Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

hard-drive

Oct 14, 2014 8:49PM PDT

Hi, I have bought a Toshiba 1t but I can't get it to work.
I have a DELL laptop and just had it partitioned to 80g,do I have to delete the partition to operate the TOSHIBA?
I went to COMPUTER/manage/disk management and Tosh is there( healthy, active, primary partition) but Dell hardrive partition is still "ringed" and Tosh will not operate, what am not doing correctly? help please

Regards Walter (silver surfer)

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Re: hard drive
Oct 14, 2014 9:53PM PDT

Sorry, this isn't really clear.
- what do you mean with "partitioned to 80g"?
- is the laptop partitioned or the external drive?
- why did you have it partitioned?
- what do you mean with "ringed" and "still"?
- what does "not operate" mean?
- do you use a USB 2 or USB 3 connection on your Dell?
- is it a USB 2 or USB 3 external?
- is it externally powered or via the USB?
- what file system on that Toshiba (FAT, NTFS?)
- does it work on another PC or laptop?

Kees

- Collapse -
external hardrive
Oct 15, 2014 4:32AM PDT

my apologies to the forum for the lack of info.

I had "laptop" partitioned with 80gb.
Partitioned to backup files etc.
80gb was "primary" backup but is still "highlighted"
Tosh. is now primary partition but can't backup computer.
I use USB2(I think) although Tosh. is USB 2/3
External HARDRIVE is powered by USB.
Toshiba file system is on NTFS.
Never tried any other machine

- Collapse -
Still unclear. Sorry.
Oct 15, 2014 5:21AM PDT

Better find local help.

A USB powered external might only work if the laptop runs on an adaptor, not on a battery.

Kees

- Collapse -
Answer
Give full details, are we to guess?
Oct 15, 2014 12:16AM PDT

OS, Dell model#. current partitions, etc.. The HD if installed in the laptop??? should have worked with Win7 or Vista. I don't get the 80gb partition you mentioned, why so.

tada -----Willy Happy

- Collapse -
Answer
Unlike spare tires that if they fit, work.
Oct 15, 2014 12:31AM PDT

Windows is such and odd duck that you can't take a working Windows and move it and the HDD to another machine and expect it to work.

When we pop a HDD into another PC, we might see the data, but a working Windows OS? No way.

When I install a HDD into a laptop I want to use the laptop maker's restore media on it because it's far too hard any other way. Unless we are installing Linux...
Bob