Problem with new 500GB hard drive

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Guest

Hi there,
I've just bought a new hard drive, Seagate ST3500630A 500GB, but I can't
make it to work properly. If I try to partition and format with
DiskManagement, this message comes when the formatting is at 100% "Windows
was unable to complete the format".

I can create and format a 128GB partition 128GB, but if I then try to make
one more, the same problem.

I've tried to boot from the Windows CD and format the disc with the
installation program, but then the disk is only 128GB afterwards.

Finally I've tried to boot from a Win98 boot disc and then use FDISK and
FORMAT. I then get a 500GB disc, but when I copy more then 128GB to the disc,
the copy is cancelled with an error.

I'm running Windows XP sp2, and I already have a 300GB disc (NTFS) with the
OS on. The new disc replaces another 200GB disc.

Anyone how can help?

Best regards
Lars
 
Hi there,
Ok, I'll look into that when I get home. But if this is the root of the
problem, why haven't I had any problems with my 2 other discs, 300GB and
200GB ?
Best regards,
Lars
 
Lars said:
Hi there,
I've just bought a new hard drive, Seagate ST3500630A 500GB, but I can't
make it to work properly. If I try to partition and format with
DiskManagement, this message comes when the formatting is at 100% "Windows
was unable to complete the format".

I can create and format a 128GB partition 128GB, but if I then try to make
one more, the same problem.

I've tried to boot from the Windows CD and format the disc with the
installation program, but then the disk is only 128GB afterwards.

Finally I've tried to boot from a Win98 boot disc and then use FDISK and
FORMAT. I then get a 500GB disc, but when I copy more then 128GB to the
disc,
the copy is cancelled with an error.

I'm running Windows XP sp2, and I already have a 300GB disc (NTFS) with
the
OS on. The new disc replaces another 200GB disc.

Anyone how can help?

Best regards
Lars
Click to expand...

Newer version of fdisk works reliably to 128GB. After that, due to an
internal limitation of fdisk, the filesystem won't reliably retain data
beyond 128GB. The prior version of fdisk that came with 98 had a 64GB
limitation. The HD makers have a revised version of their formatting tool
to format their drives in FAT32 to capacity of the hard drive.

If the XP installation boot CD is the original XP (not sp1 or sp2 included),
that's the best you're gonna do, 128GB.

The message in XP disk management indicates to me that it can't write the
details to the file table for possible file locations.
 
If the XP installation boot CD is the original XP (not sp1 or sp2 included),
that's the best you're gonna do, 128GB.
Click to expand...

It is...
The message in XP disk management indicates to me that it can't write the
details to the file table for possible file locations.
Click to expand...

Ok, do you know what I can do about that?

Best regards,
Lars
 
Hi there,
It's an Ultra ATA/100 drive. Can this have anything to do with my problems?
Maybe somthing with my motherboard / IDE cable ?

Best regards,
Lars
 
Lars said:
Hi there,
It's an Ultra ATA/100 drive. Can this have anything to do with my
problems?
Maybe somthing with my motherboard / IDE cable ?

Best regards,
Lars
Click to expand...


Lars:
We'll assume that you've properly connected/configured your Seagate 500 GB
HDD. We'll further assume that your motherboard supports large-capacity
disks, i.e., > 137 GB (128 GB binary) since the full disk capacity of your
300 GB HDD and your older 200 GB HDD has been detected. That is so, is it
not?

Assuming you're intending that 500 GB HDD as a secondary HDD in your system,
give Disk Management another try. First, delete the partition(s) you created
through the FDISK/FORMAT routine; then undertake the partitioning/formatting
process once more.

If you're planning a fresh install of the OS onto that 500 GB HDD, then try
the XP installation CD once more and again, delete the present partition(s)
and start fresh with the partitioning/formatting process.

If still problems, re:check your connections/configuration of the disk very
carefully. If all looks well then install the disk on another IDE channel,
either as Master or Slave. Ensure you're using a 80-wire data cable and if
possible, change the cable.

Download the Seagate HDD diagnostic tool and check out the HDD. Have you
been in touch with Seagate re this problem?
Anna
 
Have you tried the Quick Format option, sometimes this works when the Full
Format option fails.

JS
 
Hi Anna,
You're right in all your assumptions. I've also tried more than once to
partition/format the drive through the device manager and also through XP
installation CD, all with the same result.

Only thing I haven't done, is to contact Seagate, just scanned their website
for any usefull help, no luck with that.

But I partially solved the problem myself :-) I've put the hard drive into
an external USB 2.0 hard drive case, connected it to the PC, and just
formatted the drive as NTFS. This caused no problems. Afterwards I copied
more than 250GB to the drive, still no problem, so that'll do for now...

Best regards,
Lars
 
Hi there JS,
Yep, I've also tried that more than once.

But I partially solved the problem myself :-) I've put the hard drive into
an external USB 2.0 hard drive case, connected it to the PC, and just
formatted the drive as NTFS. This caused no problems. Afterwards I copied
more than 250GB to the drive, still no problem, so that'll do for now...

Best regards,
Lars
 
Yes, you should have indicated you were trying to format the drive with
FAT32 in the first place..
IF you still need or want to whilst it is in the USB enclosure use the
format32 app, it should format the whole drive very quickly..
It will work with the help of Disk Management and a DOS box/ cmd.exe..

http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/fat32format.htm

Cheers
j;j
 
If per chance the onboard hard drive of Western Digital manufacture?
If so, did you set its jumper to master w/ slave when you had the Seagate as
its slave?
 
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