maztor hard disk problems

[Curtis Newton]

I am well aware it needs formatting i was hoping that could be done in
windows.

I asked this is a similar thread; no reply. Will ask again:

Have you run the Maxtor maxblast software or used the old fashioned
method of fdisking/formatting the drive (not through a windows
interface but via DOS) before trying to use it in Windows??

 

[David Maynard]

disk drive is 120gb

existing one is 40gb ata 100

motherboard is a an elitegroup k7s5a

user installed setting in bios indicates 120gb is doable.

I was referring to device manager in windows. not diskmanager

red stripe on cable lines up with no 1 on interface.



I am well aware it needs formatting i was hoping that could be done in
windows.

previous drives have had a tiny amount of software on board for this sort of
thing. a bit more modern than fdisk. The software is also some sort of
hack for bioses that can't usually cope. Finally some of these little
software patches also allow for copying everything to a new drive to make
that the bootable one. It means a little swapping about with jumpers
between slave and master or there is the cable select option.

Its been three years since i built my own one and i'm getting a bit rusty.
This is my first ata133 drive too.

I seem to vaguely remember reading somewhere that ATA133 drives can
sometimes fail to operate properly with ATA100 controllers and need to be
'set' to ATA100 by whatever diagnostic comes with it.

 

[David Maynard]

disk drive is 120gb

existing one is 40gb ata 100

motherboard is a an elitegroup k7s5a

user installed setting in bios indicates 120gb is doable.

I was referring to device manager in windows. not diskmanager

red stripe on cable lines up with no 1 on interface.



I am well aware it needs formatting i was hoping that could be done in
windows.

Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.

 

[David Maynard]

xp with service pack 2

OK. Then put it back as slave to the DVD, since that showed in BIOS and
device manager, and go into disk manager and see if it's there. Should be
showing as a raw drive with no partitions (since it's not showing in my
computer). Partition and format it.

Strapped?

Jumpers... master.. slave... master with slave, etc. It's called
'strapping' too.

 

[Mr Jessop]

Did you use Maxtor's MaxBlast software to setup the drive? If you don't,
the
computer may see that it's there, but Windows won't put it in My Computer.

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...tware Downloads/ATA Hard Drives&downloadID=19

Thanks mate. I remember when maxblast fitted on a single floppy sigh!

 

[Mr Jessop]

disk drive is 120gb

existing one is 40gb ata 100

motherboard is a an elitegroup k7s5a

user installed setting in bios indicates 120gb is doable.

I was referring to device manager in windows. not diskmanager

red stripe on cable lines up with no 1 on interface.



I am well aware it needs formatting i was hoping that could be done in
windows.

Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.


I was hoping that by xp this would be automatic and i could forget all about
fdisk. Besides i am using ntfs partitions isn't fdisk dos?

I am downloading the maxblast software. It may or may not be included on
the disk but i can't get to it.(thanks ruel smith). I will read the
installing on xp file and any other readme regarding this suspected ata 100
controller problem.

p.s thanks all of you for the help so far.

 

[David Maynard]

Mr Jessop wrote:




Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.


I was hoping that by xp this would be automatic

And what would you like to be 'automatic'? 1 FAT32 partition? 1 FAT32 and3
Linux partitions? 2 NTFS partitions?

XP is used for a lot more than just a '1 partition game box' ya know.

and i could forget all about
fdisk. Besides i am using ntfs partitions isn't fdisk dos?

You don't seem to be paying attention. I didn't say a thing about 'fdisk';
I said DISK MANAGER. Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer
Management > Disk Management. Or from Start > All Programs > Administrative
Tools > ... etc.

 

[Ruel Smith]

Thanks mate. I remember when maxblast fitted on a single floppy sigh!

It still does:

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...tware Downloads/ATA Hard Drives&downloadID=57

The link I gave was for a bootable CD, but they also have the bootable
floppy image. They even have one that launches from Windows and works:

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...tware Downloads/ATA Hard Drives&downloadID=58

 

[Mr Jessop]

Mr Jessop wrote:




Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says
about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.


I was hoping that by xp this would be automatic

And what would you like to be 'automatic'? 1 FAT32 partition? 1 FAT32 and 3
Linux partitions? 2 NTFS partitions?

XP is used for a lot more than just a '1 partition game box' ya know.

i would hope to select maxtor drive in device manager and take such
decisions from there. As it happens maxblast did just that.

