Harddrive Trouble!!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

[DarkKnight]

When I first installed Windows 2000, I installed it on my second harddrive and I decided to format the drive in NTFS mode. I also had Windows 98, and I didn't like 98 not detecting my second harddrive, so I wanted to format back to FAT32. To do this, I went back into Windows Setup and tried reinstalling Windows 2000 back on the same drive. When it asked which drive ti install 2K in, I decided to delete my NTFS partition, so it would allow me to create a new partition and format it in FAT32. I deleted it and created a new partition of the same size. After that, I decided to install Win2k in the Unpartitioned space. It then asked whether I wanted to format it in FAT32 of NTFS, so I chose FAT32. Then it tried to format my drive, but then for some reason it couldn't. Then I decided to format the drive using my Data Lifeguard tools that came with my Wester Digital Drive. I booted the floopy disk and went in the program and I asked me which drive I wanted to format. I chose the appropriate drive. Then it did a BIOS check and said that "Device 2 could not be accessed." Now, I cannot format my D:. Does anyone know why this is happening and help me fix the problem?

 

[baldy]

your post is as confusing as what you were up to/thinking of in the first place with your creative formatting and partitioning.

anyway, try formating the old fashioned way with Fdisk first, and do the whole hardrive, you probably have the drive so confused now with the two different formats you have to do it this way, then you could use the formatting utility from WD again, if ever needed.

BTW, I don't use FDISK anymore, I always format with the boot floppy formater now, much faster and they work perfectly if used properly.

you could also try a low level format from the same partiioning/formatting utility you mentioned.

this is not an impossible situation.

been there, done that. i have created more problems than I ever solved in the computer world, always one step behind and constantly figuring stuff out.

yer gonna have to start over.



baldy

 

[Woodie]

Check drive-size too. FAT32 has a limited size, don't remember what it is off the top of my head. (I only use NTFS).

--Woodie

 

[NicColt]

you will need to fdisk no question about it.

 

[michec]

Where are you sticking the 2nd HD? On the same IDE cable as the main HD or on its own channel (secondary master)? If it's on the same IDE cable as the main HD (as primary slave), check to see if another IDE device (i.e. CD-ROM) will be detected by Windows if you stick it on as primary slave.

When you are using Data Lifeguard, I'm assuming you have both drives connected since you had to choose the appropriate drive. Try attaching just the NTFS drive as primary master and re-running Data Lifeguard to do a low-level format.

The problem may be with the IDE cable or IDE connector and not necessarily the HD.