Unable to Install Windows on hard drive.

[pac4eva15]

I formatted a computer and installed Windows 7 on it.
After a couple of days it crashed. It now gives the error:

Windows Error Recovery: Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. insert your windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. choose your language settings and then click "Next"
3. click "Repair your computer"

If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.


status: 0xc000000f

I tried using the Installation CD to repair it but it didn't work. Then I tried to do a new install but that also didn't work. It doesn't allow me to format the hard drive. I connected the hard drive to another computer via USB and tried to format it via Disk Management and I'm not able to either. Is the hard drive beyond repair at this point? Or is there anything else I can try?

 

[himnextdoor]

Something to try might be:

Connect the drive to another computer again via USB.

Open the command prompt, cmd.exe, and type in 'Diskpart' (without the quotes) and press 'Enter'.

Type 'List Disk' and press 'Enter'.

Identify the suspect drive in the list. Dis 0 will be your boot disk.

Note the number of the disk you want and type 'Select Disk x', where 'x' is the number of your drive, and press 'Enter'.

Type 'List Partition' and 'Enter'.

How many partitions are there? They all need to be deleted.

Start with the highest number partition and type -

'Select Partition x', where 'x' is the number of the highest numbered partition, and press 'Enter'.

Type 'Delete Partition' then 'Enter'.

Type 'Select Partition (x-1)' - Enter.

'Delete Partition' - Enter.

Then 'List partition' - Enter and see if all the partitions are gone.

Rinse, repeat until they are and then finally ;

'Create partition primary', Enter and you are done.

This is how your dos prompt should look with one partition to delete.



If you can achieve this, then re-insert the drive back into the other machine and try to install Windows again.

If not, then your drive may be toast.

But, just in case it's been locked up, have a look at this:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/297523-32-flash-drive-permanently-stuck-write-protected

and at the end there is mention of a utility called 'Restore' by 'Patriot'.

This restored a couple of USB sticks to me and if you make sure that your dodgy drive is the only USB device connected to the machine, when you run the app, you can choose 'restore' and 'Okay' and see how you get on.

 

[pac4eva15]

Something to try might be:

Connect the drive to another computer again via USB.

Open the command prompt, cmd.exe, and type in 'Diskpart' (without the quotes) and press 'Enter'.

Type 'List Disk' and press 'Enter'.

Identify the suspect drive in the list. Dis 0 will be your boot disk.

Note the number of the disk you want and type 'Select Disk x', where 'x' is the number of your drive, and press 'Enter'.

Type 'List Partition' and 'Enter'.

How many partitions are there? They all need to be deleted.

Start with the highest number partition and type -

'Select Partition x', where 'x' is the number of the highest numbered partition, and press 'Enter'.

Type 'Delete Partition' then 'Enter'.

Type 'Select Partition (x-1)' - Enter.

'Delete Partition' - Enter.

Then 'List partition' - Enter and see if all the partitions are gone.

Rinse, repeat until they are and then finally ;

'Create partition primary', Enter and you are done.

This is how your dos prompt should look with one partition to delete.



If you can achieve this, then re-insert the drive back into the other machine and try to install Windows again.

If not, then your drive may be toast.

But, just in case it's been locked up, have a look at this:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/297523-32-flash-drive-permanently-stuck-write-protected

and at the end there is mention of a utility called 'Restore' by 'Patriot'.

This restored a couple of USB sticks to me and if you make sure that your dodgy drive is the only USB device connected to the machine, when you run the app, you can choose 'restore' and 'Okay' and see how you get on.

When I connect to hard drive it immediately asks me to format it. I try to format and it doesn't work.

I tried following your steps and this is what I got

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After this I noticed that the hard drive is no longer showing up.
I am going to try the second thing you suggested now and will update.

 

[himnextdoor]

Try to get back to where you were and this time, after -

Select disk 5 (Enter)

Type

Select partition 2

Delete partition override

Select partition 1

Delete partition override

If these work then type:

Create partition primary

And if that works,

Exit.

 

[pac4eva15]

Before I read your answer I used Hirens Boot Cd and I was able to format it using a low level format.

I then tried to install windows once again and I received this message.



I rebooted and tried deleting the partitions and wasn't able to. I received error
0x80070015

After that I connected the hard drive to the other computer again and tried your steps.




This is what event viewer shows.

 

[himnextdoor]

In Diskpart type:

Select Disk 'whatever number yours is' and press enter then'

Attributes disk (then enter)

In the list, can you see if your drive is 'write-protected'. The read-only settings should both be 'No'.

 

[pac4eva15]

In Diskpart type:

Select Disk 'whatever number yours is' and press enter then'

Attributes disk (then enter)

In the list, can you see if your drive is 'write-protected'. The read-only settings should both be 'No'.

Yes everything is set to no.
I just tried to delete the partitions again and it worked!
I'm going to try reinstalling windows now, hopefully it works.

 

[pac4eva15]

No luck, I got the same error code as before 0x80070057

 

[himnextdoor]

No luck, I got the same error code as before 0x80070057

Okay, try this, it worked for me and is courtesy of Paul Neuman and Patriot.

Download the 'Restore' app here:

http://www.patriotmemory.com/partners/usb_restore/Restore.rar

Make sure that your drive is the only USB device connected to the system.

Unpack and run the restore utility you just downloaded.

It should find your drive and you should select 'Restore' rather than 'Format'.

Does that work?

 

[pac4eva15]

I had tried that before and it wasn't able to find the drive. I will try again once I am home and update.

 

[himnextdoor]

I had tried that before and it wasn't able to find the drive. I will try again once I am home and update.

And this little tool may be useful to you.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/hdd_low_level_format_tool.html

You can use it free but it may be slow.