HDD not recognized

[smittytech]

I need to replace a 6gb harddrive with a 20gb harddrive. It won't be a master/slave situation as this pc can only have only 1 harddrive. (it's a Dell Dimension L500r & there isn't room for 2 hdd's.)

The hdd is being recognized in BIOS but FDISK & the install utility from the manuf. won't recognize the drive. FDISK gives the error "no fixed disks present" and the EZDrive utility only shows the cdrom drive. I know I'm missing something (probably simple) but I sure can't figure out what it is. I have read various other threads and tried the suggestions given....still not having any luck.

1)I downloaded the installation instructions for the new hdd from the manufacturer as well as an installation utility. I read them before doing anything else. I made the utility diskette as instructed. (

http://www.mdtglobal.com/mdtglobal/mdt_wl/index2.asp?page=download.asp&section=contact&lang=english

)

2)I have set the jumpers on the hdd per the picture in the instructions. I tried master, single, cable select no luck. (The jumpers on the cdrom were already set to CS & I haven't changed them)

3)The mb has 2 IDE controllers, the hdd ribbon cable is on IDE1 and the cdrom ribbon cable is on IDE2. I checked all cable connections, remembering pin 1 rule of course.

4) Intel BIOS (ver. A01 CA81020a.10a.0007.p02.9911171213) the IDE interface is set to auto detect for both the primary and secondary ide controllers.

5)I've rebooted this pc so many times I think I'm wearing the button out.....

Help.

"Life without chocolate is too terrible to contemplate!"

 

[wolluf]

Obvious question - you are sure the hard drive is working ok?

 

[smittytech]

Brand spankin new drive....has the quality sticker on it and everything.....
you can feel it start to spin-up when power is applied so as far as I know....the drive works.

"Life without chocolate is too terrible to contemplate!"

 

[braddds]

Also, did you try the IDE2 connector? Disconnect the cdrom, set your jumper on the new HD to either cable select or master, connect your ribbon and power cables, then try firing up the pc! Maybe you'll have more luck there or at least it may give you a clue as to wolluf's question...

Cheers

 

[edfair]

May be time to run the manufacturer's zero fill utility, then try fdisk again.
There are things that can get on the drive that stop fdisk from working and the only solution is to zero fill (or low level for those who understand the concept better that way).

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[smittytech]

braddds:
I hooked the hdd to ide2 and left ide1 empty, fired up the machine & the bios shows the hdd on secondary ide, but yet again, FDISK & the ezdrive utility show no fixed disks present and/or no ide drives found

edfair:
I couldn't find any zero fill utility at the manufacturers website...the only utility available is the ezdrive & it doesn't see the drive either. any other way to low level format or zero fill?



"Life without chocolate is too terrible to contemplate!"

 

[braddds]

Is there a setting in the bios that says low level format (or similar)...many of the older systems have this. I used it a couple weeks ago troubleshooting an old P1 system. It can take some time but seems your best bet if nothing but the bios can see the drive.

Cheers

 

[smittytech]

In the bios the options I get for ide config are as follows:

Type: auto
Max Capacity: 20021 md
LBA/Large Mode: off
multi-sector transfers: 16 sectors (this line is grayed out)
PIO mode: 3 (this line is grayed out)
Ultra DMA: disabled (this line is grayed out)


"Life without chocolate is too terrible to contemplate!"

 

[edfair]

Master choice/ no jumpers?
How about selecting none for primary master, then let BIOS detect it. Should get some info out into user defined.
I don't have any idea what zero fill to use at this point. YOu also may have a bad drive.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[wolluf]

could try

http://www.killdisk.com/eraser.htm

- but like Ed am wondering if you have a bad drive.