WD External HD Format Questions

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by dmd31842, Apr 30, 2010.

  1. dmd31842

    dmd31842 Corporal

    I have a new, WD 1T External Hard Drive that comes with its own software. I want to use it simply like the old ones (drag and drop) like the use of a flasjh drive. Is there a way to format the external drive or delete that software so it doesn't start automatically and I can simplify this process? I have windows 7. Thanks
     
    dmd31842, Apr 30, 2010
    #1
  2. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    I have a Samsung 1.5tb and it was the same with it's own software and all i did was select the individual files and delete them then a full (not fast) format and i had a clean HDD.
     
    BILLMCC66, Apr 30, 2010
    #2
  3. pclover

    pclover MajorGeek

    Should be able to go to My Comptuer and then double click your drive or right click on it and then click open.

    Just as a heads up if your drive is FAT32 you should convert it to NTFS
     
    pclover, Apr 30, 2010
    #3
  4. dmd31842

    dmd31842 Corporal

    Sorry. I do not understand the message about "FAT32" and "NTFS". Could you explain? Sorry!
     
    dmd31842, Apr 30, 2010
    #4
  5. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    When you format a drive you have two options FAT32 or NTFS the best format for an external HDD is NTFS.
    When you come to format the drive you should choose the NTFS system.
     
    BILLMCC66, May 1, 2010
    #5
  6. manlucass

    manlucass Private E-2

    XP doesn't recognize my external 500 GB WD hard drive
    Buffalo
     
    manlucass, May 10, 2010
    #6
  7. g1lgam3sh

    g1lgam3sh MajorGeek

    Do you have Legacy USB enabled in your BIOS?
     
    g1lgam3sh, May 10, 2010
    #7
  8. plodr

    plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

    manlucass, welcome. You need to start here
    http://forums.majorgeeks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=22
    and click the new thread button near the top left.
    This thread belongs to dmd31842 . What you have done by inserting your problem into someone else's thread is called hijacking. MajorGeeks wants every poster to have his own problem thread otherwise trying to answer 2 or 3 different people, the thread becomes confusing.
    When you post your problem, not only include XP but also what service pack you are running and also mention if the problem just developed or the computer has never recognized the external drive. The more info you supply, the less time we need to ask questions and so can get to to solving your problem quicker.
     
    plodr, May 10, 2010
    #8

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