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Windows cannot complete the format.

1K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  DBCooper 
#1 ·
Windows cannot complete the format.

A Seagate OEM HD was taken out of a laptop.
Its labeled capacity is 160GB.
But the actual space is only 149GB.
Suspecting that there might be something hidden on the HD, I had the HD formatted several times.
Fast format, normal format, and formatted by EaseUS Partition Master . . . but the result was the same: A message showed up at the end of the formating saying that Windows could not complete the format.

How to solve this problem, please?

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the calculations.

The capacity of the HD does not bother me.

What really worries me is the problem that WINDOWS CAN NOT COMPLETE THE FORMAT.

Here is what I did and found.
1. Took the Seagate OEM HD out of a laptop.
2. Connected it to a desktop machine & tested & found everything normal.
3. FAST formatted the partitions & deleted them & established a partition.
4. The whole drive now was but ONE PRIMARY PARTITION OR DRIVE.
5. Formatted the whole primary partition NORMALLY, not by fast format, and it went on
smoothly for 30 or 40 minutes, and at the end of the formatting, a message pops up
saying that Windows could not complete for format.

I planned to use this HD for storing some important photographs.
Is it safe to use it since Windows can not complete its format?

Thanks.
 
#4 ·
Hi Vickyal,

You said you tested the HDD and it came out fine. May I ask, what tool did you use to test the HDD?

If you haven't use "SEATOOLS" before, use this program to test your computer HDD. Perform both the short and long test and see if Seatools give out any errors.

Please provide an update when you can.
 
#5 ·
How are you connecting the laptop HDD to your desktop?:
With the Laptop HDD connected to your Desktop computer, go to Start/Search and type diskmgmt.msc, Right click the diskmgmt results and Run As Administrator. In the Elevated Disk Management window, if the laptop HDD did not finish the Format, it will be listed as Unallocated Space. You cannot save any files until the drive is Initialized, Partitioned and Formatted. You can right click the drive here and create a new Simple Volume, Create one Partition and Format it NTFS.
If this fails, as DBCooper suggested, you can download Seatools for Windows run the Short and Long tests on the HDD. If either test fails, the HDD needs to be replaced.
 
#7 ·
Thanks!

The laptop HDD was connected to the desktop machine directly to the motherboard, just as adding a HDD.

It is weird that the drive functions as of normal conditions after formatting by FAST format or NORMAL format or by EaseUS Partition Master though the message says that WINDOWS CAN NOT COMPLETE THE FORMAT at the end of each format.

This was what I did again today:
1. Connected the HDD directly the motherboard of a desktop machine.
2. Used the HDD for daily tasks for about 2 hours & built a load of about 50MB.
3. Formatted it, FAST & NORMAL, & same message showed up.
A. All folders & files & materials on the HDD were cleaned out.
B. It was a logic partition in the Disk Management.
C. Could be used for everyday work just like a normal HDD.

But, what the pop up message says WINDOWS CAN NOT COMPLETE THE FORMAT?
Does this mean that there is a potential thread, a physical damage or something den malicious hidden in there?

Thanks.
 
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