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Resolved Question

Unable to run as administrator

Dec 7, 2011 5:41PM PST

That is, when want to format my hard drive, I (according to previous posts) right click on computer management, and select "Run as administrator" then open up the disk management and "format" will appear as an option in bold.
It doesn't.
Format is shaded no matter what.
I was able to get rid of a nasty virus checker that disabled my machine by forcing safe mode and garbage canning the virus checker, but I wonder if it damaged my machine.
Also, F8 doesn't work on this machine, it never has.

Discussion is locked

oldermanmike has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Re: unable to run as administrator
Dec 7, 2011 5:51PM PST

You don't format a (physical) hard drive, but a partition (a drive letter). A hard drive can contain multiple partitions.

- What partition (drive letter) do you want to format?
- What's on it?
- Why do you want to format?
- What will you be doing with it after the formatting?


Kees

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What-What-Why-What
Dec 7, 2011 11:29PM PST

First of all, this is a garden variety HP Pavilion desktop Intel dual 6g machine I bought new from Staples 2 years ago. No trouble until recently.
What partition (drive letter) do you want to format?
C
- What's on it?
System, windows, data

- Why do you want to format?
Zap the current software, there's too many issues that's going on (having to reset the modem every few hours, memory reference violations, It's the standard operating procedure before reloading factory image
.- What will you be doing with it after the formatting?
Reloading the factory image on "D:" image and using it. "D" is protected, isn't it?

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Re: formatting
Dec 8, 2011 12:37AM PST

No need at all to format. Just reload the factory image from the D and that will surely take care of it. As Mark already told, you can't format the drive that contains Windows while running it. But the recovery software can!

Kees

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Thanks.
Dec 8, 2011 12:51AM PST

Your answer implies that partition D: (factory image) is not protected from a format. True or False?

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Re: formatting.
Dec 8, 2011 3:17AM PST

Formatting only formats a partition (a drive letter). So if the c: gets formatted, nothing happens to d:

Kees

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Answer
In addition
Dec 7, 2011 8:24PM PST

If you are attempting to format the hard drive/partition where the OS, (Operating System), is installed from within Windows, it will not let you. Windows will not commit suicide.

F8 for what reason? Boot up into Safe Mode options? If so, what happens when you try? How do you attempt this? The trick is to tap the F8 key gently once a second as POST is almost ended, and before Windows begins to load. Is that your method?

If F8 has never worked, what does the manufacturer/vendor say as this might be a warranty case.

You said you forced Safe Mode but how did you do that if F8 doesn't work?

Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model?

What virus and how did you get rid of it?

Mark

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replying to Mark
Dec 8, 2011 12:28AM PST

this is a test, cnet wouldn't let me reply 10 min ago.

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real reply to Mark.
Dec 8, 2011 12:43AM PST

CNET gave me a generic error message so, my reply was so long, I copied it into a file, and then tried to paste it in here, but that ain't happening.
Anyway.
>Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model?

HP pavilion M2159m Desktop 6 gig Intel dual core 20" monitor $500 2 Windows home editon $500 Staples 2 years ago.
>What virus and how did you get rid of it?
It wasn't a virus. It was a popup program that imbedded itself in C:/Users/mike/AppData/roaming and diabled all functions on my machine except the start button. It was scanning my machine, reporting non-existant malarware, and if I ordered their product, it would fix everything. Right.
So I used the Start to try to restart with F8 safe-mode repeatedly but that didn't work. So I used the start button to get into System Configuration, set the boot to safe and restarted and came up in safe mode, moved the offending program (from ARCSOFT) into the recycle bin and emptied it. End of that problem.
I have so many different problems the past month, I decided that it's time to start fresh with a new system image from D; That's what prompted the question about format. It's automatic with me, I'm a tech from the old days, wipe out the disk and reload. It's what I used to do with my ME machine before this one. Maybe my hard drive is slowly dying, I don't know. I've had to restart the modem once during this reply session.

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No more help needed. Thanks.
Dec 8, 2011 2:59AM PST

The Staples tech squared me away. When you enter the format routine on the boot, if you answer "don't save the data", the disk gets wiped clean and you start fresh. If you do save the data, then "most" of your old stuff gets saved in a System Recovery folder.

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Glad you got it sorted
Dec 8, 2011 3:06AM PST

and I hope the reformat and reinstall works OK.

Mark

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All better.
Dec 9, 2011 3:03AM PST

It did and thank you. The modem problem was a AT&T mechanical splice out at the box. Restrung a new phone line and the intermittent modem, and instuction and memory instuction violations went away. And thanks to Kees up top.