New SATA HDD

FalseLogic · December 25th, 2007, 08:59 PM

Ok, I just got a brand new Western Digital 500GB HDD. It was an OEM model, so it came with nothing at all. I already had a SATA cable + power adapter, so that was no problem at all. The problem I'm having now is that after I plugged it in and tried to install ubuntu or XP, neither will install. Ubuntu gets stuck at 5% formatting, and the XP installer "finishes" formatting, then says "Setup cannot format this disc". Now that I have tried that, I cannot format my IDE HDD either. The IDE HDD was working fine before I plugged in this SATA drive.

Does anybody have any idea why it can't be formatted? Can I not have an IDE disk and a SATA disc at the same time?

xiaomhome · December 25th, 2007, 09:31 PM

Use the format ultility provided by Western Digital or ask for help in store you bought your hard drive. Edit:I forgot to mention partition it before formating, plain formating will create just one partition.

FalseLogic · December 25th, 2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xiaomhome

Use the format ultility provided by Western Digital or ask for help in store you bought your hard drive. Edit:I forgot to mention partition it before formating, plain formating will create just one partition.

Read this:

Quote:

It was an OEM model, so it came with nothing at all.

An yes, I already know that. I've tried normal format and quick format. This is EXACTLY what it says for both:

Quote:

Setup was unable to format the partition. The disk may be damaged.

Make sure the drive is switched on and properly connected to your computer. If the disk is a SCSI disk, make sure your SCSI devices are properly terminated. Consult your computer manual or SCSI adapter documentation for more information.

You must select a different partition for Windows XP.
To continue, press ENTER.

When you press enter, it just goes back to the partition viewer.

**Regeneration** · December 25th, 2007, 10:27 PM

Try to mess around with the SATA settings in the BIOS, and if you have another controller, use it.

gen.Rage1991hrv · December 25th, 2007, 10:40 PM

heh i had similar problems with one ide disk and sata one but set ide disk as main disk(first boot) than put windows xp disk and boot it
from there you can easy delete existing partition on sata disk and make a new one and format it then
it will work

FalseLogic · December 25th, 2007, 10:48 PM

...

I CAN ALREADY MAKE A PARTITION!!!
I just can't format it. When I try to FORMAT it, that is when I get issues. Right now this is the only HDD in the computer, and it just won't work. I only have 2 options in the BIOS related to SATA, one of which decides whether or not to use SATA, the other one asks if I am going to use RAID. (Which I am not). Just a side note: For the MOBO to check the SATA connections at all, IDE needs to be the primary.

gen.Rage1991hrv · December 25th, 2007, 10:52 PM

w8 a sec
think about it what am i saying
you cant format disk from windows because windows is searching for something on that disk it is a common error (because partition was not made correctly)
you need to start process all over again
you need to create partition from booted windows disk and format it there
do you understand now
i know that issue

zme-ul · December 25th, 2007, 11:20 PM

had a similar experience with a s-ata hdd ad a no-name PSU
change the power cable or adapter which ever you have

FalseLogic · December 25th, 2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gen.Rage1991hrv

w8 a sec
think about it what am i saying
you cant format disk from windows because windows is searching for something on that disk it is a common error (because partition was not made correctly)
you need to start process all over again
you need to create partition from booted windows disk and format it there
do you understand now
i know that issue

I understand what you're saying. I have started the process over entirely 10-15 times now. NO DIFFERENCE! What would windows be searching for? There was nothing on the disk to begin with. It was a totally unpartitioned, unformatted disk.

gen.Rage1991hrv · December 25th, 2007, 11:31 PM

shut down(disconnect) ide disk and make new try with only a sata disk