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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop?
I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. (Please don't tell me just to get a newer laptop. I know of that option and I might but I want to fix this one regardless.) I have a new, bigger 40G PATA HDD, and I thought I could partition it, format it, and restore my backup files to it from my regular desktop computer, running X:P SP3. But nothing recognizes that the drive is even there, inluding Easeus Parrtiition Master Home Edition and Windows Disk Management, I guess the latter isn't meant to recognize unpartitioned drives.) Is the problem that the drive is only connected by a USB adapter?? Because it is 2.5" and the connections on the mobo seem suited only to 3 1/2 and 5.25" hard drives, I used a Rosewill PATA/SATA/CD/DVD to USB adapter, which has always worked fine, including yesterday, with PATA drives that already have data. I just plug the USB plug into the port and XP recognizes the drive like any external USB drive. What am I missing? Do I have to find a CD that will boot the laptop, put the HDD into the laptop and partition the HDD there? I think it has only 256 Meg RAM. I have Hiren's Boot CD which runs a smaller version of XP. Is 256 Meg enough? And I have the originan MS winME CD. The laptop is a Thinkpad that came with 98 and was upgraded to ME but I wanted to also put 2000 on it ASAP, in order to use newer AntiiVirus and Web Browsers. Thanks.I |
#2
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
On Jul 23, 1:58*pm, micky wrote:
How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I didn't realize this would be a problem. *I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. (Please don't tell me just to get a newer laptop. *I know of that option *and I might but I want to fix this one regardless.) I have a new, bigger 40G PATA HDD, and I thought I could partition it, format it, and restore my backup files to it from my regular desktop computer, running X:P SP3. * But nothing recognizes that the drive is even there, inluding Easeus Parrtiition Master Home Edition *and Windows Disk Management, I guess the latter isn't meant to recognize unpartitioned drives.) Is the problem that the drive is only connected by a USB adapter?? Because it is 2.5" and the connections on the mobo seem suited only to 3 1/2 and *5.25" hard drives, I used a Rosewill PATA/SATA/CD/DVD to USB adapter, which has always worked fine, including yesterday, with PATA drives that already have data. *I just plug the USB plug into the port and XP recognizes the drive like any external USB drive. What am I missing? * Do I have to find a CD that will boot the laptop, put the HDD into the laptop and partition the HDD there? *I think it has only 256 Meg RAM. *I have Hiren's Boot CD which runs a smaller version of XP. *Is 256 Meg enough? * And I have the originan MS winME CD. The laptop is a Thinkpad that came with 98 and was upgraded to *ME but I wanted to also put 2000 on it ASAP, in order to use newer AntiiVirus and Web Browsers. Thanks.I Are you using a 3.5" to 2.5" adapter? This is passive 40 pin 34 pin including power. USB etc will be fine Michael www.cnwrecovery.com |
#3
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
micky wrote
How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I'm not convinced that you need to do that. I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. (Please don't tell me just to get a newer laptop. I know of that option and I might but I want to fix this one regardless.) I have a new, bigger 40G PATA HDD, and I thought I could partition it, format it, and restore my backup files to it from my regular desktop computer, running X:P SP3. You dont need to format it to restore to it with most decent backup software. Particularly with an image restore, the imager should restore to an unpartitioned drive. And even if you do need to partition and format the drive, because you backup is actually a manual copy of the files on the original, you can partition and format it fine in XP SP3. But nothing recognizes that the drive is even there, inluding Easeus Parrtiition Master Home Edition and Windows Disk Management, That last is just plain wrong; Disk Management will partition and format a drive and it will see a viable drive that has not been partitioned and formatted. There must be something wrong with the drive or the connection to it etc. I guess the latter isn't meant to recognize unpartitioned drives.) Yes it does and I use it to partition and format new drives that are used with my PC based PVR that replaces the video recorders. Is the problem that the drive is only connected by a USB adapter?? Nope, thats how I