formatting a USB Hard Drive

[adami]

How can be formatted an added external USB Hard Drive on a
PC with WIN 98SE system? In 98SE at the DOS/fdisk command
menu there is no option to switch to Drive 2 to start the
formatting procedure.

Must the new hard drive be formatted before installing the
USB2.0\WIN 98 Disk Driver software on the drive C?

[Jeff Richards]

USB is not available from DOS, so the drive won't be visible to format. You
should format the drive from within Windows. Right-click the drive icon in
My Computer and select Format.

USB devices invariably require the software to be installed before the
device is connected - check your installation manual for details. The drive
must be installed and working before it can be formatted. Formatting is the
last installation step before commencing to use the drive.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (DTS)
"adami" > wrote in message
...
> How can be formatted an added external USB Hard Drive on a
> PC with WIN 98SE system? In 98SE at the DOS/fdisk command
> menu there is no option to switch to Drive 2 to start the
> formatting procedure.
>
> Must the new hard drive be formatted before installing the
> USB2.0\WIN 98 Disk Driver software on the drive C?

[Lil' Dave]

If you cannot access the USB hard drive with fdisk after installing a
required driver, there are other solutions.

One is removing the hard disk from the USB tray/box and physically
connecting it to your onboard ide, then fdisk and format as usual. Put is
back in the box and check again.
"adami" > wrote in message
...
> How can be formatted an added external USB Hard Drive on a
> PC with WIN 98SE system? In 98SE at the DOS/fdisk command
> menu there is no option to switch to Drive 2 to start the
> formatting procedure.
>
> Must the new hard drive be formatted before installing the
> USB2.0\WIN 98 Disk Driver software on the drive C?