How do I format the hard drive without windows?

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paulcheung

Active Member
Hi all,
My nephew have this Dell n5010 laptop, It start to boot and give the options repair windows or start windows normally because it failed to start.
Neither options are working. When I choose to repair the windows it stuck on the blank screen after it say start windows.
When I choose start window normally it reboot after it say start windows, and get back to the same screen.

I seen the same problem with the other HP laptop before. I have took out the hard drive and use seatool to check it and some how I get the recover to the factory status option and got that laptop fixed.

however this dell give me trouble, I have to open the whole laptop before I can access to the hard drive. I don't really want to do that unless is absolute have to. Is there any disk utlity I can reformat the hard drive without windows or any OS? I try to use the windows installation disk to setup or repair and failed. It can't recognise the hard drive I believe.

I don't even know what brand hard drive it is because I can't get it to boot up.

Please help.

Thank you in advance.
 
Ok thank you. I just find out it is Samsung drive, so I am using seatool to check the drive now. It say the smart has been tripped. what do that mean?
Does seatool correct any problem if it find them or just check alone?

I will try the Gparted when the seatool finished.
thanks again
 
Yes seatool failed both short and long test. I guess he have to get a new drive. I hate this model laptop. It have to take off almost everything before I can access to the drive. Maybe I tell him to buy the drive and get it install the same time, don't want to mess around it since it is not mine.
Thanks.
 
Gotta love that you need to pull the motherboard out to replace HDD's in these new Inspiron's :cool:
 
paulcheung said:
Yes seatool failed both short and long test. I guess he have to get a new drive. I hate this model laptop. It have to take off almost everything before I can access to the drive. Maybe I tell him to buy the drive and get it install the same time, don't want to mess around it since it is not mine.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

voyagerfan99 said:
Gotta love that you need to pull the motherboard out to replace HDD's in these new Inspiron's :cool:
Click to expand...

I got the joy of replacing an HDD on an N5050 just about a month ago. Wasn't a joy.

No motherboard removal needed. just had to remove the top casing and keyboard to access it. Was a pain in the butt though.
 
I would never buy any laptop like this nor recommended to any friends and family.

I try to erease the hard drive with dban to see if any virus cause this problem. It taking very long to proceed, I guess he have to get a new drive.

Thanks
 
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Wiping the drive won't change the fact it has bad sectors and is failing.
 
I was wonder if it have any virus that may fool the seatool, It pass the wipe without any problems, only take very long like overnight. I will try to install windows 7 on it tonight, keep my finger cross.
Thanks
 
paulcheung said:
I was wonder if it have any virus that may fool the seatool, It pass the wipe without any problems, only take very long like overnight. I will try to install windows 7 on it tonight, keep my finger cross.
Thanks
Click to expand...

No. Virus' don't do that. The virus would have to be running in order to do anything. Seatools doesn't run in Windows (if you use the DOS version anyway). And even still, it's very unlikely that a virus could do that. You're just wasting time.
 
Well windows 7 installed fine with a warning the drive is failing. it work but I guess he need a new drive very soon.
Thanks
 
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