partition and format the PVR overflow drives, they are in a USB2 docking station. Because it is 2.5" and the connections on the mobo seem suited only to 3 1/2 and 5.25" hard drives, I used a Rosewill PATA/SATA/CD/DVD to USB adapter, which has always worked fine, including yesterday, with PATA drives that already have data. I just plug the USB plug into the port and XP recognizes the drive like any external USB drive. It may be that that adapter has a problem with drives that have not been paritioned and formatted. What am I missing? That XP SP3 Disk Management will partition and format a blank drive fine;. So either the Rosewell adapter has a problem with an unformatted drive which is unlikely, or the drive has not been connected properly. Are you sure you have got power to the drive properly ? Does the drive even spin up ? You should be able to feel it spin up. Do I have to find a CD that will boot the laptop, put the HDD into the laptop and partition the HDD there? Nope although that would resolve the problem with the drive not spinning up if it does spin up in the laptop. I think it has only 256 Meg RAM. I have Hiren's Boot CD which runs a smaller version of XP. Is 256 Meg enough? Yes. Tho that is a bit quirky user interface wise, it should work. And I have the originan MS winME CD. That should do it fine too, its got a partitioner and formatter on it if its a bootable CD. The laptop is a Thinkpad that came with 98 and was upgraded to ME but I wanted to also put 2000 on it ASAP, in order to use newer AntiiVirus and Web Browsers. Nothing like living life in the fast lane. |
#4
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
micky wrote: How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. If you're in the US, here's an adapter for running 2.5" PATA drives from a desktop PATA port. $1.59, delivered: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/3-5-to-...-converter-727 When you say 3" drive, do you mean a 3.5" desktop drive or a 2.5" laptop drive? Also when the driver of a car sees a fork in the road and asks you which way to go, do you tell him to go straight? |
#5
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
On Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:09:40 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote: On Jul 23, 1:58*pm, micky wrote: How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I didn't realize this would be a problem. *I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. (Please don't tell me just to get a newer laptop. *I know of that option *and I might but I want to fix this one regardless.) I have a new, bigger 40G PATA HDD, and I thought I could partition it, format it, and restore my backup files to it from my regular desktop computer, running X:P SP3. * But nothing recognizes that the drive is even there, inluding Easeus Parrtiition Master Home Edition *and Windows Disk Management, I guess the latter isn't meant to recognize unpartitioned drives.) Is the problem that the drive is only connected by a USB adapter?? Because it is 2.5" and the connections on the mobo seem suited only to 3 1/2 and *5.25" hard drives, I used a Rosewill PATA/SATA/CD/DVD to USB adapter, which has always worked fine, including yesterday, with PATA drives that already have data. *I just plug the USB plug into the port and XP recognizes the drive like any external USB drive. What am I missing? * Do I have to find a CD that will boot the laptop, put the HDD into the laptop and partition the HDD there? *I think it has only 256 Meg RAM. *I have Hiren's Boot CD which runs a smaller version of XP. *Is 256 Meg enough? * And I have the originan MS winME CD. The laptop is a Thinkpad that came with 98 and was upgraded to *ME but I wanted to also put 2000 on it ASAP, in order to use newer AntiiVirus and Web Browsers. Thanks.I Are you using a 3.5" to 2.5" adapter? No, just a USB to PATA, etc. adapter. It has a black thing about 2" by 1.5" that the USB cable plugs into and so does the drive, any size, PATA, SATA, CD, or DVD, except for floppy. and maybe some drives I've never owned, like ZIP. Only 20 dollars from Rosewilll, some of the best money I've ever spent. But it's working now. See my answer to Rod. Well, that has been delayed, but sometimes today or tomoorrow. This is passive 40 pin 34 pin including power. USB etc will be fine Michael www.cnwrecovery.com |
#6
