Unable to format HD

[KilluminatiStyle]

I'm having trouble formatting a WD300BB HD I bought used from a trading forum. The first thing I did when I got the drive was use WD Utility and did a FULL TEST... it passed Tried a quick format in Windows only to get the error "The format did not complete successfully." I tried both FAT32 and NTFS quick format with the same results. Then I tried FULL FORMAT 80%...90%... looking good... 99%... then BAM!! Same error. So I pulled out the old WindowsME starup disk and did FDISK... then tried the format from DOS... It worked! Only when I get back into Windows the drive isn't showing in My Computer. So I open Computer Managment and tried the format again only to get the same error as before.

I've tried this in 2 different computers. So far I've only tried with the jumper set to CS but I'm about to try with different settings. I'm confused here and any help would be greatly appreciated.

[glc]

Time to crank the serial number into WD's online RMA and see if you have any warranty.

[KilluminatiStyle]

I wouldn't even bother with that since the drive was made in 2001.

[glc]

Try a zero fill with WD Diags.

[KilluminatiStyle]

did that... 2 times now...

I did manage to get it to take a FULL FORMAT of FAT32 but when I try to reformat it to NTFS I get the same error.

[glc]

Don't reformat it - CONVERT it.

At a command prompt - convert x: /fs:ntfs (where X is the drive letter).

[KilluminatiStyle]

I tried converting with partition magic... but when it came back to windows it still showed FAT32... I'll try it the way you mentioned.

EDIT**

I tried to convert using the method you mention and it says there are errors and I should run CHKDSK. So I did that... it picks up some errors.. but at the end it says there was a problem writing the file allocation table. It also says this when I try converting using the convert command.

[KilluminatiStyle]

I just found out that the guy I bought it off of had the drive in an external device. He formatted it via USB. Would that have anything to do with it?



EDIT***

I found a solution. I have to chop off about the last 8MB of the hard drive in order to beable to format without a problem. Strange yes but at least it works and I'm not concerned with 8MB.

[KilluminatiStyle]

I just wanted to elaborate a bit on how I got this to work.

1. Booted with WinME floppy
a. FDISK and removed EVERYTHING

2. Rebooted and went into XP.
a. Open Computer Management and create an active partition without formating(if I tried to format at this point it would error out)

3. Started Partition Magic.
a. Resized the partition to exclude the last 8MB(or so) of data on the drive.
b. Did a full format with NTFS... IT WORKS. I also tried quick format and that works too.


Kinda goofy but whatever works.