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Formatted Hard drive still Booting

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by John Stenger, Feb 19, 2026.

  1. John Stenger

    John Stenger Registered Members

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2013
    Messages:
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    Operating System:
    Windows XP Home
    I recently decided to use an old PC Hard drive in a Dock for only External Storage. Initially I could not delete the program file it contained, without permission! so I just Formatted it! Now for some reason when it in mounted in the dock, and I restart my windows 10 PC, That HD is trying to boot the machine! Because I am getting the same failed message that was appearing on the old machine, on the new PC! Can I do anything uncomplicated abut this or should I just keep it out of the Dock when restarting?
     
    John Stenger, Feb 19, 2026
    #1
  3. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    Operating System:
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    Easiest uncomplicated solution: I'd keep it out of the dock when restarting.
     
    plodr, Feb 20, 2026
    #2
    IJAC likes this.
  4. John Stenger

    John Stenger Registered Members

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    Operating System:
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    Yes I have decided that also! I just can't understand why an empty hard drive would be booting at all?
     
    John Stenger, Feb 20, 2026
    #3
  5. allheart55 (Cindy E)

    allheart55 (Cindy E) Administrator Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2009
    Messages:
    10,609
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Operating System:
    Windows 10
    Computer Brand or Motherboard:
    ASUS M4A77TD AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD
    CPU:
    AMD Phenom II X6 1090T-Thuban 3.2GHz
    Memory:
    Crucial-DDR3 SDRAM 1333-8GB
    Hard Drive:
    WD Caviar Black SE HDD 640 GB - WD Caviar Black SE HDD 500 GB
    Graphics Card:
    Sapphire Radeon HD-7870 2GB
    Power Supply:
    CORSAIR CMPSU-750W
    Apparently that particular drive is set to boot in the BIOS.
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E), Feb 21, 2026
    #4
    IJAC likes this.
  6. John Stenger

    John Stenger Registered Members

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    Operating System:
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    I just can't understand why after formatting the drive, and also using it on another PC! it's still overtaking the booting?
     
    John Stenger, Feb 21, 2026
    #5
  7. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    I have a similar issue. I make images of four Windows 7 computers using an old version of True Image. I boot the computers from a CD or a USB stick to load True Image instead of Windows. I have 7 Western Digital hard drives that I rotate for the image storage. On exactly one computer with one of the WD drives attached, it hangs and will not boot. I have no idea why but I've learned, I cannot attach that one drive to that one computer until after True Image loads. Sometimes you just won't understand but you figure out a workaround and use it to get the job done.
     
    plodr, Feb 22, 2026
    #6
    allheart55 (Cindy E) and IJAC like this.
  8. John Stenger

    John Stenger Registered Members

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    Operating System:
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    Your absolutely Right Thanks plodr
     
    John Stenger, Feb 22, 2026
    #7

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