Unable to format 2nd SATA drive (1TB)

[MikeFadd]

Hello everyone,

Here's my problem. My current hard drive (250GB) acquired some sort of virus
where my computer would load, and the desktop background appeared, but
nothing loaded on my desktop after hours of waiting. I attempted the Recovery
Console from my Windows XP Installation CD, but it didn't do the trick. I
even tried starting in SAFE MODE.

In the end, I decided I wanted a new hard drive anyways, and that I'd attach
my current hard drive as an additional backup drive. So I purchased a Western
Digital 1TB Internal SATA hard drive. I plugged it in, and when my computer
is starting up, it shows that it's detected on one of the initial screens,
but doesn't go anywhere beyond this point. I have a Data Lifeguard Tools CD
that came with the WD hard drive, and it instructs users to format the drive
with this disc upon booting your system so that you can install Windows on
the drive. Well, I tried just about everything imaginable, but my computer
will just not boot past the 2nd screen where it lists the hard drives. The
CD-ROM has been set as the first boot in the boot sequence in my BIOS setup,
but the software won't load. I also had an additional IDE hard drive
connected, and attempted plugging and unplugging the cable from the
motherboard to see if that made any difference. I only have to SATA slots on
my motherboard, and I attempted connecting both hard drives in both slots
simulataneously and separately, and nothing changed either. However, when I
unplugged my new 1TB hard drive, the Data Lifeguard CD actually booted and
was ready for formatting...however, that was only for my current drive, which
contains the information which I wish to salvage! I can't figure out how to
get the CD to boot for the new hard drive so that I can format it and prepare
it for a Windows XP installation. Any ideas on what the problem could be, and
any possible solutions?

Here is my system information:

System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional w/ SP2

Computer: AMD Athlon XP3000+
2.09GHz, 512MB of RAM

Motherboard Model: ABIT NF-7
(contains to SATA connection ports.i read they're 150 connectors, if that
helps any)

Thanks in advance for your time and assistance in this matter!
-Mike

 

[Paul]

Hello everyone,

Here's my problem. My current hard drive (250GB) acquired some sort of virus
where my computer would load, and the desktop background appeared, but
nothing loaded on my desktop after hours of waiting. I attempted the Recovery
Console from my Windows XP Installation CD, but it didn't do the trick. I
even tried starting in SAFE MODE.

In the end, I decided I wanted a new hard drive anyways, and that I'd attach
my current hard drive as an additional backup drive. So I purchased a Western
Digital 1TB Internal SATA hard drive. I plugged it in, and when my computer
is starting up, it shows that it's detected on one of the initial screens,
but doesn't go anywhere beyond this point. I have a Data Lifeguard Tools CD
that came with the WD hard drive, and it instructs users to format the drive
with this disc upon booting your system so that you can install Windows on
the drive. Well, I tried just about everything imaginable, but my computer
will just not boot past the 2nd screen where it lists the hard drives. The
CD-ROM has been set as the first boot in the boot sequence in my BIOS setup,
but the software won't load. I also had an additional IDE hard drive
connected, and attempted plugging and unplugging the cable from the
motherboard to see if that made any difference. I only have to SATA slots on
my motherboard, and I attempted connecting both hard drives in both slots
simulataneously and separately, and nothing changed either. However, when I
unplugged my new 1TB hard drive, the Data Lifeguard CD actually booted and
was ready for formatting...however, that was only for my current drive, which
contains the information which I wish to salvage! I can't figure out how to
get the CD to boot for the new hard drive so that I can format it and prepare
it for a Windows XP installation. Any ideas on what the problem could be, and
any possible solutions?

Here is my system information:

System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional w/ SP2

Computer: AMD Athlon XP3000+
2.09GHz, 512MB of RAM

Motherboard Model: ABIT NF-7
(contains to SATA connection ports.i read they're 150 connectors, if that
helps any)

Thanks in advance for your time and assistance in this matter!
-Mike

It could be, that your motherboard uses a SIL3112 chip to provide
SATA interfaces. (I cannot get to uabit.com right now to verify.)
Perhaps the SIL3112 just doesn't like 1TB drives ?

