How to format an External HDD?

It's a WD My Passport and have currently EaseUS Todo Backup Free v 6.0.

I've deleted some Disk/Partition backups but the size of free space is not going up. Therefore I assume something is not working ok because in the previous version it would tell me that the size was too big to go into the recycle bin. Now it doesn't say that anymore and it shows the same amount of free space after deleting backups. It used to be okay in the previous version in which it would show increased space after deleting some Disk/Partition backups.

So I've decided to wipe the external HDD and install Macrium Reflect Free and see if that one works fine.

So how do I format so that the external HDD will be empty? Thanks!

Will be the 1st time that I will be doing that so please bear with me, am a bit scared. :-o

 

There's nothing to be scared about. Since you're already familiar with EaseUS todo Backup, you could use EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition or my personal choice AOMEI Partition Assistant. Either one will accomplish your task.

I use Macrium Reflect as well and use high compression and smart sector copy when I make an image of my "C" drive. Make sure to create rescue media so you can restore your "C" drive should something go wrong.

 

Thanks. Me dummy didn't wait for an answer, rightclicked the Ext. HDD and chose Format. All info disappeared from the HDD.

I installed Macrium Reflect and I just don't understand the program. Changed so much since I used it years ago and my brainfog is not helping. Perhaps I set it up wrong.

 

OK, Got Macrium Reflect to do an image, easy as pie now later in the day. Now I need to create a bootable disk. It's a WAIK PE 3 I chose.

Question: how large in MG/GB is that WAIK? Do I need a CD or DVD to burn it? Thanks.

 

Well, it seems you wanted to blank the drive in the first place.

The two programs I provided links to will allow you to set up partitions on the external drive. You could, for instance, set up one partition for data and another for the backup image that Macrium Reflect produces (I imaged my "C" drive yesterday. It has 17.41GB on it and the image Macrium created was 10GB — smaller than the backup EaseUS would have produced and it only took 14 minutes and 31 seconds).

What you don't understand about Macrium, I can provide instructions and screen captures for.

 

If Macrium isn't saying that WAIK needs to be on your computer, you don't have to install it. It's a 1.5GB .ISO file from Microsoft that you'd have to burn to DVD and then install .NET Framework 2.0 and Microsoft XML parser 6 before you could install WAIK. If you're going to go with AOMEI Partition Assistant, you'd need to install WAIK 3 in order to make the bootable CD with AOMEI on it.

The Macrium rescue media could be done as an .ISO file that you'd burn to CD or it could be run off of a bootable flash drive which Macrium would create for you. The flash drive needs to be 1GB or larger. I made a bootable 2GB flash drive with WAIK 4 (which I didn't have on my computer). Things go a lot more quickly if you boot from the flash drive.

BTW, WAIK 3 has a supplemental 1.2GB .ISO to bring it up to WAIK 3.1 for use with Windows 7 SP 1. There's no installer for the supplement. Instead, you'd use xcopy from an elevated Command prompt to copy the files (1131 of them!).

 

I really don't understand about how to create a bootable disk. Never done that. From what I see on my HDD under Macrium Reflect program is showing WAIK and it is version 3.1 that I selected when downloading Macrium Reflect. Guess I have to find someone to do it for me, way over my head. :-o I have empty Flash Drives galore. Thanks for all your efforts to help me.

 

Macrium will create a bootable CD for you OR you can have Macrium create a bootable flash drive for you. Do the following:

1.) If you want to put the rescue media on a flash drive, insert one before starting Macrium.
2.) Launch Macrium and go to Other Tasks -> Create Rescue Media.
3.) In the Rescue Media Wizard, leave Windows PE 3.1 selected and click Next.
4.) On the next screen, select your PE Architecture from the drop-down — 32-bit or 64-bit depending on your computer's architecture. Leave Default base WIM selected and click Next.
5.) Reflect will go through several steps to prepare the Windows PE image — it will take several minutes to complete so, be patient.
6.) The next screen that comes up will ask you to check that your rescue media can access your drives — just click Continue.
7.) Insert a blank CD in your CD/DVD drive and click Finish. Macrium will burn the bootable CD for you OR if you wish, select the USB device and click Finish. Macrium will create a bootable flash drive for you.
8.) When Macrium is done, a message will state that the rescue media has been successfully created. Click OK and exit out of Macrium.

To boot from the flash drive, if you created one, go into your computer's BIOS and set USB in the boot sequence/boot menu as the first device, ahead of the CD/DVD drive and the hard drive.

 

I followed your very clear instructions and it worked using a (8 GB) Flash Drive. :celebrate Never mind, I didn't have a smaller one.

I also tried several times with a CD and DVD and these (compared with the Flash Drive) didn't seem to work because the tray would slide out and spew the disk out every time. I didn't see any green bars for progression either.

I won't try to boot now via the BIOS to try it out because I have only 1 PC in the house. I'll do it when/if needed in the future. (knock on wood)

Thank you!!!!! :major

PS: I printed your instructions in case I would need them in the future.

 

Just questions I have which I forgot to put in my last reply.

When an update of Macrium Reflect comes along, can I install the the new version or update over the old one or do I need to remove the old version first from Programs and Features and then download/install the new version?

If MR has updated to a newer version do I need to create a new bootable disk or can I still use the USB Flash Drive that I made today? Thanks!

 

Just an update on the above. Found out that in order to create a bootable CD I have to insert the disk prior to loading Macrium Reflect software just the same as for a Flash Drive. Don't know whether it is my PC doing that or whatever. Thought to pass that info along in case someone can be helped with this. So now I have a bootable CD and a bootable Flash Drive. :cool

 

You could still use the flash drive you made today but, what I do is insert my flash drive and let Macrium perform any updates it has for the rescue media. As far as CDs, you could use CDRWs and erase the "old" and re-record with the new.

Yeah, Macrium doesn't detect the media if you insert it after launching Macrium. It's got to be inserted BEFORE launching Macrium. Sorry I forgot to mention that about CDs as well.