# GPT Protective Partition?????????????



## robqx4 (Dec 18, 2003)

I just bought a "used" 60gb "Sata" Hard drive to use in a external enclosure 
and when I hooked it up to my pc it only showed up in my "Disk Management" 
showing it has this "GPT Protective Partition" and I'm unable to reformat it at all. 
Can somebody please tell me what I need to do to reformat this drive so I 
can use it normally?????? 

Thank you! 

Robqx4


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## norton850 (Mar 9, 2004)

My knowledge of this comes from Googling. Some suggestions are that this HD could have had Linux on it. Not sure if remove GPT will work, but it's worth a try. Make sure you select the right disc when you are running diskpart.


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## robqx4 (Dec 18, 2003)

Hi everyone!

I managed to get the drive re-formated by using this neat little tool

"HDD Low Level Format Tool" located here:

http://hddguru.com/content/en/software/200...el-Format-Tool/

Worked like a charm!

Thanks for all your help!

Rob


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## bogyi (Aug 3, 2007)

if the hard drive has all the important files and you don't want to lose it...
get cheap 80GB hard drive and install windows vista. or windows xp-64.

And i am thinking of one thing.. haven't tried yet. seems it will save some $$ for getting new drive.
download Virtual PC form MS (FREE) and install XP-64 or Vista on Virtual PC. then read the HDD and back up all the files.. 
so in that way nothing got effected to current OS and save $$...

if anyone try that, pls. post the result. 

peace.


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## Plasmon (Aug 5, 2007)

The virtual Pc Solution isn't working

- I have 64 bits processors but win xp 64 won't install since I was running Virtual PC from win xp 32. 
- With win vista, once it's installed windows vista only detect the active virtual drive !

The qucik and cheap solution will be simple:
- Buy a new drive, install xp 64 or vista
- do the backup 
- format the new drive and tell the store that i was too stupid to know that sata is not compatible with my system !
- take back my money


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## Plasmon (Aug 5, 2007)

Here is an other solution :
R-Studio is a program that can access GPT partition without changing the OS or formating the drive. Still the program cost around 40 $, this "could" be a problem !


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## NKVader (Oct 16, 2007)

Like Norton850 said, the Windows XP Pro "clean" command work just fine. Since I was able to test this method and Linux Live CD format, I could say that both works, (I didn't tested the HDDGuru low level format utility) and like U already guess, the Windows "ms-dos" command is much easy.
Cleaned a GPT Protective Partition - ATTENTION - ALL DATA IS LOST !!! 
Take [email protected]


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## bogyi (Aug 3, 2007)

have you tried this app ?
does it work?



Plasmon said:


> Here is an other solution :
> R-Studio is a program that can access GPT partition without changing the OS or formating the drive. Still the program cost around 40 $, this "could" be a problem !


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## The Egg (Feb 24, 2008)

I had this problem.

I had installed the drive whilst using Windows Vista. When I went back to XP I received the GPT error message.

I created a new partition, installed Vista on there and when booting to Vista I am able to access the drive and the data on it. I'm not sure if there is anything you can do whilst in vista to make it accessable in XP, or if you have to move all the data, format the drive, boot into XP and then copy the data back, which would be a bit crap.

Anyways, it gives you access to the drive to get your data back if need be.


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## manutd (Mar 2, 2008)

bogyi said:


> have you tried this app ?
> does it work?


WORK FINE WITH ME


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## bogyi (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks.



manutd said:


> WORK FINE WITH ME


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