Why, Oh Why Won't This (SECOND?!) Seagate Format?

Hola,
I don't see a similar question already posted here. So... I don't get this (sigh). I just got done messing w/a second seagate hard drive. It, & the first, refuses to format. Seagate's down-loadable utilities has failed both drives (generic short & long tests). I tried Seagate's DOS utility too, but it wouldn't load @reboot. Windows XP recognizes this drive (the first was a struggle). It simply won't do anything w/it. It formats up to 100%. Then, prompts that it was unable to complete the formatting. My WD master's jumpers are reset correctly. Enabled in BIOS, yadda, yadda. Before I return another drive through UPS. Is there something I'm missing? From what I see in customer' comments, many people are having problems w/ATA drives. According to the BBB, Seagate is taking a lot better care of customers than WD is. Apparently, WD has gone downhill quite a bit over the past two years. Any sage advice, oh Gurus?

Home-built system: ASUS Mobo. P4 chip, Assorted schtuff. XP Home/sp3. System has been up for about seven years. Sure wish I'd bought a second WD HDD @the time. It's been great. Thank You.

 

7 years old? what size are the drives?

 

If its only a Format you want to do try this, but read instructions carefully beforehand. http://www.dban.org/

 

Hi,

Just a thought. There are three types of IDE cables. The older ones usually 40 wire are Master/Slave only. Makes no difference which connector is used where. Jumper determines which is Master and which is Slave. Next type is Master/Slave or Cable Select (CS). if used as CS then both drives on a cable have to be jumpered CS and position on the cable determines which is Master and which is slave. Could be 40 or 80 wire. Next is CS only and the last explanation applies. May not have any thing to do with your problem.

Good Luck, Jim

 

Thanks, Jim. Actually, that was a part of the problem w/the first Seagate. I'd forgotten the CS business. It'd been years since I went into the case. This time that isn't it. I managed to make a bootable DOS Seagate repair CD. I formatted the disk (finally). I've stored a little data on it. XP still doesn't show that it's formatted. It still fails Seagate's utilitites scans. Norton utilitites locks up when surface scanning (@83%). I scanned it in DOS wXP: "Damaged partition, unable to be rewritten." It made a scary sound during the scan, two times. I guess this one is Caca, too. Guess I'm returning this one, too. Seagate tech support said they didn't manufacture these drives(?). I was annoyed, & so didn't follow up on that line. Guess they're clearing out the warehouses of old, often defective ATAs. In product reviews, many people are having similar troubles. WD is supposedly even worse. I'll burn most of my current data to DVDs, & hope my original drive lasts until I build another system (years away...). Thanks again for the tip.
Kenny

 

Original WD = 120 gig.
Seagate OEM 7200rpm 160 gig.
It's a shame I'm returning this second one, too. It would make a Hell of a nice paper weight...
Kenny

 

Thanks,
I made a bootable Seagate DOS utility that will overwrite (underwrite w/"0s?"). I'd try it, were it not for the LOUD sounds that came from the thing during the last scans. Kinda sounded like the brake pads are worn down...
Kenny