Hi Brent,
You can format the HD if connected via USB to your Windows machine.
I believe you want it to be formated as type FAT, not FAT32 or NTFS.
Lastly you will need the boot files placed on the drive.
You can get the instructions for doing all this and the files needed in the Yahoo Group BantamPlayers.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bantamplayers/
Good luck.
KP
Ken P., December 2006