Unable to format HDD after installing SSD

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Syndrome88

Commendable
Apr 5, 2016
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Hello all,
I built my computer a year ago and added an SSD about 6 months later. I did the clean install and put Windows 10 on the SSD and formatted the HDD. Now when I go to "This PC" it shows my SSD as "Local Disk (C)" with OS and storage info and a Local Disk (D) has no indication about storage and when you try to explore it, the computer informs you that you need to format the drive, after trying this is says "Windows was unable to format this drive." I have done the general troubleshooting that I have been able to Google search; Computer Management and Command Prompt DiskPart. Any suggestions would be appreciated, if you would like to start from the beginning I will be happy to try everything again.

My rig:
CPU: Intel i5-4670k
Mobo: Asus Z87-K
RAM: 8gb Kingston
SSD: 250gb Samsung EVO
HDD: 1tb Western Digital
DISK: Asus DRW-24
GPU: Gigabyte AMD Radeon R9 270x

Thanks,
Syndrome
 
Solution
SuperSoph_WD
This seems pretty unfortunate, Syndrome! 🙁 I'm afraid that the 1 TB HDD has failed.
I'd strongly recommend you to check the warranty on your WD HDD. You should get in touch with our Customer Support and let them know about the damaged HDD. You should be able to send an RMA request and get a replacement, if the hard drive is still under warranty.
I hope you don't have any important data on the hard drive that is not backed up, otherwise, you might also want to consider a professional data recovery company for assistance.

Best of luck! Hope this helps you.
SuperSoph_WD
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Welcome to the TH community, Syndrome!

Unfortunately, it sounds like you had the HDD still plugged to the SATA ports when you were installing Windows on the SSD. This basically causes an OS confusion which scatters the system files across all the SATA devices connected to the motherboard at the time of the OS installation.
I'm believe you'd need to backup your data somewhere off-site first, and then reinstalling Windows on the SSD with the WD HDD unplugged. Once you have the OS up and running again, plug back the hard drive and try to reformat it. This time you shouldn't face any issues with the procedure.
Here's an interesting guide you can read through about Windows Install & Optimization for SSDs & HDDs.
You could also try to reformat it from another computer but I'm afraid that you won't be able to boot properly into Windows if you unplug the HDD from the system as it is configured now.

Hope this was helpful. Keep me posted with the troubleshooting, though.
SuperSoph_WD :)
 
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Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
I agree that it is probably what SuperSoph has mentioned. The theoretical D might even be the System Reserved partition (boot info) Sometimes, that gets a drive letter when it should not.
 
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/141670505@N08/26188245951/in/dateposted-public/


The FAT32 is a thumbdrive I was preparing to use to reinstall Windows 10.
When I installed Windows 10 to the SSD I did not have the HDD plugged in, but I am prepared to reinstall the OS if that is required.
 
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OK, for Disk 1.
The 1TB WD drive

Assuming there is nothing on that drive you wish to keep:
On the bottom portion, Right click on the D portion (leftmost)
Delete that partition.
Then, see if you can merge the two parts. 762.20GB and 195.31GB (Unallocated), into 1 partition.
From there, you should be able to Format and give it a drive letter.
 
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/141670505@N08/25985974650/in/dateposted-public/

You are correct, there is nothing on the HDD. I was able to combine the two partitions, however the format was unsuccessful.

Syndrome

 
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OK, for that D space, right click and Delete that whole partition.
Make a new partition and format that.
 
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OK, for that D space, right click and Delete that whole partition.
Make a new partition and format that.[/quotemsg]

Okay, so right click. My only delete potion is "Delete Volume..." now my only option is to "Create Simple Volume."
When I click that is asks for Volume Size which I leave as default, Assign drive letter or Mount in thefollowing Empty NTFS folder, or Do not assign a drive letter or drive path. If I leave it on the Assign drive letter D it starts the format and is unsuccessful again.
 
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OK
Delete Volume
Create Simple Volume
Assign Drive letter
Format.....and it fails?
 
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OK
Delete Volume
Create Simple Volume
Assign Drive letter
Format.....and it fails?[/quotemsg]

Then the Format screen asks what format, size, ect.. I leave it on NTFS leave the size as default and it fails.
Now there is one partition for D 931.51gb but the File System is RAW.
 
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/141670505@N08/25656632263/in/dateposted-public/

D:\

The directory name is invalid. (This is new so I tried to change the name to H to no avail.)

Virtual Disk Manager
The format did not complete successfully.

 
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Well, I'm stumped...:??:
 
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Yep, I know the feeling. I have asked a few friends and they walked me through a couple of different things like Disk Manager and Command Prompted DiskScan to re-partition the drive but have still been unable to format the HDD. Do you think reinstalling the OS would help? Would I better off with Windows 8 over 10?
 
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For a secondary drive, the OS should not make a difference.
 
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I think I may have solved it!!!!! The solution for the moment at least is right click the start button, go to System and Security, go to Storage Spaces, and Create a storage pool using the Drive you need it will ask questions about minimum and maximum sized and how you want the drive formatted. I chose simple resiliency and now I can see the Drive and its size in "This PC." If anyone sees and issue with this please let me know. If I come across any issues I will let you all know.

Syndrome
 
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Well crap... I ran the Data Lifeguard Diagnostics, the quick said the drive was good, however, the extended failed it after about 2% completion the error code was 08-Too many bad sectors detected. Now I am not a computer expert but that seems bad... I am assuming that means the drive is shot and I need to get a new one. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks again everyone for your feedback,
Syndrome
 
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This seems pretty unfortunate, Syndrome! 🙁 I'm afraid that the 1 TB HDD has failed.
I'd strongly recommend you to check the warranty on your WD HDD. You should get in touch with our Customer Support and let them know about the damaged HDD. You should be able to send an RMA request and get a replacement, if the hard drive is still under warranty.
I hope you don't have any important data on the hard drive that is not backed up, otherwise, you might also want to consider a professional data recovery company for assistance.

Best of luck! Hope this helps you.
SuperSoph_WD
 
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