Formating Problems for sata hdd - Computer Support & PC Help Forums

blulite · 10-22-2008, 05:49 PM

hi guys i am having a major problem with one of my hdd's

it is a 300gb maxtor satas hdd that i removed from a sky hd box.

i added it to my machine and it was registered by the pc. i obv wanted rid of the sky software so i set it away to format. i left it to run and i went to work. when i got home i discovered an error message saying the format could not be completed. when i rebooted my pc the boot screen took ages to load ant then it told me that primary master 4 had an error. which is the new drive. i booted into vist anyway and now the drive ios not detected. i have tried acronis disk directoe to try and defect the drive and format it but it still not registered in the machine.

as a result of this i dug out my active killdisk cd and created a usb killdisk. i booted from the usb and killdisk again isnt abel to detect the drive. how can this be, it registers at boot because it tells me of the error. can someone please help me i anm at my wits end trying to solve the problem. i need to format the drive and or rid it of errors.

**Tootech** · 10-22-2008, 08:34 PM

If the format failed the drive won't be accessible in Windows.

Go through the Control Panel to Administrative Tools, then Computer Management, down to Disk Management.

Can you see the disk there?

If so, you may need to Initialise it - Look to where is says Disk 0 or whatever it is, then right click - if the Initialise option is there, use it.

Then you can delete the Volume, create a new volume and finally format it.

Please make sure you delete the correct volume - there's no going back when you have done it.

If you cannot see the disk I would reckon it is faulty or setup/connected incorrectly.

blulite · 10-22-2008, 08:50 PM

ok ive tried that

the drive is there but it is said to be unknown/unreadable and when i right click it only allows me to goto properties or help

any ideas??? it surely cant be a broken hdd. the sky hd box was like 2 months old and as i say it was fine untill the format failed.

what could have gone wrong? do you think data recovery software might do the trick? is there a hard drive recovery software you could recomend trying.

**Tootech** · 10-22-2008, 09:19 PM

At this stage I would use the manufacturers tools to make sure your drive is installed correctly in your PC, check it's health and format it.

The SeaTools utility will check the disk for you - that will make sure it can be read correctly by the BIOS and will check the actual disk health.

Maxblast can format the disk for you once it's health has been checked.

Both can be downloaded from here

Seagate Technology - Downloads

Download SeaTools for DOS (you'll have to give a few details), burn to CD and boot from it. Run the Long Test, if it passes. great, if not you know it is faulty.

Let us know how you get on.

blulite · 10-22-2008, 09:28 PM

thanks TT i will try that tomorrow and let you know how i get on.

**RandyL** · 10-22-2008, 09:46 PM

Tootech would SeaTools for Windows be a better option as the DOS version would require making an ISO?

blulite · 10-22-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyL

Tootech would SeaTools for Windows be a better option as the DOS version would require making an ISO?

eerrrm NO it wouldn't

you can download the iso at the link TT provided?????????

why would you need to make one?

have you tried the link?

i got the iso and the .exe versions from there

oops sorry if i came accross a bit ****tish lol

**RandyL** · 10-22-2008, 10:01 PM

I must have read wrong. I was looking at the tutorial for the DOS version which said "Just copying the files to a CD will not work; the file must be burned as an image to the CD."

No matter. Carry on and good luck.

blulite · 10-22-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyL

I must have read wrong. I was looking at the tutorial for the DOS version which said "Just copying the files to a CD will not work; the file must be burned as an image to the CD."

No matter. Carry on and good luck.

lol ok i will post my findings tomorrow.

**Tootech** · 10-22-2008, 10:23 PM

Hi RandyL,

I didn't say there was an ISO did I....maybe I should have

It's ok for the computer literate - blulite worked it out, but for others maybe it's too much info without explanation.

As for Seatools for Windows - I've never had much luck with it - I guess if a disk is not working correctly, running it in Windows just seems to make things worse!

Tootech

blulite · 10-22-2008, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tootech

As for Seatools for Windows - I've never had much luck with it - I guess if a disk is not working correctly, running it in Windows just seems to make things worse!

especially if your running on vista!!!!!!!

or should i say ****sta lol

**RandyL** · 10-23-2008, 05:34 AM

I've used both versions of the seagate tools many times but not on Vista. lol. I will say that they have always worked very well in diagnostics for me so I hope it works well for you too.