Why is not the hard drive formatted? How to format a disk?

A computer hard drive is a kind of information store. Virtually all drives of this type (HDD), referred to as "screws" by advanced users, despite their high-tech status, have the ability to lose efficiency, that is, to break down and fail. However, in most cases, the hard disk can be repaired by itself, since often the inactive state of the hard drive is due to software imperfection of the device. What should I do if the hard drive is not formatted? Now tell.

My mechanism is buzzing, my mechanism is buzzing: simple diagnostics

If your drive is not involved in solid-state technology, then the functionality of such a device is provided by the interaction of mechanics and electronics. It is thanks to this symbiosis that your hard drive works, so that we (users) can catch a specific sound, the source of which is the moment of rotation of one or more magnetic plates, depending on the modification of HDD. It should be noted that sometimes a noise-canceling mechanism of the positioning device is mixed with this noise effect. All this can say that, most likely, the drive is physically sound. And if we take into account everything said that the operating system is functioning without any complaints, apart from the fact that the hard disk is not formatted, then there can be no question that the hard drive needs replacing.

Cause of malfunction

As a rule, the culprit of a situation in which the system refuses to clean out a certain area of the hard drive is the user himself. Due to the limited knowledge of the novice user is not always possible to predict the result of their actions. The desire to optimize hard disk performance with the help of any of the service programs often results in disastrous consequences. As a consequence, unconsciously made changes in the work of the HDD affect literally immediately. Again, not every user will notice such metamorphosis. Only later, when the operating system will need to be reinstalled, or the experimenter will need to permanently delete the data from the screw, completely or partially format one of its sections, it is likely the user will be unspeakably surprised at the message: "Windows could not format the disk." However, and on the old woman there is an interruption.

Disc Viewer

This is how you can interpret SMART technology. This is a kind of health magazine for your drive. It is due to the process of internal evaluation of the hard disk, you have the opportunity to take appropriate actions in a timely manner to maintain the operational status of the hard drive, and in case of detection of fatal predetermination - replace the non-removable media on a known good or new HDD, after having copied valuable information from a dying screw . Therefore, if you do not want to risk information directly on the hard drive, sometimes it is advisable to carry out preventive measures, using competent support for specially designed software.

If the hard disk is not formatted

Before raising panic, it is worth to assess the seriousness of the situation and the conjugate moments, perhaps, of your mistaken actions.

• It is impossible to use the command "format" for the system drive, being directly in its environment.
• You can not delete an operating system located in another section of the HDD, given the conditions described above. For example, using the OS installed in the "From:" section, you will not be able to format the local disk with another previously written copy of Windows.
• Very often, anti-virus programs create a kind of rule that prohibits low-level access to hard disk partitions. This option can be disabled in the appropriate settings.
• Intervention of third-party applications, as well as the adverse effects of layered viruses, can be an obstacle in a situation where the user is restricted in rights, so that the hard disk is not formatted properly.

Restoring the performance of HDD

So, you decided to reinstall Windows. Needless to say, you need to clean up the corresponding HDD partition, but it was not there. The process either terminates without reaching a successful completion, or hangs indefinitely. In this situation, you can only help specialized programs, sharpened precisely to solve the problem, when the disk is not formatted. One of them will be considered in the next section of the article.

Free program "HDDscan"

An incredibly popular and no less popular utility for low-level diagnostics of your hard drive will help to verify (monitor) the status of HDD, and it will also become an indispensable tool through which you can repair broken sectors, format a disk and make various tests. It should be noted that this program can be downloaded from both DOS and Windows.

• Download and install the utility "HDDscan".
• Run it with administrator rights.
• Click on the spherical icon in the middle of the program interface.
• Choose the first item - "Surface tests".
• The hard disk partition is not formatted often due to the presence of BAD sectors, so you need to overwrite them. Use the "Erase" command, just putting the marker in the appropriate line.
• The "Add test" tab, located in the right corner, will activate your selection.
• Then select the command "Scan", write down the data of the wrong sectors (right bottom corner, under colored cubes of notation).
• Re-run "Scan", but first set the "EraseWAITs" option to "ON".
• When you find that the error values have become smaller, repeat the pass a couple more times until the missing HDD areas disappear completely.

Finally

If the external hard drive is not formatted, then perhaps the USB connector voltage is not enough. Disable any extra devices that support this interface. It is worth noting that you will not be able to install Windows on an external drive, as this is not possible by definition. However, the program presented above can also be useful in relation to external storage. Before you do anything, think and collect as much information as possible, after all, read the FAQ. Otherwise, it can develop, as in the saying: "Hurry up - people make fun of." Successful format!