how to format external hard drive windows 7 ntfs

How to Format External Hard Drive on Windows 7 Using NTFS

Formatting an external hard drive can be a frustrating experience, especially when it becomes RAW after an unsuccessful formatting attempt. This issue is not limited to external hard drives; it can also occur with portable hard drives, USB flash drives, micro SD cards, and even internal hard drives.

If you have encountered this problem, you may have noticed that the CHKDSK /f command cannot be run on the drive. In such cases, it's essential to know how to fix a RAW external hard drive and convert it back to NTFS or another format that is readable under Windows 7.

To begin with, ensure that your computer is restarted after canceling the formatting process. Unfortunately, this step often leads to the hard drive becoming RAW. In some cases, the formatting process may take several hours to complete, but in most instances, it will show no progress and remain stuck at the formatting stage.

If you have already initialized the MBR (Master Boot Record) of your external hard drive, you can try formatting it using a normal format instead of Quick Format. This will give you more control over the formatting process. Next, right-click on the unallocated space in Disk Management and create a new simple volume.

The next step is to delete all existing partitions on the hard drive using Disk Management. Once this is done, the hard drive will show up as Unallocated space. Finally, connect your external hard drive to a Windows 7 computer, and it should be recognized normally.

Another method to format an external hard drive on Windows 7 is to use the Disk Management utility. To access this utility, follow these steps: right-click on the Start button and select Disk Management. In the Disk Management window, find your external hard drive and right-click on it. Select Format from the context menu to initiate the formatting process.

When prompted, choose NTFS as the file system and select a volume label for your external hard drive. Click OK to begin the formatting process, which may take some time to complete depending on the size of your hard drive.

In conclusion, formatting an external hard drive on Windows 7 can be a bit tricky, but with these steps, you should be able to fix a RAW external hard drive and convert it back to NTFS or another format that is readable under Windows. Remember to always cancel the formatting process carefully to avoid any data loss or corruption issues.

How to format external hard drive windows 7 ntfs