i erased my WD10EZEX hard drive using DBAN. that went fine. except now i can not get my computer to even recognize the drive, ANYWHERE ! i have tried reformatting it on another computer several times. i can get that computer to recognize it as a storage device, but my computer will not even try to start, because it is missing at least the boot manager files, and most likely the entire boot partition, and whatever is in the drive when it comes from WD. i need to find a way to download and reinstall those into my drive. can anyone help?
Hi : xwrench3
at https://support.wdc.com/product.aspx?ID=606&lang=en
Download Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (current version 5.27)
Follow the instructions to create a bootable USB.
Turn off you computer and remove the sata power connector from all the hard drives.
Connect the hard drive that you think may be defective.
Turn on the computer.
Set your bios to boot from a USB device.
Type dosdlg.ex
Select WRITE ZEROS TO DRIVE and do a full erase.
It should take about 2.5 hrs depending on the computer (2 to 2.5 hours per tera byte).
It not only erases the hard drive but it also checks to see if it is working properly.
if the drive is defective it will come back with an error code that WD support wants for a RMA.
NotaCanada
so, i created a boot drive using rufus (dos) which i would think would be
the correct format. when i type in dosdlg.ex (i also tried dosdlg.exe) it
says it is a bad command line. so what am i doing wrong?
Hi: xwrench3
The instructions at wd support are old.
it looks like you created a bootable USB drive using rufus.
Did you download a copy dlgdiag_5_27.zip ?
Did you unzip and copy
DLGLICE.TXT
DOSDLG.exe
DOSDLG.TXT
to the USB drive ?
NotaCanada
i can not find the program dlgdiag_5_27_.zip even by using the search
window. the file that the instructions send me to, (WinDlg_v1_31) i can
get to open in my laptop (where i am making the usb drive), but it installs
and opens in that, and i can not find a way to get it to the flash drive/
ok, i found the file (i guess i just needed more sleep and a cup of
coffee). i am not sure if i have the dosdlg file in the drive correctly
though. when i copy and pasted it i got a prompt wanting to unzip and run
the file on my good computer. which would not do any good. at this point i
am going to try it. if it does not work, i’ll be back.
ok, it IS working. but you need to change the command line from dosdlg.ex
to dosdlg.exe. i willlet you know what the results are when done.
so it completed the erasure sucessfully. i do not see an error code of any
kind. but i am enclosing photos of the screen. if this hard drive is fine
(and i hope it is), how do i make it serviceable (able to accept windows)?
[Deleted-Privacy]
Hi: xwrench3
Sorry about the typo it should have been dosdlg.exe not dosdlg.ex
After erasing the hard drive you will need to initialize the drive and format it to use it as a data drive.
See the two links below for instructions.
How to initialize or write a signature to a secondary hard drive or Solid State drive in Windows.
How to partition and format a WD drive on Windows and macOS
NotaCanada.
ok, so i followed the instructions in both of the articles listed above.
but when i tried to install windows, i got this the first time (see photo
001), and this (see photo 002) the second time. if this thing was alive, i
would strangle it! PLEASE HELP!
Hi: xwrench3
It looks like your trying to install windows7?
Are you trying to install windows7 on the drive you just erased?
if yes then follow the instructions below.
Turn off you computer and remove the sata power connector from all the hard drives.
Connect the hard drive that you want to erase.
Turn on the computer.
Set your bios to boot from a USB device.
Type dosdlg.exe
Select WRITE ZEROS TO DRIVE and do a quick erase.
When erasing the hard drive is complete turn off the computer.
Remove the USB drive.
Turn on the computer.
Insert the windows7 CD/DVD into CD/DVD drive.
Instructions on a clean install of windows7.
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
In the tutorial click on next for steps 7 and 8.
Do not format or partition the drive.
NotaCanada.
No, I am trying to install windows 10 home edition. Windows 7 may be old
enough to need a MBR format. but i do not think Windows 10 needs it. from
everything i have seen and read, Windows 10 should run GPT format fine. my
hardware is new enough also. a sixth generation Intel i-5 6500, DDR4
memory, a UEFI motherboard with legacy compatibility (switched to use
UEFI). so i do not understand where the problem is. i just tried it again,
and after making certain that it is in uefi mode, with windows 8.1 and
windows 10 operating system to be installed, when it started to load, it
said that windows or the installer could not create a partition. how many
partitions does it need, and what size. if it needs them, i will make 300
of the darn things. i am sorry, this has been a long, drawn out mess. and i
am way past ready to put it behind me.
can i just send you the drive, have you install windows 10, and be done
with it?
Hi: xwench3
There seems to be a little confusion.
When you asked - how do i make it serviceable (able to accept windows)?
I thought you were asking how to make a hard drive recognizable to windows.
How to initialize or write a signature to a secondary hard drive or Solid State drive in Windows
How to partition and format a WD drive on Windows and macOS
What you where trying to ask is how do i prepare a hard drive to install a windows OS.
The answer to that is
Download Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (current version 5.27)
Follow the instructions to create a bootable USB.
Turn off you computer and remove the sata power connector from all the hard drives.
Connect the hard drive that you want to erase.
Turn on the computer.
Set your bios to boot from a USB device.
Type dosdlg.exe
Select WRITE ZEROS TO DRIVE and do a full erase.
It should take about 2.5 hrs depending on the computer (2 to 2.5 hours per tera byte).
It not only erases the hard drive but it also checks to see if it is working properly.
if the drive is defective it will come back with an error code.
Your question was - i just tried it again, and after making certain that it is in uefi mode, with windows 8.1 and windows 10 operating system to be installed, when it started to load, it said that windows or the installer could not create a partition.
Read how to Dual boot Windows 10 and Windows 8
At this point your probable better to start over again.
Turn off you computer and remove the sata power connector from all the hard drives.
Connect the hard drive that you want to erase.
Turn on the computer.
Set your bios to boot from a USB device.
Type dosdlg.exe
Select WRITE ZEROS TO DRIVE and do a quick erase.
When erasing the hard drive is complete turn off the computer.
Remove the USB drive.
Turn on the computer.
Insert the windows8.1 CD/DVD into CD/DVD drive
Install windows 8.1
shrink the primary partition to of Windows8.1 to 200GB
Insert the windows10 CD/DVD into CD/DVD drive.
Install windows 10 into unallocated space.
NotaCanada.
thank you for all the help ! it is now working the way it should. now all
i have to do is put 30 or 40 programs back into it, and all the rest of
what goes into a hard drive.
Your Welcome.
NotaCanada
