HD acts like CD-R disk

SteverBSteverB
edited May 2006 in Hardware
Hello,
I've been working on computers for 20 years and have not run into this one before. A customer bought a used external USB drive with a Maxtor 60Gig drive inside. She wanted to use it to transfer her files from the old laptop that she sold to the new one and for backup. The drive appears fine in all machines I connected it to, (Win2k & XP). When any file is removed, from within Windows Exp, it appears to be removed. The same for folders. Close WinExp and reopen the drive again and the files are still there!
I removed it from the enclosure and attached to a Win2k wkstn. Ran Disk Management on it. Removed the partition, formatted, (errors) and the files are still there. Removed the partition and repartitioned it with Partition Magic; same result. Formatted it with Win98se, Win2k, Dos and Part. Magic; same result. I tried the factory "low-level" format with no change!
Is there a setting that can make this happen on the jumper grid that is a big secret?
The customer and I decided to just replace the HD for a $50 100Gig and is now happy and I have a CD-R hard disk!
Any ideas?

Comments

  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Wow... that is a new one to me.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited May 2006
    Could the controller be stuck in ATAPI mode?
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited May 2006
    Put it next to a big, badass magnet and see if it will wipe it.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited May 2006
    You'd need an electromagnet the power of those only found in special labratories to actually effect any data on the disk. I'm betting the controller is either shot, or there's an obscure jumper on it which is placed wrong.
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited May 2006
    There is some problem with the controller card, because it refused to be formated (i.e errors).

    Try to lowformat the HDD using the maxtor disk service program.

    Either you keep it until you find exact the same hard disk, and swap the controller card,
    or you just scrap it.
    Open it up and take it apart, I always do that.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    I have a magnet for you...My friend has a pretty damn large speaker magnet thats about 6" in diamerter and a dc power supply from an old welder....i think it'll do 40amps at 30% duty cyle. we turned it on as low as it would go, and that suck was trying to pull to an air compressor accross the room, I've seen some neodymium magnets at united nuclear that they say will do that by themselve, just imagin if you hooked those bad boys up to a dc power supply:p
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Some USB enclosures have write-protect switches or jumpers on them.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • SteverBSteverB
    edited May 2006
    Thanks all for your replies,
    I think the on-board controller is what you are talking about and I will keep that in mind for future access to another copy of this drive. I have removed it from the enclosure and the new drive works fine in there, so I don't think it is something in the USB box.
    I have tried Maxtor's tools and they failed too.
    The Big magnet sounds fun, but may ruin the drive too.
    Don't know how to test for "Could the controller be stuck in ATAPI mode?"
    I'm holding out for the Jumper on the drive itself having some setting that needs to be repeated to unlock the drive. I've tried all the standard jumper settings.
    It would be fun to crack this problem, so I'll keep an eye on this thread!
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