I have a Hard Disk which connects to my PC using USB2. When I plug it in the drive is detected by Win XP, but the drive doesn't appear in Explorer. I think this is because the drive is not formatted. This seems a bit chicken and egg. How can I format the drive if it doesn't appear in Explorer?

David H, February 2004

you can format an external HDD as you will format a normal HDD.
Even with cmd console , windows setup disk and format from there, or from recovery console.
Before any of this you should backup your important data using a free software that fit your needs.
The one i am using is http://www.dmailer.com/dmailer-backup.html and it was with me since i first started using the computer

JohnnyBoyClub, June 2010

how do i format from ntfs to wbfs manager

darren, December 2009

This article describes the resolution of issue while formatting external hard disk:
http://www.altafkhatri.com/Altaf/External-Harddisk-Formatting/Portable-Harddrive/eGo-Mac-Edition-WindowsPC

Altaf, October 2009

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STELLA, September 2009

use mac to format external hard drive into FAT32, it's really fast

john, September 2009

If you are working with Windows XP but you are interested in giving your external hard disk a FAT32 format to make it compatible with Mac there is a link and instructions to an open software here: http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?fat32format.htm which will allow you to overcome the limitations of the Windows XP Disk Management (for HDD larger than 32GB only offers NTFS format).

zeephyyr, August 2009

For Partition New External Hard Disk.
=============================
Right Click on My Computer
Select Manage
Then Select Storage
In the Storage Disk Management
In that you can see the NEW EXTERNAL HDD
Right Click on the Disk 1
and Select the first option it will give you option to Partition and Format New Hard Disk

humill_bca, July 2009

Can anyone help me on how to format my hard drive from another computer?

Shina, May 2009

hi ,i spend like 2 days on the web searching for a solution on this issue ,and finch resolved all my problems thanks ,try it ,and if this wont work dont try nothing else ,dont waste time just throw your hard disk to the trash and buy a new one this is the only solution

regards from mexico!!!

lowboy, April 2009

Hi,
Am having the same basic problem, though more complicated. My drive (usb2) does not show up in the disk managment but is read in most disk utility programmes mac & pc as "buffalo ext hard drive ceu". They will not format due to writting permissions or i/o problems. Some of them run and say completed but nothing has happened. Some programmes hang. Is it a hardware failure? The variation confuses me.

NH, March 2009

yoy ive looked all over the internet and this is the only thing that worked for vista.

jimmy, August 2008

On your desktop right click on My Computer.
Select Manage.
In the tree view, select Storage, then Disk Management.
IDENTIFY THE CORRECT HARD DISK. MAKING A WRONG CHOICE HERE WILL CAUSE YOU TO FORMAT THE WRONG DEVICE!!!! YOU COULD LOOSE DATA!!!!
Right click on the hard disk that you wish to format.
Select Create Partion.
Select Primary Partion
Select the size of the partion (use the default value to format the whole of the drive)
Specify drive letter (best to use the default)
Choose the right format type. (NTFS for Win XP & Win 2K. Fat 32 for others.)
Click Finish.
When the disk is 100% formatted close the Computer Management utility.

Finch, February 2004