ok, the results. i marked both options like your siad, clicked ok and it started immediately but at 11 pm had made very little progress so I turned off my cable modem, printer (all unnecessaries) and let it run all night. got up and it showed phase 2 (faded out) but no little green boxes at all were inthe progress bar and I decided to reconnect to the net and send you a message when suddenly after turning the modem back on, the green boxes ery quickly went all the way across the progress bar and a window popped up as follows: Checking Disk WS External (G:): Windows was unable to complete the disk check. Maybe I should reboot at some point and try this all again? Sandy in Fla ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gman" <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx> To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 6:24 PM Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Formatting External HDD > Sandy, > The drive needs to be checked for file system errors. Right click on > it > and select Properties. Click on the Tools tab and then on the Check Now > button. Place checks next to both option boxes and then click the OK > button. For an external drive, it'll usually go right into the error > checking scan. If you instead get a warning that it can't be checked > until > the next reboot, click the Yes button, reboot and you'll see it check the > drive for problems. If the drive is nearly empty, the scan shouldn't take > too long at all. When it's finished, it will complete the rest of the > bootup process and return you to your desktop. You can then try > formatting > the drive again using the same options as your first attempt below. > There's > no need for using compression on that drive, so make sure that option is > not > selected when you format. > > Finally, let Rick know that he's in my thoughts and I wish him the > best. > It almost sounds like the cure is worse than the disease. > > Peace, > Gman > > "The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask" > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sandy" <sandy.rick@xxxxxxxxx> > To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 6:07 PM > Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Formatting External HDD > > >> thanks so much for the info on stats...........I'll have to put my C >> drive >> back in this case and hunt up the stats on move them over to wherever the >> heck it is stats go in xp. and i do have a friend to test them out >> on.......poor girl.......she's my tester for a lot of stuff, lol. >> >> now as far as the external...........1st off.....thanks so much for >> trying >> to help me get this bugger in working order..............i know a while >> back >> i emailed about it, but wasn't able to >> follow up as my pc was starting to fall apart on me, plus was taking care >> of >> hubby, etc, etc. who by the way is supposed to start another round of >> chemo >> in the next 2 weeks.........poor man.....he's gonna try to talk the doc >> out >> of some of it (keeping fingers crossed) >> >> Ok, I turned the external back on..............it did an autorun thing >> and >> I >> could see it showing stuff I put on it to test it out months ago. It's a >> 120 >> GIG HD......Western Digital >> >> I went to "my computer" where it showed: >> WD External (G:) >> File System: FAT32 >> Free Space: 111 GB >> Ttl size: 111 GB >> >> I then tried deleting files from it and it let me delete one tube (.psp) >> file right off, but then wouldn't let me delete another tube-the HDD ACC >> Lite was flashing, but took a long time for the right click menu to come >> up.......like 6-7 minutes, but I was able then to delete the other tube >> (another .psp) file. There are other files.........folders of music, >> some >> ok, some of the CDs had songs that somehow went missing still on it, but >> I >> just decided to try to format. The music was just there as a test so can >> be >> deleted no problem. >> >> I right clicked on WD external (G:) and chose format and when the format >> window came up it said: >> >> capacity: >> 111 GB >> >> file system: >> NTFS >> >> allocation unit size: >> default allocation size >> >> volume label: >> WD External >> >> Format options: >> quick format >> enable compression >> >> I only chose "quick format" and got the warning about all info will be >> erased and hit "OK" Result was "Windows was unable to complete the >> format" >> and I clicked "OK"....went back to Format Options and clicked "enable >> compression" only, got warning again about losing data, clicked "OK" and >> after over an hr I clicked cancel.............it seemed like it was >> taking >> a >> long time. I haven't tried choosing both "quick format" and "enable >> compression" together at least today and I kind of think that's what I >> did >> before when I got the error about it not being able to complete format >> because the HD was FAT32. >> >> If I should go back and choose "enable compression" and let it finish, no >> matter whole long it takes, or both "quick format" and "enable >> compression" >> together, let me know. >> >> So that's where things stand. I've now turned it off once the icon said >> it >> was ok to do so. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. >> >> Sandy in Fla > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and > everything below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary. > > To unsubscribe or change your email settings: > http://www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk > > To access our Archives: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/ > http://www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/ > > To contact only the PCTT Mod Squad, write to: > pctechtalk-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > --------------------------------------------------------------- Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and everything below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary. 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