[SOLVED] Can't format old HDD

[Snookslayer]

Friend needs junky old dell fixed - doesn't care about the data. I couldn't get the old HDD to do anything... pitch black upon start up. But to heck with it, needs an SSD anyway so I put one in and loaded up Windows 10. Works great. But it would be nice to give him the old HDD storage back. That's where my problems began.

I tried reinserting it back into a SATA port so I could format it after startup. I checked bios to make sure it boots from the SSD, and then.... nothing. Won't load anything (says in logo).

So I decided to plug it into one of my old computers running Windows 7. And .... it did something bad to my mobo. I had to flash bios to get my computer working again. Ok, so I tried again and this time won't load with HDD connected, even though my bios also says it boots from my SSD. So I thought, why not connect the HDD after my computer loads and format from there. Well, it doesn't see the disk. Even in command prompt.

It definitely sees the HDD, because I can it in the Bios as a storage disk, but of course it won't load with it connected.

So I thought, why not enter command prompt before it starts and from there maybe I'll be able to format it.... great. F8.... Start in Safe Mode with Command Prompt... after hitting enter it says "loading windows files" which it seems to, but after a long list of stuff - nothing. No command prompt, just the loaded files still there... 20 minutes later, nothing.

I'm completely out of ideas. Is there any way of formatting this (obviously corrupted) HDD ? I've heard of eSATA. Is that my only option?

 

[Lutfij]

How old is the old HDD from the Dell prebuilt? I'd say you've tried pretty much everything there is to try and you've shot yourself in the foot multiple times. That's where I say, give up, it's better to allocate resources to a new drive that will cost far less in terms of resources(and grey hair).

 

[mdd1963]

500-1000 GB spinning drives are ranging from $28-$35 all day long on Amazon...

 

[USAFRet]

Unless there is life critical data still on this....fridge magnet donor.

 

[Snookslayer]

How old is the old HDD from the Dell prebuilt? I'd say you've tried pretty much everything there is to try and you've shot yourself in the foot multiple times. That's where I say, give up, it's better to allocate resources to a new drive that will cost far less in terms of resources(and grey hair).

Don't know how old..... guessing 5+ years. I think you're right about giving up, just wanted to see if yall had any ideas I'd missed.

I have to admit, after I had to flash my bios just to get my computer working again, I wanted to smash that old hard drive with a baseball bat. : )

 

[Snookslayer]

500-1000 GB spinning drives are ranging from $28-$35 all day long on Amazon...

I know. That's why I've just about given up.

thanks for the replies anyway guys. God bless Tom's Hardware forums!