Can't Format Hard Drive Correctly

I recently installed the Linux Debian OS on a 10 GB hard drive. Decided I didn't like it so I ran the Win 98 system recovery disk to get back windows. The system seemed to run fdisk fine. I did not see the partition that Debian was installed on though.

After the installation of Windows was complete and said remove disk and hit OK to boot I did. When it booted the Grub loader took over and instead of booting up windows it tried to boot Debian. Though it was not successful in booting Debian either.

Is there a way to run fdisk and completely erase the entire disk so that I can put whatever operating system I need on to a fresh hard drive?

From the debian boot disk I can run fdisk, but I can't trick it to erase the disk without loading the base system.

From the Win system restore disk I can run Fdisk but it will not erase the boot loader for some reason.

Need Help!

 

If you have another desktop machine, why not just slave the HDD and format from Windows. That should work.

 

It never occurred to me to do that. I do have another system although there are already 2 HDD in it. Should not be a problem. Thanks buddy. I'll probably work on it tomorrow.

 

So, I am working on formatting the Hard Drive, but my system only recoginzes the Hard Drive in device manager. I opened my computer and it was not there. Even under the disk management option within computer management I have no second hard drive.

Any suggestions?

 

Hmmm. You have it jumpered correctly, I take it? I was going to say to look in compmgmt.msc, but you did already.

 

This has got me stumped too. Maybe Windows can't see it is because it is not partitioned or formatted (I know that's the problem to begin with)? Someone else may have to jump in here. Do you have partition magic? You may be able to format and partition as needed with that.

 

You might need to download the disk drive tools from the maker of the disk. I had a simular problem with an old maxtor on one of my computers. I ran the MaxBlast program on it and then windows could 'see' the drive.

E

 

Any luck, foreverice?

 

Insert your 98 Startup disk into the floppy, boot your computer. Issue the following command at the DOS prompt fdisk /mbr. Now repartition your drive using fdisk, format the drive as FAT32 and install Windows 98.

 

You might also just download GPARTED from linux you will burn it on a cd and find that it is one of the best format tools you will ever find fast simple and does almost any format does partitions so easy any one could use it you will love it, or the newer puppy linux has it and you get an amazing os at the same time

 

go to distrowatch.com download the newest puppy linux burn it to a cd it is a complete os with fdisk cfdisk and gparted onboard use cfdisk or gparted and set the flag on the hard drive when you do it will clean everything off including grub then you can format it to any format you want and it will be ready for service

 

go to distrowatch.com download the newest puppy linux burn it to a cd it is a complete os with fdisk cfdisk and gparted onboard use cfdisk or gparted and set the flag on the hard drive when you do it will clean everything off including grub then you can format it to any format you want and it will be ready for service

 

Using Puppy Linux to format any drive or just use!

Puppy Linux yes!
loads/installs into ram memory or just about any type of storage.
------------------------------linkage below------------------------------
Puppy Linux

Puppy Linux Forum

 

Now the hard drive will not even show up in the BIOS setup??!!

I think it decided to take a crap on me.

It will ask me to run fdisk when I use the setup disk, but says drive not installed. Switched out the cables, and it said the same thing. Is it possible that the drive could have been damaged when tightening the screws too much?

 

The mounting screws should not mess with it unless you used some really big screws...

I would say RIP hard drive, but some others may have more info for you.

E

 

Shadow_Puter_Dude answerd your original problem in post 9. To remove the Grub boot loader you need to boot a DOS disk or a Win98 cd and at the command prompt type fdisk /mbr. This will write a new FAT boot sector to the drive. Partitioning and formatting DO NOT affect the boot sector of the drive. Grub wrote a Grub specific boot sector and now you need to write a Microsoft boot sector to run windows.

It sounds like you may have a jumper wrong on the drive now if it doesn't show up in bios.

Make sure you have the drive set as Master and connect it to the Primary controller. If you are using an IDE ribbon that has a blue end on it then the drive needs to be set to CS for cable select and the drive needs to be connected to the far end opposite the blue end of the ribbon and the blue end goes to the motherboard. You should then have an empty connector between the drive and the MB. Now see if the Bios finds it with nothing else connected to the IDE controllers. If not, you may have a bad HD.

 

Checking...

 

Got the hard drive to work...I will let you know whether I get it to format or not.

 

Got it to format. Finally! Thanks for the pointers.