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 08:25:00 -0700 (PDT), "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote: micky wrote: How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. If you're in the US, here's an adapter for running 2.5" PATA drives from a desktop PATA port. $1.59, delivered: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/3-5-to-...-converter-727 Thanks a lot. How can they sell anything for 1.59. delivered? For that matter, I found on ebay some 40mm fans, almost what I need, for 99 cents, free shipping, all the way from Hong Kong.. I didn't think people in Hong Kong worked that cheap anymore. When you say 3" drive, do you mean a 3.5" desktop drive or a 2.5" laptop drive? Also when the driver of a car sees a fork in the road and asks you which way to go, do you tell him to go straight? |
#7
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
micky wrote
larry moe 'n curly wrote micky wrote: How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. If you're in the US, here's an adapter for running 2.5" PATA drives from a desktop PATA port. $1.59, delivered: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/3-5-to-...-converter-727 Thanks a lot. How can they sell anything for 1.59. delivered? I've bought some similar stuff for $1 delivered, from china to australia. For that matter, I found on ebay some 40mm fans, almost what I need, for 99 cents, free shipping, all the way from Hong Kong.. I didn't think people in Hong Kong worked that cheap anymore. Yep, just bought a heap of cheap cables etc that way. When you say 3" drive, do you mean a 3.5" desktop drive or a 2.5" laptop drive? Also when the driver of a car sees a fork in the road and asks you which way to go, do you tell him to go straight? |
#8
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 04:08:36 +1000, "Rod Speed"
wrote: micky wrote How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I'm not convinced that you need to do that. I guess not. Was I thinking of flooppies? You have to do it for them:? I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. (Please don't tell me just to get a newer laptop. I know of that option and I might but I want to fix this one regardless.) I have a new, bigger 40G PATA HDD, and I thought I could partition it, format it, and restore my backup files to it from my regular desktop computer, running X:P SP3. You dont need to format it to restore to it with most decent backup software. Particularly with an image restore, the imager should restore to an unpartitioned drive. Well, I do want parftitions, . And even if you do need to partition and format the drive, because you backup is actually a manual copy of the files on the original, you can partition and format it fine in XP SP3. But nothing recognizes that the drive is even there, inluding Easeus Parrtiition Master Home Edition and Windows Disk Management, That last is just plain wrong; Disk Management will partition and format a drive and it will see a viable drive that has not been partitioned and formatted. Yes, I was wrong. I can't remember from one day to the next what things some progrrams can do,, and I think DM has a lot of its commands under the right mouse key, and I didn't look there. There must be something wrong with the drive or the connection to it etc. You're right again. I was trying to remember what was different from the one other time I used this adapter with a 2.5" drive, and I realized I had used a different USB cable. It was a black one, and the one this time was a white one. I think the white one had worked fine with 3.5 inch drives and with CD drives, but I'm not certain now. Of course I forget things all the time in the last couple years. For the the bigger drives, there is a separate power supply, and the adapter has 2 blue lights. One goes on when the power supply is connected, and the other when the USB** cable is connected. But with these 2.5" drives both blue lights were on with the white cable so I thought it was good. Today I found the black cable and the computer recognizes the good drive and even 2 or the 3 bad drives., and It's copying now. I hae to confess. I bought the whit one at a dollar store. I've had trouble before with their electrnonci stuff, but I wanted spare cables for the basemetn. I'm sure this or the other white cord I bought worked. Althought the self-rewinding USB cable didn't work and the rubber part of the button on an LED flashlight keeps falling out. But other stuff has worked, .and thist was only a dollars, compared to 29 dollars at Radio Shack. (Yes, I know there are good cheap ones online, but it was right in front of me and only a dollar .) And I found out there are only 4 or 5 wires in a USB cable, and it seems strange that the power is the problem, not the signal, since this low level of power doesn't need a quality conductor. **It also works with E-SATA. I guess the latter isn't meant to recognize unpartitioned drives.) Yes it does and I use it to partition and format new drives that are used with my PC based PVR that replaces the video