w like Partition Magic. It'll automatically repair minor problems in partition table. and I think u'll be able to format the drive using it

[n2casey]

If that drive is not formatted & ur os asks u to format it then u shud format it but u r saying that u get an error msg. that means some program is running from that drive or might be os is using that drive.

Now if u will format that drive then all the data from that drive will be deleted. To format it just follow these steps.

1. ust boot ur system with ur WinXP CD.
2. Choose for new window installation (don't choose repair)
3. When asked to select a partition, choose the partition which u want to format.
4. Now select the option 'Quick format with FAT32'
5. partition will be formatted. when u get the msg 'Creating list of files to be .....' just restart ur system.

U can also format using Win98 bootable CD.
Boot ur system with Win98 CD & use the command

format e:

where e: is ur partion to be formatted. I m just using it as a example.

[arora.bharat]

Originally Posted by kreigsmarine

a particular drive on my hard disk is giving me problems.when i try to access any of the stuff stored on it,i get a message saying "this drive is not formatted.format it now?"..when i try to format it ,i get the error "drive cant be formatted,please close all disk utilities and other programs that are using this drive and then ttry again"....i did all that stuff and tried and again,but got the same error again...So,is there a problem with my hard disk?
a few daze back ,my comp crashed and after the computer guy fiddled around wid it,it started again(he told me though,that there was no problem with the hard disk,but i dont really trust him,cuz hes a dork)...this error crept in only after that..

Hi
kreigsmarine,
you dont mention what kind of partition you are using on to the system.
and how you create this partition if there is any third party software you are
using may be the reason is that may be i can help you for this.

regards
Bharat arora
email on:arora.bharat@yahoo.co.in