Maxtor D740X is behaving strange and odd interesting read and seek help.

[GenerationYscorpio]

I have recently purchased the maxtor D740x drive the first ever drive that was created by Maxtor and Quantum.
Anyway, here is the major problem I am encountering.

Spec
Asus a7v133 based on kt133a
WinXP pro
512ram
AMD Thunderbird 900mhz

I have done FDISK and advance longer formating that was provided by WinXP cd and when I install the window it went extremely slow and at many occassions the drive just stop spinning not completely stop responding it just idle and do nothing, but eventually like 2hr and half passed it finally done installing, and goes into the first time loading windows. However, it spend forever time loading and most of the time the drive is idle and eventually turns into blank black screen and only seek the drive 2 sec occassionally and brings it to nowhere. One thing is odd that when it is installing windowxp and actually spinning it does things at the respected speed but just that endless time of idleing pisses me off and never able to go into windows.
Here is all the problemshoot I have tried
1. used maxtor powermax diagnostic utility it passed all the test....
2. have formated several times still the same thing
3. Have tried with my other drives it worked flawlessly
4. I have placed the drive in both ata100 mode and ordinary ata66 mode both does the same thing
5. I have even changed the cable and have the utility that was provided by maxtor to check all connection everything is fine


Thanks for your time reading this, the problem is too wired and beyond my ability to do any further action on it.
Any suggestions or comments is welcome.

 

[SemperFi]

That board has the promise controller on it doesn't it? Are you using it for the drive?

I have an a7v and apparently the promise controller went bad. I had very similar problems when I tried installing 2000 while on this controller. I even installed on the via then moved it back to the promise, after installing the promise drivers like the first time I installed 2000, and it wouldn't boot.

Anyhow if you have the drive on the promise try it on the via controller.

Hope this helps.

Semper Fi

 

[GenerationYscorpio]

I dont get what you have said, promise controller is that the one for the ata-100 HD slot?
And the Via drive??? IS that the normal ata33 or 66 slot?

 

[GenerationYscorpio]

anyone got any further ideas?
Can I just call maxtor and get rma that way? because their stupid utility is working for their drive and not telling the bad or not good enough to tell every trouble.

 

[SemperFi]

Sorry I forgot to subscribe to the thread.

Ok I just checked the online manual and it appears to be optional. Does your board have 4 ide connectors? The pic I saw the 2 that use the "via controller" are next to the floppy connector. The 2 connectors just beside them if you have them are the "promise controller" connectors. The pic showed the board as saying "ultra dma 100". The via connectors are just marked Primary and Secondary.

On the A7V-133 both controllers are ATA 100.

Which ever controller you currently have the drive connected to unplug it and plug it into the other. You may have to change the boot order in the bios.

For example if your drive is pluged into the promise controller marked ultra udma-100 primary on the motherboard, unplug it and plug it into the primary ide connector.

 

[GenerationYscorpio]

I see what you mean I did try that use both ultra ata100 and a normal primary controller for older hd drive and it doesnt work the hard drive I am using rite now is the older generation hd which only needs a ata33 and it worked like a charm. So used all the hd controller for that drive and none seem to work.

 

[SemperFi]

Did you do the fdisk and reinstall fresh when you changed the controller?

I am dual booting 2000 and 98, when I installed 98 I would put the drive on the via controller to install 98 then add my promise drivers then shut down and change the drive back to my promise controller. Well when my promise controller bit the dust "before I figured out the problem" I installed 98 and swiched controller back to promise and wouldn't boot so i went back to the via controller it wouldn't boot either. It was really strange problems and took me many installs before I figured this one out.

I guess what I am getting at is put the drive back on the via controller and fdisk format and install over again.


Semper Fi

 

[GenerationYscorpio]

Thanks for your input very appreciated

I am going crazy over this, its a hard drive that usually works pretty easy yet now it had me to do so much work
I am tired of it, but again I am appreciated your help.

I am just going to RMA it, since who knows when is going to have another problem.

Thank you