recorders. Is the problem that the drive is only connected by a USB adapter?? Nope, thats how I partition and format the PVR overflow drives, they are in a USB2 docking station. Because it is 2.5" and the connections on the mobo seem suited only to 3 1/2 and 5.25" hard drives, I used a Rosewill PATA/SATA/CD/DVD to USB adapter, which has always worked fine, including yesterday, with PATA drives that already have data. I just plug the USB plug into the port and XP recognizes the drive like any external USB drive. It may be that that adapter has a problem with drives that have not been paritioned and formatted. It turns out it's a used drive and had been partitions and formatted alreeady and even had one directory and file on it, System Volume Information, that I couldn't delete. But I deleted the whole partitoin and created a 10 gig one for winME. Therre are still 30gigs left from win2000 and more data. What am I missing? That XP SP3 Disk Management will partition and format a blank drive fine;. So either the Rosewell adapter has a problem with an unformatted drive which is unlikely, or the drive has not been connected properly. Are you sure you have got power to the drive properly ? Does the drive even spin up ? You should be able to feel it spin up. Do I have to find a CD that will boot the laptop, put the HDD into the laptop and partition the HDD there? Nope although that would resolve the problem with the drive not spinning up if it does spin up in the laptop. I think it has only 256 Meg RAM. I have Hiren's Boot CD which runs a smaller version of XP. Is 256 Meg enough? Yes. Tho that is a bit quirky user interface wise, it should work. And I have the originan MS winME CD. That should do it fine too, its got a partitioner and formatter on it if its a bootable CD. Good to know. Thanks for the question above that pointed to the cable, and for all the questions Aha, it just finished. 3,250,000,000 bytes copied. When I copied it Friday from the older, maybe 60 gig drive I was using for backup the last time the Thinkpad wokred to the harddrive in my computer now,, it took almost 3 hours. Copying from that computer to this newer 2.5" 40Gig drive took 32 minutes. The laptop is a Thinkpad that came with 98 and was upgraded to ME but I wanted to also put 2000 on it ASAP, in order to use newer AntiiVirus and Web Browsers. Nothing like living life in the fast lane. For much of my life, I'm still living in the 50's! Actually i' enjoyed fiddling with this old one tonight as much as I would enjoy fiddling with a new one!. It doesn't all work yet but it was really fun. Thanks again. |
#9
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How to format a 3" drive without a laptop?
micky wrote
Rod Speed wrote micky wrote How to format a 2.5" drive without a laptop? I'm not convinced that you need to do that. I guess not. Was I thinking of flooppies? Maybe. You have to do it for them:? Some of them come formatted. I didn't realize this would be a problem. I have an old laptop whose PATA HDD had failed. (Please don't tell me just to get a newer laptop. I know of that option and I might but I want to fix this one regardless.) I have a new, bigger 40G PATA HDD, and I thought I could partition it, format it, and restore my backup files to it from my regular desktop computer, running X:P SP3. You dont need to format it to restore to it with most decent backup software. Particularly with an image restore, the imager should restore to an unpartitioned drive. Well, I do want parftitions, . Yes, but the restore operation restores them too, to an unpartitioned drive. And even if you do need to partition and format the drive, because you backup is actually a manual copy of the files on the original, you can partition and format it fine in XP SP3. But nothing recognizes that the drive is even there, inluding Easeus Parrtiition Master Home Edition and Windows Disk Management, That last is just plain wrong; Disk Management will partition and format a drive and it will see a viable drive that has not been partitioned and formatted. Yes, I was wrong. I can't remember from one day to the next what things some progrrams can do,, Yeah, can be a problem. and I think DM has a lot of its commands under the right mouse key, Yep. and I didn't look there. Yeah, thats the way I normally do it. There must be something wrong with the drive or the connection to it etc. You're right again. I was trying to remember what was different from the one other time I used this adapter with a 2.5" drive, and I realized I had used a different USB cable. It was a black one, and the one this time was a white one. I think the white one had worked fine with 3.5 inch drives and with CD drives, but I'm not certain now. Its