how to a reformat an external hard drive that was already formatted into two drives???

Question

my external drive is already formatted into drive L and drive M; however i really don't like the size of each drive. i would like to format them into one larger and one smaller drive.

please advise how i should go about doing it. i am using a window xp. although i was told to simply right click the specific drive, but how does that apply to a drive that was formatted into two. would the drive that was clicked on find my other drive? any help would be really appreciated.

although i didn't like my partition, but i didn't like it bad enough to reformat the whole thing. the reason was that the waste bin on my L drive was totally screwed and i couldn't delete anything off it. that's why i thought i might as well reformat it and get a better partition more suitable to my liking.

Answer 1

The easiest way (and free) would be to Go to Start..Control Panel..Administrator tools...Computer Management...Under "Storage" chose Disk Management. There you should see your external hard drive with 2 partitions. From here you can right-click on the partition and delete it. Once you delete a partition it will say that that is now unallocated space. Delete the other partition and the entire drive should be unallocated space. Now, right-click the drive and create the partitions the size that you so desire. This will also give you the chance to format the partitions and label them too.
Word of warning:
THIS WILL DELETE EVERYTHING ON THOSE PARTITIONS. If this is unacceptable, then there is a wonderful commercial program that will allow you to re-size your partitions. It is called Partition Magic. Also, Windows Vista has the ability to re-size partitions also. If you can get a release candidate copy from Microsoft, that will do it for free also.
I hope this was helpful.

Answer 2

Your confusing formatting with partitioning. The drive is alreadt formatted, meaning data can be written to the drive. I order to re-partition the drive you have a couple options. If you are not concerned with data loss the just delete the partition and re-create it. If you have sotred data that you do nto want to lose you need some software like Partition Magic.

Right click on My Computer and choose Manage
Under Storage choose Disk Management
Right click the partition and select Delete
Create new partitions

Answer 3

There are a couple of points to consider here. First, if you have one physical drive, but have a drive L and a drive M, these are 2 partitions created from a single physical drive. If you are not concerned with losing any data, then just delete partition M first, then L, and then re-create them. You'll know you can re-create them when that drive is listed as "unallocated" space in disk manager.

Another option is to use a program called Partition Magic. It's a great program for adjusting partitions and drive space "on the fly" without having to sacrifice data. It can take free space from one partition and add it to another, and vice versa. It can also take free space from one partition and create a brand new partition as well.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

Note. If you change the sizes of the partitions, you will lose everything currently on them. So back up anything you want before you start.

Go into the Control Panel, Adminstrative Tools icon, Computer Mamangement icon, and to the Storage section.
Click on Disk Management.
Find the hard drives you want to repartition (L and M)
Right click on each of the existing paritions and delete them
Create new partitions to the size you want
Format them and you are done

Answer 5

GO to DOS prompt and format the Hard disk.
Partition using partition magic software.

Answer 6

once you format a complicated stress, you alter the format that it may examine records in. some examples incorporate NTFS, that's what domicile windows is maximum well suited with, and Mac OS prolonged, that's the report gadget that Mac OS X can run in. There are different recommendations that are compilable with many structures, like fat and FAT32. once you format a complicated stress, the two via good-clicking on it in laptop and choosing "format..." in domicile windows or by using using Disk application in OS X, it erases all content fabric on the stress. you may format a stress many cases many times returned so records that replaced into stored on the stress can't be recovered. that's a sturdy thank you to eliminate an endemic and reinstall domicile windows or OS X freshly. it is likewise sturdy for clearing a stress of all records. i'm no longer precisely particular what you're asking, yet a stress won't reformat until you do it do it your self. maximum drives come already formatted and are waiting to apply for storing records on any platform. once you reformat a stress, you do no longer relatively get carry of a application to do it for you; it is geared up into the OS. you ought to use Disk application in Mac OS X. In domicile windows, you may circulate to laptop, good-click on your stress, and choose format. you're then given countless recommendations, which incorporate the format variety and in case you opt to in basic terms be a speedy format or no longer. you additionally can create partitions on the stress, that's in fact like splitting the stress into countless smaller drives. i desire I clarified it for you, yet whilst no longer you may upload extra on your question and somebody else can help you extra effective.

Answer 7

RIght click on my computer, goto manage and disk manager right click on the drive [the two parts show there in the same drive]

I think erase both parttions and make new ones!! Then format those [you can use different filesystems or the same ones]

To delete partition, right click on it, to format right click.

In win98 use Fdisk, i dunno if it duz removable though...

Answer 8

With XP, right click "MY COMPUTER" and click manage, go to drives, and select your drive, right click and choose formaat, set partition sizes and file allocation method (fat 32 or NTFS)

Answer 9

there are a couple of ways to do this use XP Disk and option to go to the Repair console and chose delete partions and create new or use an boot disk from win98 Fdsik or use partion magic or simular program

Answer 10

I don't think you can do it within windows or DOS as FDISK won't see USB drives.

I think you are going to have to use somethink like partition magic - you can probably get it as a free trial - look for other partition utilities