I need a free utility to format a 80gb hdd

I now have a problem formatting a 80 gb hdd. I've already tried W-Me bootdisk but it will format only 12gb of hdd space,
I don't seem to be able to format all the 80gb drive.
hiren's all in 1 will only format low level Mad boot does just the same,
what else is there to do a nice job,
I don't think is a Bios limitation thing 'cause this rig is quite recent. I've build it a couple of years ago with all new Hardware.
The drive in question is a WD 80 GB OEM Drive PS: I've never been happy with WD utility disks, it's a nightmare to dowload one too. :confused:

simpatico--Perhaps of some help
http://www.rockbox.org/mail/archive/...-06/0463.shtml
http://pendrivelinux.com/2006/09/20/...ormat-utility/

You can do that in Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Disk Management:

How to use Disk Management to configure basic disks

Or azlternatively, boot up with the WinXP CD in the drive and go to the Recovery Console, and you can use Diskpart and Format from there:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

What I'm asking has nothing to do with USB (useually external) drive PM will do that easely What I'm searching for is a formatting tool that will do it with a internal drive (Mastered)

Disk Management will do it as Nick pointed out, just go to Disk Management find the drive, right click it and select Format.


Liam

No no no...If you read the post I said mastered meaning the drive is a master and as you know the system will not permit to boot to two drives as master. Now I need to a utility that is " portable" so that I can do the job in different environments,
for instance if a client has a computer that he need to wipe the PC or Laptop clean, to ready it for donation purposes,
that is just one example there are more situation where such a utility can be used. :D

http://www.killdisk.com/


Liam

Thx,
One pass Killdisk oh yeah I've been using that for years, killdisk erase only,
I said format I need to format a 80 or more gb drive.
G-disk will do all, (I've it as well) but I'll do low level format only,
I guess you guys just don't understand what I'm asking here. I need something that will do large disk format from DOS.

How about a Windows 98SE boot diskette? It has both FDISK (for deleting/creating partitions) and FORMAT (for formatting partitions) ... in either FAT16 or FAT32. If you don't have one you can download a program to create one for you from http://www.bootdisk.com. (Select "DOS/Windows9X/Me/NT/2K/XP Excellent Bootdisks" then "Windows 98 SE OEM | Mirror" on the next page).

Low level formatting as a user concept is dead -- it's done once at the factory on modern drives, and that's it. Something like KillDisk or GDisk or DBAN is as good as it gets unless you want to physically destroy the drive. Then there's worlds of fun: linky.

In terms of partitioning and formatting after that, leave it until the OS installation -- you can't format unless you know what filesystem is going to be required anyway, so either you know what OS is going to be used and you can do it with that, or else you don't and there's no point even partitioning.

Change it from MASTER to SLAVE n get a Floppy made as SPYWAREDr has Suggested.
Then Go n FDisc it...EASY PEASY Man!

SuperSparcks has understood (well almost) the jest of what I'm asking here. I found that I had a copy of Hiren's 8.5 bootable cd but I never explored
it fully, in fact it has all that one can possibly need to do the job.
Just a note of interest for SpywereDr you must know by now that w98se boot disk will not format a 80gb drive period.And W-Me is a little better it can do up to 60gb (I think). Now if anybody found a way to use W98se or W-Me bootdisk to "format" a 80gb drive or more, please let me know. I would be very interested of having such a disk! :D

A 98 bootdisk with fdisk from WinMe will handle the 80GB hdd just fine.
Now at the below link, scroll down and you will find this statement with enclosed links.

Updated fdisk for Windows 98 bootdisks and/or systems for hard drives over 64 Gig | Mirror1 | 2 | Readme

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Super I created such a disk long time ago,
I don't remember using it for a long time until recently, when I needed it but for some reason it didn't work for me.
Fdisk worked fine in deleting and creating a partition,
but when it cames to format it
> format c: <
it start formatting the drive at 10 or 12 gb altho fdisk see the drive as a 80 gb (well a 80 gb is really a 76+ gb drive) maybe my syntax is wrong or something....

There is definitely a limit with Fdisk, even the WinME version, I wasn't able to use it on a 250GB drive, that's for sure. I think the easiest thing might be the 6-floppy WinXP startup set, or the 4-floppy Win2000 version, either of which will take you to the Recovery Console. As far as I'm aware Diskpart and Format can handle all modern drive sizes with no problems.

Bootdisks

I use a W ME Floppy n have had NO probs in F-Disking an 80GB-200GB-120GB HDD
Go to Google n ask it for a WinME Floppy or whatever..Forgotten what it says when Fdisking but chose YES to ALL.
OR use your XP CD..That will format the darn thing. You can always partion after, if needed.

Thx guys lot's of good info to use.
but I still have the same prob with my modded w98se BD fdisk does a good job it's the formatting that the I've the issue with.
I don't know why but after I'm finished with fdisk and try to format, the damn thing always start formatting at 10 or 12 gb,
anyhow hiren's boot cd did it with G-disk, a really fast erase and "low level format" but I would like to solve the W-Me format issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simpatico

but I would like to solve the W-Me format issue.

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It probably can't be solved, the old DOS Fdisk and Format utilities were written long before modern hard drive sizes were ever thought about, and they are unlikely to ever be rewritten, given that they are now obsolescent.

Make a new bootfloppy.

Something on yours could be corrupt.

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

This is a excerpt from bootdisk.com.
If formatting in dos you'll see a cosmetic error due
to format.com which says formatting 10.158 or similar but as you'll
note the format will take a long time and it will still format
correctly,
this is exactly what I've experienced with my W-98se BD with W-Me fdisk, ( hence my question) so it seem the this issue is cleared for now. :D