New external USB 2.0 drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter goldwings
  • Start date Start date
G

goldwings

I just purchased a new IBM/Hitachi USB 2.0 external 120GB hard drive.
Using WindowsXP disk management, I've successfully partitioned the
drive into two partitions. Using disk management I'm trying to format
the partitions in NTSF, however, it is painfully slow. One partition
is 80GB. The formatting process has been running for over twelve hours
and is only 7% complete!. Being a Newbie at this, is this normal? It
will take a couple of weeks at this rate. Any common experiences would
be appreciated.
 
goldwings said:
I just purchased a new IBM/Hitachi USB 2.0 external 120GB hard drive.
Using WindowsXP disk management, I've successfully partitioned the
drive into two partitions. Using disk management I'm trying to format
the partitions in NTSF, however, it is painfully slow. One partition
is 80GB. The formatting process has been running for over twelve hours
and is only 7% complete!. Being a Newbie at this, is this normal? It
will take a couple of weeks at this rate. Any common experiences would
be appreciated.
Click to expand...


goldwings:
As you undoubtedly suspect, there's something definitely amiss with the
formatting process.

I assume you partitioned and are now attempting to format the drive while
it's in its USB external enclosure. Ordinarily that shouldn't pose a problem
but obviously something has gone awry. Do this...

Remove the drive and install it as an internal drive in your computer. Using
DM, delete the partitions, re:partition the drive, and then try formatting
the two partitions. The formatting process should go rather quickly,
certainly not more than a few minutes for each partition, if even that long.

If there's still a problem, download Hitachi's diagnostic utility
(http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm) and test the drive. It's
probably a good idea to do so even if the aforementioned
partitioning/formatting process proceeds normally.

If the drive can be partitioned/formatted with no problem while it's
installed as an internal drive, re:install it in its enclosure and determine
if there's any problem with the enclosure - see if the system recognizes the
USBEHD; try copying/moving and generally manipulating files between the
computer and the USBEHD, etc.

BTW, you may receive responses to your query recommending that you
partition/format the drive using the DOS FDISK & FORMAT commands. Without
going into details, that is *not* the answer to your problem. So ignore that
advice should it be offered.
 
Anna said:
goldwings:
As you undoubtedly suspect, there's something definitely amiss with the
formatting process.

I assume you partitioned and are now attempting to format the drive while
it's in its USB external enclosure. Ordinarily that shouldn't pose a
problem but obviously something has gone awry. Do this...

Remove the drive and install it as an internal drive in your computer.
Click to expand...

*********************************

Removing the drive from the enclosure "will" likely void any warranty the
O/P may have. This is a packaged external drive, not one that was cobbled
together.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
Richard Urban said:
Removing the drive from the enclosure "will" likely void any warranty the
O/P may have. This is a packaged external drive, not one that was cobbled
together.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
Click to expand...

Richard is correct in that if the USBEHD *is* a single (usually sealed)
commercial unit purchased by the user, removing the drive from its enclosure
would surely void its warranty. I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that the OP
had purchased the Hitachi drive and either installed it herself/himself or
had it installed by someone in a USB enclosure.

To the best of my knowledge, Hitachi does not produce any USB external 3
1/2" hard drives of 120 GB capacity. Note the OP has stated the Hitachi HD
involved is a 120 GB model. So it would appear the unit is *not* a single,
commercial one. But if I'm wrong about that "goldwings" or Richard, please
let me know.
Anna
 
Anna,

Thanks for your suggestions and help. My problems with formatting the
external hard drive were self-inflicted. I failed to check the
appropriate box in the WindowsXP disk management wizard. Once I
checked the "Quick Format" box, the formatting proceeded normally.

Regards,
Goldwings
 
Back
Top