Problem formatting external HDD

[sangamangi]

I'm having trouble formatting my external WD passport 250GB HDD.

I tried using the manage drives option from win 7, and try to format it, it says the drive is been in use. and asks wheter to do a force format? if I say yes, it hangs.

I tried using EASEUS partition manager, there it formats and when I reconnect it and in Windows explorer, it shows up without the icons.

any help would be apprecieated. Thanks

[Bonebreaker777]

Hmm. Did you tried to unplug/eject the HDD, then plug back in and try to format? Don't open it up in My computer, don't allow Auto Start, just leave it be and then try to access from Drives Manager.
Is empty right? > Cause if it is not, and the computer is trying to index things on the HDD, that could be the reason for the "In use" issue (I would say).

[sangamangi]

Thanks for your reply. I d/ld asomething called HDD Low Level Format from HDDGuru and gave it a go. Its still going on for the past few hours. I'd have to wait and see.

[Bonebreaker777]

Low Level Format is a way to go. If it is unsuccessful, try HDDScan. Or KillDisk. Good luck. I used in the past HDDscan and KillDisk,