You have an unconfigured maxtor drive. would you like to configure it?

would you like it to be a master boot or slave?

would you like to copy from another drive?

there was a slider from 0 to 100. selected 50 %

want another partition?

yes moved the slider the final 50%

oh that much space in one partition = ntfs.

ok.

2 mins later all done.

 

[Mr Jessop]

It still does:

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...tware Downloads/ATA Hard Drives&downloadID=57

The link I gave was for a bootable CD, but they also have the bootable
floppy image. They even have one that launches from Windows and works:

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...tware Downloads/ATA Hard Drives&downloadID=58

thanks. found it last night. ran it. see my reply earlier to someone
else. good stuff.

 

[Mr Jessop]

disk drive is 120gb

existing one is 40gb ata 100

motherboard is a an elitegroup k7s5a

user installed setting in bios indicates 120gb is doable.

I was referring to device manager in windows. not diskmanager

red stripe on cable lines up with no 1 on interface.



I am well aware it needs formatting i was hoping that could be done in
windows.

Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.


I thought disk manager was the utility that runs on the winxp boot disk. i
didn't realise there was one inside admin tools. I doubt if its something
that is mentioned in xp for dummies. But i could be wrong.

Thanks to r smith and maxblast i have the disk installed as a cs selected
slave on the secondary ide channel along with the lg. It is horribly slow!
Well 6.2gb took 45 minutes to copy from c drive (40gb fat 32 ) to f drive
(57.4gb partition of 120gb drive). I think the LG dvd writer is ata33 so i
suppose my slave is running at that speed?

 

[David Maynard]

Mr Jessop wrote:




And what would you like to be 'automatic'? 1 FAT32 partition? 1 FAT32 and 3
Linux partitions? 2 NTFS partitions?

XP is used for a lot more than just a '1 partition game box' ya know.

i would hope to select maxtor drive in device manager and take such
decisions from there. As it happens maxblast did just that.

You have an unconfigured maxtor drive. would you like to configure it?

would you like it to be a master boot or slave?

would you like to copy from another drive?

there was a slider from 0 to 100. selected 50 %

want another partition?

yes moved the slider the final 50%

oh that much space in one partition = ntfs.

ok.

2 mins later all done.

It would have been just as simple if you had gone into Disk Manager like I
explained.

 

[David Maynard]

Mr Jessop wrote:




Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.


I thought disk manager was the utility that runs on the winxp boot disk. i
didn't realise there was one inside admin tools.

Yes. Make/remove partitions and format in Windows, change drive letters,
(and a lot more beyond this scope of discussion) etc. No floppies, no
reboots, no problem.

I doubt if its something
that is mentioned in xp for dummies. But i could be wrong.

I wouldn't know. Don't have a copy of it.

Thanks to r smith and maxblast i have the disk installed as a cs selected
slave on the secondary ide channel along with the lg. It is horribly slow!
Well 6.2gb took 45 minutes to copy from c drive (40gb fat 32 ) to f drive
(57.4gb partition of 120gb drive). I think the LG dvd writer is ata33 so i
suppose my slave is running at that speed?

See what DMA mode device manager says the secondary IDE channels are
running at.

Is your DVD set for CS or Master? Sometimes devices don't like a mix of CS
and 'fixed' master/slave settings. try setting the hard drive to slave
directly rather than CS.

 

[Ralph Wade Phillips]

Howdy!

I believe Windows 2000 will assign letter to the disk, even it is new and
unformatted, I remember the sequence like this:

You belive wrong UNTIL there's a partition for it to assign a drive
letter to. And even so, 2K and XP drive letters are optional ...

RwP

 

[¤jº~¥Á±Ú]

I am sorry, you are right, Windows 2000 or XP can not assign letter to a
new raw and unformatted HD.
It will show you all the physical HDs detected in the PC.
Then let you create/delete partitions.
Then let you format each partition.
Basically it works like fdisk.
Then Windows starts install.

As to add a new raw and unformatted HD to a PC with Windows OS already
working.
I remember that I did this before without pre-partition and pre-format the
HD, Windows utility will let you partition and format the HD, then reasign
the letters.
I don't believe the poor user has to pre-partition and pre-format the HD by
using fdisk, normally a user does not have fdisk at hand, does not have a
floppy disk carries command.com on it.

 

[????]

Hamman and Conor:
You are right, Windows only shows physical new and raw HDs detected in PC.
It will let you create/delete partitions on HDs.
letters will be assigned only after partitions are created.
I must lost my memory and common sense.