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/abitnf7/

It could be a SIL3112 BIOS module bug. One poster says the
drive was accessible, if it was plugged into the motherboard,
after the system was booted. That makes it useless as a boot
drive. But may allow you to at least do the Data Lifeguard
step you're currently attempting. You can hot plug SATA
drives. You connect the power first, and the data cable
second. If you plug in the drive end of the
data cable, there would be less shock to the drive when
the cable end is plugged into the motherboard.

Perhaps some other SATA card will work for you. (On Newegg,
someone seemed to get a big drive working on a SIL3114 based
card, and the VIA VT6421A is another possibility. With the
VIA, you'd use the "Force150" jumper on the drive, as that
is a problem with at least VIA chips - they like to be
forced to 150MB/sec mode.)

There isn't much to choose from in PCI SATA cards now.
Some of the cards got pretty bad reviews. I've even
heard of some PCI SIL3112 products, damaging the
computers they were plugged into. So definitely
find some reviews for whatever you plan to buy.
Even Amazon might have reviews, if Newegg doesn't
have a particular card.

Here is a posting which is similar to your symptoms, but
on an Asus A7N8X Deluxe which uses a 3112 as well.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-10879-0.html?forumID=101&threadID=277906

Paul

 

[Anna]

Hello everyone,

Here's my problem. My current hard drive (250GB) acquired some sort of
virus
where my computer would load, and the desktop background appeared, but
nothing loaded on my desktop after hours of waiting. I attempted the
Recovery
Console from my Windows XP Installation CD, but it didn't do the trick. I
even tried starting in SAFE MODE.

In the end, I decided I wanted a new hard drive anyways, and that I'd
attach
my current hard drive as an additional backup drive. So I purchased a
Western
Digital 1TB Internal SATA hard drive. I plugged it in, and when my
computer
is starting up, it shows that it's detected on one of the initial screens,
but doesn't go anywhere beyond this point. I have a Data Lifeguard Tools
CD
that came with the WD hard drive, and it instructs users to format the
drive
with this disc upon booting your system so that you can install Windows on
the drive. Well, I tried just about everything imaginable, but my computer
will just not boot past the 2nd screen where it lists the hard drives. The
CD-ROM has been set as the first boot in the boot sequence in my BIOS
setup,
but the software won't load. I also had an additional IDE hard drive
connected, and attempted plugging and unplugging the cable from the
motherboard to see if that made any difference. I only have to SATA slots
on
my motherboard, and I attempted connecting both hard drives in both slots
simulataneously and separately, and nothing changed either. However, when
I
unplugged my new 1TB hard drive, the Data Lifeguard CD actually booted and
was ready for formatting...however, that was only for my current drive,
which
contains the information which I wish to salvage! I can't figure out how
to
get the CD to boot for the new hard drive so that I can format it and
prepare
it for a Windows XP installation. Any ideas on what the problem could be,
and
any possible solutions?

Here is my system information:

System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional w/ SP2

Computer: AMD Athlon XP3000+
2.09GHz, 512MB of RAM

Motherboard Model: ABIT NF-7
(contains to SATA connection ports.i read they're 150 connectors, if that
helps any)

Thanks in advance for your time and assistance in this matter!
-Mike

Mike:
Just in the event the problem may be a SATA controller driver issue...

I'm assuming the following...
1. I take it your 250 GB HDD that had been properly operating until it
became corrupted apparently through some virus infestation is also a SATA
HDD, yes?

Did you originally install that HDD? If so, do you recall the need to
install an auxiliary SATA controller driver provided by ABIT during the XP
OS installation process?

2. Your basic objective is to fresh-install the XP OS onto your new WD 1 TB
SATA HDD. Is that right?

3. With *only* the 1 TB drive connected to the *first* SATA connector on the
motherboard - no other storage devices, no other HDDs connected in the
system - you boot to your XP OS installation CD and get a message to the
effect that setup cannot continue because it cannot locate any HDD in your
system. Is that correct?

If the above scenario is what's involved, the problem may very well be the
need to install the appropriate SATA controller driver during the XP
installation process (the "F6" routine at the beginning of the process). If
that is the case presumably ABIT has provided the driver files via the
motherboard's installation CD. You'll probably need a floppy disk containing
the driver files in order to install the driver.

