How to remove MBR from an External HD?

Bob Hamilton · External Since: Jul 01, 2004 Posts: 22

Hi,
I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted it
in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
Windows XP.

My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the MBR
is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the drive
as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How can this
MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and formatting
doesn't do it.

Thanks, Bob

Jaymon · External Since: May 19, 2005 Posts: 1323

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
The above app/tool should help you, be careful to select the right HDD, read
instructions.. TestDisk can recover lost partitions data, files, or fix MBR,
0 out the MBR or write a new one..
It's (GPL) free too..
Cheers..
j;-j

"Bob Hamilton" wrote:

> Hi,
> I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
> box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted it
> in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
> removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
> Windows XP.
>
> My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the MBR
> is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the drive
> as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How can this
> MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and formatting
> doesn't do it.
>
> Thanks, Bob
>
>
>

Kerry Brown · External Since: May 08, 2005 Posts: 2778

If you have lost data on the drive then maybe the drive was returned because
it is defective.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2

"Bob Hamilton" <hamilton DeleteThis @accesswave.ca> wrote in message
news:%23Q5C%23SMIHHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
> box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted
> it in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
> removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
> Windows XP.
>
> My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the
> MBR is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the
> drive as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How
> can this MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and
> formatting doesn't do it.
>
> Thanks, Bob
>

Bob Harris1 · External Since: Apr 28, 2004 Posts: 495

The XP recovery console can delete/create partitions. It is normally run
from an XP CD, although it can also be loaded onto the hard drive. It can
also be run from a set of floppy disks, which are a free download from
Microsoft, where they are called setup disks. However, I am not sure
whether it will allow operations on an external drive. Also, unless you are
very careful, you could accidentally destroy your internal hard drive.

A third-party tool like Pariution Magic could to remove all partitions and
create new ones.

Perhaps the best solution would be to temporarily mount the hard drive
inside the PC, while disconnecting your normal hard drive. Then, use the XP
CD recovery console to write a new MBR.

Info on the recovery console:

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm (near bottom)

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/win_xp_rec.htm

"Bob Hamilton" <hamilton.DeleteThis@accesswave.ca> wrote in message
news:%23Q5C%23SMIHHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
> box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted
> it in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
> removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
> Windows XP.
>
> My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the
> MBR is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the
> drive as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How
> can this MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and
> formatting doesn't do it.
>
> Thanks, Bob
>

Bob Hamilton · External Since: Jul 01, 2004 Posts: 22

Hi again,

Great responses and I have read and digested all suggestions. I downloaded
the TestDisk program and it is an executable file that runs in DOS and I
guess I would have to be sure I placed it on this external drive, change the
prompt to that drive and run it from there.

As it was running well until this past week when I started getting a corrupt
$MSFT file or some warning like this and then I couldn't read anything in
the drive. There was nothing important on it yet, so no real loss.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to return it for a fresh "unmolested" drive
as I am not convinced that the presence of the MBR is the cause of the
problem.

Thanks to all. Bob

"Bob Hamilton" <hamilton.TakeThisOut@accesswave.ca> wrote in message
news:%23Q5C%23SMIHHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
> box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted
> it in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
> removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
> Windows XP.
>
> My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the
> MBR is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the
> drive as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How
> can this MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and
> formatting doesn't do it.
>
> Thanks, Bob
>

Jaymon · External Since: May 19, 2005 Posts: 1323

Actually Bob, it will run in windows, in a dos box window ie.. the command
prompt window.. The zip file should be extracted to C: drive and will create
a C:\TestDisk 6.5 dir/folder, open it in windows and click the WIN folder.
Then click the TestDisk win icon/entry to open the app in a dos box.. It does
not need to be on the affected drive to see it or work on the drives MBR.. It
should be pretty self explanatory from there.. Create a log, enter, and you
should see all your HDD's, choose the 300GB drive and hit enter to proceed or
quit, select Intel partitions and hit enter, Analyse, enter, try an locate a
partition or backup, enter, you should see partitions in green, enter, if you
wish to write a new MBR select write or quit and go back to select delete, to
delete all data from the partition table for the selected drive..
You will have options and choices to make and will always be able to quit,
this is a powerful tool so just be careful not to pick the wrong HDD, write &
delete are the most destructive if used incorrectly..

Maybe you should try Partinfo first. get it here;
http://terabyteunlimited.com/utilities.html..
Read about it
here;http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=288&pt_sid=1573c4935b414da8b3d5e0c8f75c3061
It should allow you to see in a text file, all MBR's for all HDD's ..
You could even cut & paste it to your post, your call..

Have you tried the MaxBlast 4 utility or tested the drive with the PowerMax
diagnostic utility..?
Cheers..
j;-j

"Bob Hamilton" wrote:

> Hi again,
>
> Great responses and I have read and digested all suggestions. I downloaded
> the TestDisk program and it is an executable file that runs in DOS and I
> guess I would have to be sure I placed it on this external drive, change the
> prompt to that drive and run it from there.
>
> As it was running well until this past week when I started getting a corrupt
> $MSFT file or some warning like this and then I couldn't read anything in
> the drive. There was nothing important on it yet, so no real loss.
>
> Perhaps it would be a good idea to return it for a fresh "unmolested" drive
> as I am not convinced that the presence of the MBR is the cause of the
> problem.
>
> Thanks to all. Bob
>
>
>
> "Bob Hamilton" <hamilton DeleteThis @accesswave.ca> wrote in message
> news:%23Q5C%23SMIHHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> > Hi,
> > I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
> > box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted
> > it in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
> > removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
> > Windows XP.
> >
> > My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the
> > MBR is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the
> > drive as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How
> > can this MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and
> > formatting doesn't do it.
> >
> > Thanks, Bob
> >
>
>
>

Uwe Sieber · External Since: Mar 30, 2006 Posts: 479

Bob Hamilton wrote:
> Hi,
> I recently bought a 300 GB Maxtor HD at Future Shop (returned item, open
> box) that still had the Windows XP operating system on it. I have mounted it
> in an external case and connected by Firewire to the computer. I have
> removed the partition and then re-partitioned and formatted it to remove
> Windows XP.
>
> My problem is I cannot format it as a Logical drive (greyed out) as the MBR
> is still there and seems to be interfering with the operation of the drive
> as twice it has become unreadable and I have lost data on it. How can this
> MBR be removed? Deleting the partition, re-partitioning and formatting
> doesn't do it.

http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html#format

But I think like Kerry. The drive had been returned because
the last owner had the same problems...

Uwe