I Can't Format a Deskstar 400

 Resolve issues formatting your Deskstar 400 using Windows command line or specialized utilities.Large hard drives over 32 gigabytes cannot be formatted with the FAT32 file system using the native disk maintenance tools such as Disk Management in Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. If a Deskstar 400 gigabyte drive must be shared by operating systems other than Windows (such as for portable use), formatting a single FAT32 partition will maximize compatibility. Use specialized disk formatting utilities or the Windows command-line "Format" utility to configure a Deskstar 400 with the FAT32 file system.

Open Easus Home Partition Manager. Right-click on the Deskstar 400 drive displayed in the Partition Manager window and click "Create" in the drop-down menu. Type a name for the new partition in the "Partition Labels" field, click the "Drive Letters" box and click on the drive letter you prefer to assign. Click the "Create As" drop-down box and click "Primary" if your computer has fewer than four partitions or "Logical" if your computer has more than four partitions. Click the "File System" drop-down box and click "FAT32." Leave the "Partition Size" box at the default size to allocate the entire drive. Click the "OK" button to partition and format the Deskstar 400 using the FAT32 file system. Click your desktop's "Start" button, type "Diskmgmt.msc" and press the "Enter" key. Right-click on the Deskstar 400 drive listed in the lower half of the Disk Management window, click "New Simple Volume" and click "Next" in the window that displays. Click "Next" to accept the default to partition the entire drive. Click the drive letter drop-down box, select a drive letter and click "Next." Click "Do not format this volume" in the "Format Partition" window, click "Next" and click "Finish." Click your desktop's "Start" button, type "cmd," right-click on the command-line icon in the left pane and click "Run as Administrator." Type "format /FS:FAT32 Z:" except replace the "Z" with the drive letter of the Deskstar 400. Press the "Enter" key. Click your desktop's "Start" button, type "Diskmgmt.msc" and tap the "Enter" key. Right-click on the Deskstar 400 drive listed in the lower half of the Disk Management window, click "New Simple Volume" and click "Next." Click "Next" to partition the entire drive. Click the drive letter drop-down box, click a drive letter to assign to the Deskstar 400 and click "Next." Click "Do not format this volume" in the "Format Partition" window, click "Next" and click "Finish." Open the "FAT32 Format" utility, click the "Drive" drop-down box and select the drive letter of the Deskstar 400. Enter a label for the drive in the "Volume label" box. Click "Start" and the Deskstar 400 will be formatted with the FAT32 file system. Click your desktop's "Start" button, type "Diskmgmt.msc" and press "Enter." Right-click on the Deskstar 400 drive listed in the lower half of the Disk Management window, click "New Simple Volume" and click "Next." Click the "Next" button to confirm that you wish to partition the entire drive. Click the drive letter drop-down box, click a drive letter to assign to the Deskstar 400 and click "Next." Select "Do not format this volume" in the "Format Partition" window. Click "Next" and click "Finish." Click the "Start" button, type "cmd," right-click on the command-line icon that appears and click "Run as Administrator." Type "cd \path_to_fat32format\" at the command prompt, replacing "path_to_fat32format" with the actual path to the Fat32format utility, and press "Enter." Type "fat32format Z:" except replace the "Z" with the drive letter of the Deskstar 400 drive. Press "Enter." Type "Y" at the command prompt to confirm that you wish to format the drive and press "Enter" to format the Deskstar 400.

 

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