Formating used hard drive

[noclaim]

I replaced the 160GB SATA hard drive in my XP laptop with a new 320GB drive and all went well. I bought an external enclosure and installed the 160GB drive with with Windows XP and all other programs from the laptop still loaded on it.

I am attempting to format the drive so that I can use it for extrernal storage but I am unable to have it recognized by another computer so I can format it. When I connect it the computer starts but then reboots over and over

How can I format this hard drive?.

 

[Tmagic650]

"When I connect it the computer starts but then reboots over and over"...

What reboots, the computer?

 

[noclaim]

When I connect the external drive to to a desktop the desktop shuts down and then reboots over and over. It is almost like the desktop is trying to boot from the external drive.

 

[Tmagic650]

Disable USB Legacy divices in the bios

 

[Rick]

noclaim, it sounds like your diagnosis is probably correct.
In additional to disabling USB boot in your BIOS, you could also wait for Windows to boot first, before you plug it in...

 

[noclaim]

Tmagic650,
Tried your suggestion, desktop boots but shuts down in about 30 seconds as it did before..
Rick,
I have been waiting for the desktop to fully boot before connecting the external drive as you suggested, but that does not help. Since it is a 2 1/2" SATA drive, I have no way to connect it as a slave in another computer. Any other suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[Rick]

Since it is a 2 1/2" SATA drive, I have no way to connect it as a slave in another computer. Any other suggestions will be appreciated.

I think I misunderstood you? I'm not sure I understand the slave and 2nd computer thing, because SATA doesn't use slave/master and there shouldn't be a need for a second computer here.

Let me make sure I understand this: You replaced your 2.5" 160GB drive with a 2.5" 320GB drive. You installed the 160GB drive installed in a USB enclosure and want to use it as a blank external drive.

If that's not the case, let me know. If it is -- cool -- I think we're on the same page. What I would do from here is plug it in AFTER Windows boots, then use Start > Run > diskmgmt.msc to partition and format the drive. Once you're finished, it will show up as an empty external drive under My Computer with the rest of your drives. Would that work for you?

 

[noclaim]

Rick,
Thanks for the reply and suggestions. You are correct. I am trying to use the 160GB as an external blank drive. I have tried connecting the drive to three different XP desktops after Windows boots (with and without a powered hub) but after 15-30 seconds the computers shut down and then reboot in an endless cycle. I believe I have a bad external housing which I just purchased from NewEgg. It is a Rosewill 2.5" RX81U-ES-25A. I think it is time to try another enclosure.