And if it is a SATA driver issue, ensure that your BIOS settings are correct
for a SATA HDD installation.
Anna

 

[MikeFadd]

1. Yes, the 250GB HDD is a SATA drive, and was the primary hard drive with
Windows XP Pro was installed on.

2. Yes, I want to fresh install XP OS onto my new WD 1TB SATA HDD.

3. No. With only the 1TB drive connected, I CANNOT boot either the XP OS
Installation CD or the WD Lifeguard Tools CD. I don't receive any messages.
My startup loads to the following screen text:

"SiI 3112A SATARaid BIOS Version 4.2.12
Copyright (C) 1997-2003 Silicon Image, Inc.

Press <Ctrl+S> or F4 to enter RAID utility
Primary Channel: WDC WD10EACS-00ZJB0 _ (blinking dash mark)"

Neither my XP OS Install CD will boot beyond this point, nor will my WD
Lifeguard (formatting) CD. If I use my 250GB HDD, then the CD's both boot and
load. But whenever my NEW 1TB HDD is connected, no CD's will boot.

So basically, I can't figure out how to format the new SATA HDD so that I
can install Windows XP Pro onto it.


**Note, I have successfully installed 2 SATA drives into my system before
with 1 SATA drive being a primary drive, and another being a secondary, along
with an IDE connected drive. So I know this is possible. I just wonder if the
SIZE of this new 1TB HDD has anything to do with my problems. Maybe it's
conflicting with my motherboard in some manner?

Thanks for the help on this!

-Mike

 

[MikeFadd]

It could very well be this problem Paul. I do have a Sil 3112A SATARaid.
Maybe it doesn't like the 1TB HDD?

 

[Anna]

1. Yes, the 250GB HDD is a SATA drive, and was the primary hard drive with
Windows XP Pro was installed on.

2. Yes, I want to fresh install XP OS onto my new WD 1TB SATA HDD.

3. No. With only the 1TB drive connected, I CANNOT boot either the XP OS
Installation CD or the WD Lifeguard Tools CD. I don't receive any
messages.
My startup loads to the following screen text:

"SiI 3112A SATARaid BIOS Version 4.2.12
Copyright (C) 1997-2003 Silicon Image, Inc.

Press <Ctrl+S> or F4 to enter RAID utility
Primary Channel: WDC WD10EACS-00ZJB0 _ (blinking dash mark)"

Neither my XP OS Install CD will boot beyond this point, nor will my WD
Lifeguard (formatting) CD. If I use my 250GB HDD, then the CD's both boot
and
load. But whenever my NEW 1TB HDD is connected, no CD's will boot.

So basically, I can't figure out how to format the new SATA HDD so that I
can install Windows XP Pro onto it.


**Note, I have successfully installed 2 SATA drives into my system before
with 1 SATA drive being a primary drive, and another being a secondary,
along
with an IDE connected drive. So I know this is possible. I just wonder if
the
SIZE of this new 1TB HDD has anything to do with my problems. Maybe it's
conflicting with my motherboard in some manner?

Thanks for the help on this!

-Mike

Mike:
Well, it does appear the proper SATA controller driver was installed.

And the 1 TB HDD is connected to the *first* SATA connector on the system
board? And there are no other devices connected to any remaining SATA
connectors?

Booting directly to the 1 TB HDD (no bootable CD inserted) can you access
the BIOS? Any setting there re SATA/RAID that would seem to be awry? Have
you checked your User's Manual or Guide on the BIOS settings as it applies
to SATA HDD installation?

I wouldn't think it would be the 1 TB capacity of the SATA disk that is
causing the problem (but with ABIT boards one never knows!). But have you
checked with ABIT's tech support? Ditto for WD?

Incidentally, it's best to partition/format the disk using the XP
installation process. There is no need (and it's usually inadvisable except
in rare instances) to use a third-party application to perform this
operation. I realize you're unable to use the XP setup process (let alone
that WD Data Lifeguard program) to accomplish this at this time but I wanted
to mention it in passing.
Anna