Correction, Windows cannot format the Raptor!?!?!?!?

[Pr0d1gy]

I just tried to seriously install Windows, but it is hanging on the format at 0%. What do I do & what is the problem?





Original statement: OK, the reason I say this is that I am a veteran of Windows reinstall on my Dell Dimension 2400 and when I say my new rig is moving slow, I mean it is creeeeping. By that I mean it is moving noticeably slower than my Dell, albeit the drive is twice the size. Is there something I need to do in BIOS to get this new rig running right so I can install Windows?

 

[Ausm]

Things that can cause a "slow" install of Windows are:

1)Bad Cd

2)CD-Reader is taking a dive

3)Corrupt hard drive- i.e bad sectors


Ausm

 

[Pr0d1gy]

I don't think #1 is a problem.

#2 is something I thought about because my CD ROM makes a bad sounding noise when the disk is spinning, almost like something is digging into the disk while it spins. It's kind of a high pitched whine/scratchy sound.

#3 is also something I worry about since I bought it used from a guy here, although he did have decent Heat. The 74gb Raptor shows 70,9xx as it's free space, when it is supposed to have 74,000. Now I understand about it not displaying every bit on the hard drive, but should it be that much?

 

[imported_Mitchell]

"#3 is also something I worry about since I bought it used from a guy here,"

So new is a relative term in regaurds to a PC that you own, but the parts are not 'new' per say.

Then ya, I would look at the components, try a different cdrom, hd, make sure jumper settings are set right, that type of stuff.

 

[imported_Kensai]

That shouldn't be that bad. I would say that if it lost 4GB it's still okay.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

OK, I'm gonna just try to fully install Windows on the drive & see what happens. If the format is still at 0% around 7pm then I'm gonna have to RMA the hard drive. Luckily I make sure what i buy has a warranty since I know how people are...maybe I'm wrong & Windows XP Pro just takes alot longer to run through. Just have to wait & see at this point.

I bought the CD ROM locally from Monarch so i gave them a call. I talked to the tech guy & he asked if it was making the noise with just one disk or all of them. After testing another disk, it didn't happen so he said it is most likely #3 or sometimes it's a motherboard issue. I'm hoping it's just a Pr0d1gy is a n00b issue & works out, because the guys I bought from all had pretty respectable Heat.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Pr0d1gy
OK, I'm gonna just try to fully install Windows on the drive & see what happens. If the format is still at 0% around 7pm then I'm gonna have to RMA the hard drive. Luckily I make sure what i buy has a warranty since I know how people are...maybe I'm wrong & Windows XP Pro just takes alot longer to run through. Just have to wait & see at this point.

I loaded loaded win XP pro on my AMD 3400+ took a little over 8 minutes,


AUsm

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Did you have to adjust anything in BIOS before loading Windows, like your RAM settings? I have read that TCCD RAM can run poorly or not at all at JEDEC standards for latency.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Alright, I decided to give it one last go, but now there is a huge problem so i have changed the thread accordingly....

 

[Melchior]

Are you quick formatting?

And if your getting stuck @ format, could be a memory issue too.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

I am doing a non quick format.

 

[Tiamat]

Memtest your memory to be sure.

Are you hitting F8 or whatever to load SCSI/SATA drivers? You have to load these drivers before Windows sees the drive.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Are the drivers from the WD software disk or will they load from BIOS? I know BIOS is detecting the drive and I guess Windows is as well. I do not have the WD software disk that came with the Raptor, because I bought it here OEM.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Pr0d1gy
Are the drivers from the WD software disk or will they load from BIOS? I know BIOS is detecting the drive and I guess Windows is as well. I do not have the WD software disk that came with the Raptor, because I bought it here OEM.

I had to do "F8" or something like that, and then i had to use a floppy that came with my Motherboard for SATA drivers. Either that, or you can slipstream SP2 onto a Windows XP Pro installation cd. SP2 has support for SATA.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

You got a floppy with your mobo? I only have a drivers & utilities CD and the Soundblaster driver disk as well. Do I need to insert the utilities & drivers CD when it says hit f6 or f8 or whatever? I don't think I could slipstream anything without Windows being on there to begin with...plus I already have SP2 slip disk but it's useless without Windows installed, correct? I am so lost...

 

[m21s]

What you need is a copy of the sata/raid drivers disk associated with your hardware.
this comes on a floppy and needs to be inserted during the initial install of windows when it asks if you have any 3rd pary sata/raid drivers (something along those lines) its when you hit f6.
then it will ask you to insert the disk and it will load the drivers for your HD

windows needs this disk in order to use the sata HD.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

ok, thanks for the reply

 

[GreatDaleness]

Sometimes the "disk" you need is on the CD that came with the motherboard. You use that disk to boot, and it gives you the option to make a floppy. I had to do this with my Asus SLI-Deluxe and Raptor.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Yeah but I don't have a floppy...nor the disks...lol
Could I download the stuff I need to a CD-R from the Western Digital website?

 

[DaveSimmons]

SATA : go to the motherboard manufacturer website, e.g. asus.com.tw

Since you're in the elitist "I don't need a floppy" crowd Use Advanced Search and "slipstream" as the keyword to see about making an XP CD with drivers.

The 74gb Raptor shows 70,9xx as it's free space, when it is supposed to have 74,000

All drives are sold with capacity listed as 1,000,000,000 = 1 GB instead of the proper 2^30, so you only get about 93% of the advertised capacity.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Well i already have SP2 slipstream disk, so would that work? :thumbsup:

 

[tcsenter]

1,000,000,000 = 1 GB instead of the proper 2^30

Actually, the "proper" definition of a Gigabyte is 1 billion bytes. You mean GiB = Gibibyte

Giga+byte = the sum of its parts

You can't just steal a well established, internationally recognized and adopted, unit of measure or prefix and redefine it unless a fair percentage of the world's standards organizations and bodies say you can.

Well, I suppose you can. Let''s give it a try!

Attention: A centimeter will no longer mean 1/100 of one meter! From now on, it will mean a foot! As in the anatomical foot that you put shoes on. So if I say, "Dude, your centimeters stink", there ought to be no confusion.

If I catch you using "centimeter = 1/100 of one meter", I will note that its not proper.

Gigabyte

Gigabyte

Gibibyte