Hacking How to format Wii U external HDD for use on PC?

[gandalf]

Hi guys

I am sorry if this has been asked before, but I was unable to find a solution for my problem.

I have an external HDD which has been used on Wii U.
Tried to format the HDD for use on PC but I cant get Win 10 to detect it at all.
It does not even show up in Disk Management.

Any ideas?

Thank you!

 

[lafleche]

? Should show up disk management as unallocated disc.

Did you scroll down to bottom of disk management?

 

[gandalf]

Hi

Yes I did.

Its not showing in there at all.
Wii U can detect it fine though.

 

[EmulateLife]

Did you try Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management?


NM sounds like you already did. There's nothing else you can do then except try another computer, or Google Minitool Partition Wizard and see if it sees it.

 

[H1B1Esquire]

Wii U can detect it fine though.

Have you tried with Easus Partition Master?

 

[gandalf]

Have you tried with Easus Partition Master?

Just tried.
Does not detect it.

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Did you try Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management?


NM sounds like you already did. There's nothing else you can do then except try another computer, or Google Minitool Partition Wizard and see if it sees it.

Damn, I dont have another pc.
Pretty sure if WDM cant see it, other tools will not as well?

Thanks all!

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Would original Wii will be able to see it and do a format?

 

[dojafoja]

Before you give up all hope try a partition manager in a Linux based environment, particularly a Gparted live CD https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBhAD&usg=AOvVaw3rmq9hiDVA55Nqo7NSeYuk

 

[dojafoja]

Before you give up all hope try a partition manager in a Linux based environment, particularly a Gparted live CD https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBhAD&usg=AOvVaw3rmq9hiDVA55Nqo7NSeYuk

 

[H1B1Esquire]

Would original Wii will be able to see it and do a format?

No.

 

[godreborn]

are you sure it's not ustealthed?

 

[Socke81]

So for me it worked a few years ago with Minitool Partition Wizard. Hard disk was displayed. You have to delete the partition, create a new one and don't forget to assign a letter.

 

[gandalf]

So for me it worked a few years ago with Minitool Partition Wizard. Hard disk was displayed. You have to delete the partition, create a new one and don't forget to assign a letter.

Problem here is that I cannot see the hdd anywhere, its just not showing up at all.

Thanks

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If I took the hdd out of the usb enclosure and did a direct sata connection, do you think that would work?

 

[EmulateLife]

No, the enclosure makes no difference.

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I don't know if this will help but worth a try. Try to format it again on Wii U, and then see if you can see it on PC.

 

[Socke81]

Problem here is that I cannot see the hdd anywhere, its just not showing up at all.

Thanks

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If I took the hdd out of the usb enclosure and did a direct sata connection, do you think that would work?

All USB ports Tried? Leave the tool open while you try different ports. Disable antivirus. My antivirus always asks for permission for new drives.

 

[Ryccardo]

Does it appear as an USB/ATA/Firewire/whatever device?

If yes, it could be locked or in some funny failure mode - hdparm -I on Linux, MHDD for DOS, or Victoria on XP could give further information...

 

[YOUCANTSTOPME]

Run this. It's free. Do a full or quick format. Then use Disk Management under Windows to set up a new partition. I would be surprised if this didn't do the trick.

http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/

 

[gandalf]

success!

I ran a bootable iso version of Gparted and it detected the hdd.
Formatted, then back in Windows 10 and it was finally showing.

Thank you all for your help!
Really happy to get this thing going.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

are you sure it's not ustealthed?

Even if that was the case the drive should still show up in Disk Management, it just wouldn't be able to see the partitions on it.

Problem here is that I cannot see the hdd anywhere, its just not showing up at all.

Thanks

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If I took the hdd out of the usb enclosure and did a direct sata connection, do you think that would work?

Have you checked if it shows up in Device Manager?

 

[gandalf]

Even if that was the case the drive should still show up in Disk Management, it just wouldn't be able to see the partitions on it.

Have you checked if it shows up in Device Manager?

It shows up in DM now, but unsure if it did before it started working.

 

[Grenigga]

Run this. It's free. Do a full or quick format. Then use Disk Management under Windows to set up a new partition. I would be surprised if this didn't do the trick.

Thank you! That definitely helped me.