unbelievable message

[dcwtechmech]

I have a dell optiplex gx400. I have tried to format partitions, whether I create it or I allow the disk to create it,of several hard drives using both Win2K and XP and I get the same message every time. I have tried to use different sizes and FATS. I upgraded the bios. I used the software form the HD manufacturer to create the partitions and I tried both FATS using it. I have been beaten.I have used master and cs settings


The message is "setup is unable to format this partition. The disk may be damaged. Make sure the disk is switched on and properly connected in your computer. If you are using scsi yada yada yada...

Let everything that have breath praise the Lord.

 

[edfair]

And does the BIOS find the hard drive at bootup?
What kind of drive and how big?

And you realize, of course, that the HD controller may be bad.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[dcwtechmech]

I have used different size and makes of drives and all come up in the BIOS correctly. I think that the controller is the answer I just wanted to know if maybe someone had this problem B 4 and solved it.

Let everything that have breath praise the Lord.

 

[edfair]

Do you have a DOS with fdisk? Would be curious if fdisk can see the drive.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[micker377]

Can you aquire an add-on IDE PCI card? If this works, you can be sure it's a mobo problem.

 

[dcwtechmech]

Actually I was able to fdisk and format the driver with a dos diskette. But then 2000 wanted to reformat and again the message came up. I will try that card if I can find the one I have micker.

Let everything that have breath praise the Lord.

 

[bcastner]

I have seen this issue when for whatever reason (controller differences, original partitioning software, who knows) that the only way to workaround this issue was to:

. download from the hard disk manufacturer's website their free diagnostic/setup utility

. run the destructive 'write zero' option on the drive, particularly the first eight or so sectors. I strongly recommend you do the whole drive.

Then partition and format as you want. Western Digital drives do this most often, but I have had to do this with MAXTOR drives as well.

 

[edfair]

Or the alternative "killdisk".

It is a real pain in the backside when it bites you.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[jazzyjewel]

Hello,
I have gotten this message on a gateway e3400 7 times in the past two days. I wrote zeros to the drive twice, put in a new hdd a western digital caviar. I have used two different sets of installation cd's. I replaced the IDE cables. It's nuts.

 

[dcwtechmech]

the dell tech seems to think it memory. Im going to try that. I changed cables on the different controllers to no avail yet. sigh

Let everything that have breath praise the Lord.

 

[maculele]

It remembers me the kind of behaviour I met some time ago.

The disks were sometimes recognised long enough to allow installation of the operating system, but quickly showed write errors leading to a crash followed by a message telling that the disk could not be formatted...

A 8 hours test with "memtest" (

http://www.memtest86.com)evidenced

that a RAM was defective.

Everithing went back to normal after replacement of the defetive RAM.

 

[bazzert]

I aslo had exactly the same problem as maculele on a machine.

This also turned out to be defective mem, which when replaced solved the problem.