bizzare HD problems... won't format???

Alex

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 1999
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ok so my HD wouldn't boot in XP (not even in safe mode), so i decided to backup and format...

took it to a friend's house who lives on the other side of town (but has a burner...) and created my 7 backu CDRs....ok now to format...

so i download a windowsME bootdisk cuz it has cdrom support in dos (for installing windowsXP later - my cd won't boot).

ok so i boot from the floppy and start format...

checking for bad sectors, 100% complete

verifying files.... 33% and then stops
i redo and stops at 12%

go sleep. next morning stops at 12% again.

just says: "Not Ready. / Format Terminated"

wtf is this? ive never seen this before... im considering just reinstalling windows ontop of my old installation but am still wondering why it won't format...
 

teddymines

Senior member
Jul 6, 2001
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I'm puzzled by your text that said "verifying files." What's that all about? For clean installs, I always boot with my windows 98 rescue floppy, partition, then format.

The "not ready" message makes me a little nervous that it is your drive. I had the same problem with a WD.
 

Alex

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 1999
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Originally posted by: NeoMadHatter
have you tried the windows xp floppy installs? i gotta find the link. but you can download the install floppies for windows xp from microsoft.com

thx but that disk is only for fresh installs and i can't format to get a fresh install ...
 

Alex

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 1999
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Originally posted by: teddymines
I'm puzzled by your text that said "verifying files." What's that all about? For clean installs, I always boot with my windows 98 rescue floppy, partition, then format.

The "not ready" message makes me a little nervous that it is your drive. I had the same problem with a WD.

i dont know. for some reason it wont format. its a new maxtor buts been acting a lil funny lately.
 

NeoMadHatter

Platinum Member
Nov 29, 2000
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johntwang.com
Originally posted by: franguinho
Originally posted by: NeoMadHatter
here you go:

for windows xp professional:
Windows XP Professional Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install

for windows xp home:
Windows® XP Home Edition Utility: Setup Disks for floppy boot install

answer to your other question you posted in Operating System Forum:

How to Set up and Use Automated System Recovery in Windows XP


wow thx for the links!! :)

no prob. i'm in need of reinstall windows too and wanted to find out what the automated system recovery was too. i think i'm going to try it eventually. at least make the disks. and make a ghost of the HD. somehow something went wrong with Battle.net and my computer wouldn't go into windows either.
 

Alex

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 1999
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sorry to hear...



anyways so can anyone tell me why i can't format???
 

teddymines

Senior member
Jul 6, 2001
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franguinho:

Could it be heat related? I had a similar problem where I couldn't boot even in safe mode. Check your hsf and case circulation.

Does the BIOS recognize the whole disk?

Try hooking it up to the secondary IDE bus as master with no other IDE devices. Double-check the jumpers.

Obtain a drive diagnostic app from your HD manufacturer and run it.

Install it in a friend's machine and try to partition and format. If this fails, it is your drive.

I'm out of ideas, let us know how you make out.