 

[Mr Jessop]

I am sorry, you are right, Windows 2000 or XP can not assign letter to a
new raw and unformatted HD.
It will show you all the physical HDs detected in the PC.
Then let you create/delete partitions.
Then let you format each partition.
Basically it works like fdisk.
Then Windows starts install.

As to add a new raw and unformatted HD to a PC with Windows OS already
working.
I remember that I did this before without pre-partition and pre-format the
HD, Windows utility will let you partition and format the HD, then reasign
the letters.
I don't believe the poor user has to pre-partition and pre-format the HD
by
using fdisk, normally a user does not have fdisk at hand, does not have a
floppy disk carries command.com on it.

are you referring to disk manager? The one inside admin tools looks a
little complicated.

 

[Mr Jessop]

Mr Jessop wrote:




Have you gone into disk manager to see if it's there and what it says
about
partitions? That's where you partition and format them.


I thought disk manager was the utility that runs on the winxp boot disk.
i didn't realise there was one inside admin tools.

Yes. Make/remove partitions and format in Windows, change drive letters,
(and a lot more beyond this scope of discussion) etc. No floppies, no
reboots, no problem.

ooh. i think i have some reading to do. i clicked about for a few minutes
but FILE and ACTION were the only things that seem to do anything. I'm a
bit wary about playing about with such things. I feel a major backup coming
on. Won't be before weekend though.

I doubt if its something that is mentioned in xp for dummies. But i
could be wrong.

I wouldn't know. Don't have a copy of it.

So where did you learn such things. any online tutorial or knowledge base
or did you do one of the microsoft certificated courses?

Thanks to r smith and maxblast i have the disk installed as a cs selected
slave on the secondary ide channel along with the lg. It is horribly
slow! Well 6.2gb took 45 minutes to copy from c drive (40gb fat 32 ) to f
drive (57.4gb partition of 120gb drive). I think the LG dvd writer is
ata33 so i suppose my slave is running at that speed?

See what DMA mode device manager says the secondary IDE channels are
running at.

Is your DVD set for CS or Master? Sometimes devices don't like a mix of CS
and 'fixed' master/slave settings. try setting the hard drive to slave
directly rather than CS.

ok dokey but again probably not before the weekend.

 

[David Maynard]

Mr Jessop wrote:




Yes. Make/remove partitions and format in Windows, change drive letters,
(and a lot more beyond this scope of discussion) etc. No floppies, no
reboots, no problem.

ooh. i think i have some reading to do. i clicked about for a few minutes
but FILE and ACTION were the only things that seem to do anything. I'ma
bit wary about playing about with such things. I feel a major backup coming
on. Won't be before weekend though.

Well, you have to select something before there are any 'tasks' available.

In computer management you have the category to manage on the left and when
you select disk management there you get a list of volumes at the top right
and the drives, with a physical layout of the partition information, at the
bottom right. A new, raw, unpartitioned drive will have the 'Disk 1' (or
whatever number it is) Basic (raw drive) 'square' on the left side of the
right hand window with the remaining, to the right of it, showing no
partitions (also text description in the top right window). Right click
(learn to right click on things. That's where the 'good stuff' is) on it
(or in the top window) and one of the options is to create partition. The
partition wizard will take it from there.

Once there are partitions, right clicking with have the 'delete partition'
option, change drive letter, and (if it's inactive) 'mark partition as
active'. Point being, what options are available depends on the status of
the drive/partition.

I wouldn't know. Don't have a copy of it.

So where did you learn such things. any online tutorial or knowledge base
or did you do one of the microsoft certificated courses?

Many years of working with all manner of computers, from embedded to
mainframes.

 

[Mr Jessop]

Well, you have to select something before there are any 'tasks' available.

In computer management you have the category to manage on the left and when
you select disk management there you get a list of volumes at the top right
and the drives, with a physical layout of the partition information, at the
bottom right. A new, raw, unpartitioned drive will have the 'Disk 1' (or
whatever number it is) Basic (raw drive) 'square' on the left side of the
right hand window with the remaining, to the right of it, showing no
partitions (also text description in the top right window). Right click
(learn to right click on things. That's where the 'good stuff' is) on it
(or in the top window) and one of the options is to create partition. The
partition wizard will take it from there.

Once there are partitions, right clicking with have the 'delete partition'
option, change drive letter, and (if it's inactive) 'mark partition as
active'. Point being, what options are available depends on the status of
the drive/partition.

So where did you learn such things. any online tutorial or knowledge base
or did you do one of the microsoft certificated courses?

Many years of working with all manner of computers, from embedded to
mainframes.



thanks again matey.