hard drive dead?

BudBud Chesterfield, Va
edited December 2003 in Hardware
hey guys, got another question. I have a 80GB Maxtor and it was my primart drive and about 3 days ago i started it up and said corrupted file run recovery console or re-install. I tried to reinstall and at the end of the format it woud say cant format this disk. So i tried server 2k3 EE instead of xp. did same thing so i did a fill to zero's with hard drive utility from maxtor. Still does same thing with 2 different disks. So i tried swapping drive on same system and it installed perfect. Does that sound like a dead hard drive? are thee any programs to check if its dead. Sorry if its a noobie question, Ive never lost a hard drive.

Comments

  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Um, now do a Maxtor diagnostics run. Most good zero fills say to run a test of hd after zero filling. IF you switched a cable AND drive at once, could be cable. 80 conductor cable, for best results, one with real thin lines and regular connectors (40 pin connectors, not really identical to old 40 pin connectors inside, but look like normal from outside. The fast HDs do not like older cables, unless you want them to run real slow.

    Second, with a wiped HD, figure a NTFS format, not quick, for XP adn Win2K also favors a full format. In XP installer, first create a raw partition with the C option, then install, and when you create your partition make it so it is divisible by 8 as far as size goes. With a BLANK HD, you first have to make a raw home, then then let XP installer do a full format most of time. It is rare on a new NTFS based O\S install that the installer will continue after trying to create a raw partition then do a quick NTFS format, as quick NTFS format is to wipe and reuse partitions that are there already (and save you remaking them).

    Ideally, rerun installer, if it finds a partition, delete with D, then C(reate) one, then full format NTFS.

    John.
    Who has rebuilt two boxes with XP plus complete with apps in the last 35 hours, and is tired-- nap time.
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