Converting an External Drive from DVR to Computer Setup

Subscriber Cosby Chaney wrote with an unusual problem involving an external hard drive.

Hey Terry.
Got this problem. I have this 160 gig external drive that I've had for maybe a year or so. I originally used it for back ups for my home computer, but for the last six months or so have been using it connected to my DVR.
I had this DVR from "Charter" that only had this tiny H.D., maybe forty meg or so, and couldn't store much high def, so I added the external.
Of course the DVR had to format it to use it and now I just had the box changed out to one that has adequate storage. (160 gig, same as the external drive)
By now you've guessed that my computer has no idea that I've plugged anything in. I don't remember any software coming with this unit.
Any idea how I might make an introduction between these two?
(Been to "device manager, dealt w/ the "wizard" etc. )

So far, I'm clueless.

Cosby

I wrote back to Cosby to tell him how he should be able to access the external drive to get it formatted.

Assuming he had the standard Windows XP Control Panel layout (and hadn't changed to the Classic View), try Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management
> Storage > Disk Management(Local)

The lower right-hand section shows individual partitions by individual physical drive. The scroll bar in the bottom right-hand section should allow you to see the external drive, if it's not visible immediately.

If you should be able to right-click on the external drive's partition and selecting Format.

Cosby wrote back to say:

Thanks Terry.
In the process of formatting as I send this.

Cos.

Copyright © 2008 Terry A. Stockdale. All rights reserved.