Does formatting a PATA HD normally take a long time?

[bigempty]

I just bought a new 320GB Western Digital and started the format out of Vista's disk management.

That was an hour ago and the progress only shows 13%.

If it makes any difference, I am running the hard drive out a Cypress chipset external enclosure. Could this be what is making it slow, or should it even make a difference.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Sounds like Vista.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Sounds like it is doing a full format, and checking for bad sectors. And that always takes a long time.

 

[bigempty]

2.5 hours later and it is only at 25%

joy

 

[SexyK]

Sounds like you should have just gone for the ol' quick format.

 

[bendixG15]

You got something better to do ??

 

[pradeep1]

I recently formatted a 250 GB PATA and it took about 45 minutes. It could be your external enclosure slowing it down.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: SexyK
Sounds like you should have just gone for the ol' quick format.

yep. i made the mistake of doing a regular "format" once.. it took like 5hours. quick format FTW

 

[bigempty]

I didn't take any chances. I stopped the format, pulled the drive out and plugged it into an old machine and did a quick format. Took like 30 seconds.

4 hours for nothing!

 

[PianoMan]

It's the external enclosure. When I transferred files after upgrading my computer awhile back, it took noticeably longer when I used the external drive vice plugging the HD into an IDE cable.

It's most likely the conversion between IDE/SATA to USB 2.0 that's dragging it down somehow.

PM

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: PianoMan
It's the external enclosure. When I transferred files after upgrading my computer awhile back, it took noticeably longer when I used the external drive vice plugging the HD into an IDE cable.

Very true - the maximum SUSTAINED transfer rate for USB 2 is much less than the designed max of 480 Mbps. And full format checks every sector, whereas quick format only re-does the file allocation table. And, for full format, the bigger the drive, the longer it takes.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: bigempty
I didn't take any chances. I stopped the format, pulled the drive out and plugged it into an old machine and did a quick format. Took like 30 seconds.

4 hours for nothing!

IMO it's usually worth it to do a full format on a brand new drive. If there are any bad sectors, you'll know immediately and be able to exchange the drive before you start using it.

 

[pradeep1]

I agree. On new drives with new OS install, a full low level format is a must.

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: bigempty
I didn't take any chances. I stopped the format, pulled the drive out and plugged it into an old machine and did a quick format. Took like 30 seconds.

4 hours for nothing!

IMO it's usually worth it to do a full format on a brand new drive. If there are any bad sectors, you'll know immediately and be able to exchange the drive before you start using it.

 

[Nocturnal]

As long as you know the drive is fine, I prefer to do a quick format.