more likely that you dont realise that the 2.5" drives are powered differently. They dont have a separate power connector, they are powered via the only connector, Of course I forget things all the time in the last couple years. Dont worry, you'll soon be forgetting where you live and who that woman who cooks for you and cleans your house is. For the the bigger drives, there is a separate power supply, Yes. But the 2.5" drives still need to be powered, its just done using some extra pins on the single long connector on the drive. and the adapter has 2 blue lights. One goes on when the power supply is connected, and the other when the USB** cable is connected. But with these 2.5" drives both blue lights were on with the white cable so I thought it was good. Today I found the black cable and the computer recognizes the good drive and even 2 or the 3 bad drives., and It's copying now. I hae to confess. I bought the whit one at a dollar store. I've had trouble before with their electrnonci stuff, but I wanted spare cables for the basemetn. I'm sure this or the other white cord I bought worked. Althought the self-rewinding USB cable didn't work and the rubber part of the button on an LED flashlight keeps falling out. But other stuff has worked, .and thist was only a dollars, compared to 29 dollars at Radio Shack. (Yes, I know there are good cheap ones online, but it was right in front of me and only a dollar .) And I found out there are only 4 or 5 wires in a USB cable, and it seems strange that the power is the problem, not the signal, since this low level of power doesn't need a quality conductor. You can get a significant voltage drop if the cheap cable doesnt have thick enough wires used for the power and ground lines. **It also works with E-SATA. I guess the latter isn't meant to recognize unpartitioned drives.) Yes it does and I use it to partition and format new drives that are used with my PC based PVR that replaces the video recorders. Is the problem that the drive is only connected by a USB adapter?? Nope, thats how I partition and format the PVR overflow drives, they are in a USB2 docking station. Because it is 2.5" and the connections on the mobo seem suited only to 3 1/2 and 5.25" hard drives, I used a Rosewill PATA/SATA/CD/DVD to USB adapter, which has always worked fine, including yesterday, with PATA drives that already have data. I just plug the USB plug into the port and XP recognizes the drive like any external USB drive. It may be that that adapter has a problem with drives that have not been paritioned and formatted. It turns out it's a used drive and had been partitions and formatted alreeady and even had one directory and file on it, System Volume Information, that I couldn't delete. But I deleted the whole partitoin and created a 10 gig one for winME. Therre are still 30gigs left from win2000 and more data. What am I missing? That XP SP3 Disk Management will partition and format a blank drive fine;. So either the Rosewell adapter has a problem with an unformatted drive which is unlikely, or the drive has not been connected properly. Are you sure you have got power to the drive properly ? Does the drive even spin up ? You should be able to feel it spin up. Do I have to find a CD that will boot the laptop, put the HDD into the laptop and partition the HDD there? Nope although that would resolve the problem with the drive not spinning up if it does spin up in the laptop. I think it has only 256 Meg RAM. I have Hiren's Boot CD which runs a smaller version of XP. Is 256 Meg enough? Yes. Tho that is a bit quirky user interface wise, it should work. And I have the originan MS winME CD. That should do it fine too, its got a partitioner and formatter on it if its a bootable CD. Good to know. Thanks for the question above that pointed to the cable, and for all the questions No problem, thats what these technical newsgroups are about. Aha, it just finished. 3,250,000,000 bytes copied. When I copied it Friday from the older, maybe 60 gig drive I was using for backup the last time the Thinkpad wokred to the harddrive in my computer now,, it took almost 3 hours. Copying from that computer to this newer 2.5" 40Gig drive took 32 minutes. The laptop is a Thinkpad that came with 98 and was upgraded to ME but I wanted to also put 2000 on it ASAP, in order to use newer AntiiVirus and Web Browsers. Nothing like living life in the fast lane. For much of my life, I'm still living in the 50's! Yeah, quite a few do. Actually i' enjoyed fiddling with this old one tonight as much as I would enjoy fiddling with a new one!. It doesn't all work yet but it was really fun. Thanks again. No problem, happy to help. |
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